Wine, Menopause and Weight – What’s the go?

Many women enjoy the occasional glass of wine or bubbles and even beer. Some more frequently than others. No judgment here! I grew up with wine (homemade) offered at the lunch and dinner table in our traditional Sicilian family.

But, where do wine and indeed alcohol sit when it comes to weight management and also peri-menopause and menopause? It’s not just about the calories! I have snuck a little table in below just for curiosity’s sake. Let’s talk about alcohol in general. Regardless of the conflicting information on how much is a safe amount to consume, there are a few things that should be considered. 

Alcohol in general:

• Is a toxin. It not only puts a strain on our liver and kidneys but also impairs the healthy detoxification of other toxins that we may be exposed to. 
• Can reduce melatonin and disrupt sleep. 
• Can worsen hot flashes and night sweats. 
• Can alter the brain and adrenal systems and throw the natural stress response out of whack. 
• Damages the gut microbiome, promotes leaky-gut and can worsen allergies and food intolerances via histamine release. 
• Stimulates appetite in women and leads to overeating. There’s one to watch if weight gain is a concern. Wine often comes with nibblies!
• Can impair bone and muscle strength and growth. Watch out for osteoporosis. 
• Impairs the metabolism of the hormone oestrogen and as such may be a risk in fibroids and breast cancer. 

The female body and alcohol

When it comes to watching your waistline, there is also conflicting information about how much wine or alcohol is ok to consume. It is known that alcohol impacts the liver negatively and may also sensitise the body to promote fat storage. If you are trying to lose weight, alcohol may just be another obstacle to your efforts! During peri-menopause when oestrogen levels are fluctuating rapidly and then menopause when oestrogen is almost completely gone, the body and its tissues have to adapt and this means a little extra self-awareness and management on our part.  The hormone shift tends to alter insulin sensitivity and therefore how your body can switch into fat-burning mode. If your waistline as a female is over 85cm, this is a good indicator of insulin resistance, which means your body is primed to store fat easily and has a tendency to inflammation. Hello common complaints of menopause – weight gain around the middle, fatigue, and achy joints. mood swings, and hot flashes despite your efforts to eat less.

Because oestrogen is dropping during menopause, you also need to be taking better care of your bones. One of the reasons brittle bones and weakening muscles occur as women age is due to the lack of oestrogen. Add alcohol to this and you have double the trouble. Alcohol not only impairs bone and muscle growth, but it also affects oestrogen metabolism and the hormone melatonin, which also plays a role in preventing bone loss. In other words, if you are worried about osteoporosis, it’s also wise to give the wine a miss.

Recommendations if you choose to enjoy an alcoholic beverage in moderation:

Have 4 or more alcohol-free days per week. 

Limit yourself to no more than 4 to 5 standard drinks per week. Check what is a standard drink for your beverage of choice. Measure it, don’t guess, it’s too easy to play games with yourself. 

It’s best to AVOID ALCOHOL altogether if you are suffering from hot flashes, insomnia, fibroids, osteoporosis, or have a family history of breast cancer. Moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to an approximate 30-50% increased risk in breast cancer. *

Curr Breast Cancer Rep, 2013 Sep;5(3):10.1007/s12609-013-0114-z. doi: 10.1007/s12609-013-0114-z. Alcohol Intake and Breast Cancer Risk: Weighing the Overall Evidence Jasmine A McDonald 1, Abhishek Goyal, Mary Beth Terry

Nutrition Averages for Alcoholic Beverages: 

(note – “burning it off” with exercise refers only to calories, it does not alter the negative effects of alcohol on detox pathways and other health risks)