Changes in excessive alcohol use among older women across the menopausal transition

There are sex-specific factors that may influence alcohol consumption among women, including the hormonal changes associated with the menopausal transition and negative affect.
In a study, published in Biol Sex Differ, researchers investigated transitions in excessive drinking among women across the menopausal transition and included exploration of sex hormones (estradiol; testosterone) and depression.
Data was taken from the Study of Women Across the Nation (SWAN). 3,302 women (42–52 years old at baseline) who completed 10 years of annual assessments were included. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) criteria were used as guidance when defining excessive drinking within the present dataset. At year 1, 170 women were identified as drinking excessively. Transitions in excessive drinking were examined.
Women identified as excessive drinkers were more likely to transition to non-excessive drinking across all menopausal transition stages (ORs range = 3.71–5.11), while women were more likely to transition from non-excessive to excessive drinking during the early peri- and postmenopausal stages (OR = 1.52 and 1.98, respectively). Higher testosterone levels were associated with a decreased likelihood of transitioning to non-excessive drinking (OR = 0.59). Depression and estradiol levels were not related to transitions in drinking.
This study demonstrates that the menopausal transition marks a period of instability in alcohol use among women, the authors comment. Further research is warranted to understand factors related to transitioning in and out of excessive drinking.
Source: Peltier, M.R., Verplaetse, T.L., Roberts, W. et al. Changes in excessive alcohol use among older women across the menopausal transition: a longitudinal analysis of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Biol Sex Differ 11, 37 (2020).