Alcohol’s Effect on Estrogen in Women and Men

Every alcoholic beverage you drink is increasing your estrogen level, and that can be very bad for your health. 

What You’ll Learn:

• How alcohol impacts the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis’s hormone production.
• The connection between alcohol, aromatase and estrogen.
• How the liver is impacted by the combination of alcohol and estrogen.
• Why increased estrogen production isn’t healthy for anyone.
• The health repercussions for women.
• The health repercussions for men.
• The health consequences for both sexes.
• Why the amount that you drink matters.

We’re starting to become aware of just how impactful it is with every alcoholic beverage we consume. Once we thought that its negative effects were limited to alcohol addiction, hangovers and drunkenness that impaired our judgement. Science has revealed that the effects go much deeper.

In recent years, many research studies have taken a closer look at how alcohol affects hormone production. Estrogen has been one of the key hormones that was examined, and it turns out it’s one of the hormones that is most affected in women and men. 

The changes in estrogen may not seem that noticeable at first, but over time they’ll show up in many different ways that are very bad for your health.

How Alcohol Acts on the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal (HPG) Axis Altering Hormone Production

The production of sex hormones is controlled by the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal (HPG) Axis. Unfortunately, it’s a system that is highly susceptible to alcohol consumption. Alcohol affects all three parts of the HPG Axis:

• It interrupts the release of GnRH, a hormone generated in the hypothalamus that communicates with the pituitary gland.
• It  disrupts the release of LH and FSH from the pituitary.
• It inhibits direct hormone synthesis within the testes/ovaries.

In other words, the HPG Axis is completely thrown off by alcohol.

The Connection Between Alcohol, Aromatase and Estrogen Levels

Aromatase is an enzyme with a number of functions, some of which are connected to estrogen production. It’s responsible for the last stage of estrogen production when androgens are converted into estrogen. 

When alcohol is in your system it has an effect on aromatase that further dysregulates the production of estrogen and testosterone. Alcohol ramps up aromatase that then converts more testosterone into estrogen than it normally would. It throws off the natural balance, lowering testosterone levels and elevating estrogen.

Body Fat Factor

The effect on aromatase isn’t equal for everyone. One of the places where the aromatase generates and converts testosterone to estrogen is fatty tissue. The more fatty tissue a person has the greater effect the overstimulated aromatase will have. 

The kicker: alcohol also impedes your ability to burn fat, adding to the aromatase issue.

The Liver’s Inability to Clear Estrogen Because of Alcohol

Alcohol is a double whammy for the liver, which clears estrogen from the body along with alcohol. Since alcohol is a toxin, the liver prioritizes metabolizing it over everything else. Because of that, the liver is slow to clear estrogen, causing it to stay in the bloodstream for longer than it normally would.

Effects on Women From Alcohol Increasing Estrogen

Since estrogen is considered the “female sex hormone” you might think that higher levels of estrogen would be beneficial. The exact opposite is actually true. 

Elevated estrogen has a number of negative impacts for women that can have a serious effect on their health. The possible repercussions for women include: 

• Greater hormonal fluctuation across the menstrual cycle

• More severe PMS symptoms
• Irregular or heavier periods
• Increased risk of fibroids
• Worse endometriosis symptom flare-ups

• Disrupted ovulation
• Reduced egg quality with chronic use
• Worsened perimenopause or menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings

Effects on Men From Alcohol Increasing Estrogen

The health impacts for men can be even more pronounced since increases in estrogen creates a testosterone imbalance. When this happens a man can experience:

• Suppressed testosterone production overall

• Gynecomastia (development of breast tissue)
• Reduced sperm count 
• Reduced sperm quality
• Lower libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Fat gain, especially in chest and abdominal fat
• Mood changes, such as irritability or depression
• Hypogonadism (from heavy or long-term alcohol use

Shared Risk Factors For Men and Women

There are a number of other health problems that can develop in both men and women when estrogen levels are high. 

Metabolic Effects

• Increased visceral fat, which aids estrogen production creating a negative feedback loop
• Greater insulin resistance
• Increased inflammation
• Disrupted sleep that worsens hormone regulation

Increased Risk of Cancer

One of the biggest reasons people should limit alcohol consumption is that it can increase the risk of developing estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers due to the increased estrogen production. 

Alcohol-related estrogen elevation is strongly associated with some types of reproductive cancers and liver cancer.

The Amount of Alcohol Makes a Huge Difference on Estrogen

It’s clear that alcohol has an effect on estrogen production, but it’s also dose dependent. The more alcohol you drink, the more pronounced the problem is. 

• Occasional, low-level drinking: Small, temporary estrogen changes
• Chronic drinking or binge drinking: Persistent elevation in estrogen and cumulative risk
• Chronic heavy use: Long-term endocrine disruption and structural changes
  

Just one drink per day has been shown to slightly increase estrogen levels in women.

Based on what we know about the effects on estrogen, getting alcohol consumption under control is extremely important for anyone who drinks regularly, even if it’s just one drink a day. If you want to fast track the process or need assistance curbing alcohol cravings, prescription naltrexone can help. It’s a clinically proven and FDA-approved alcohol use treatment option that can help you drink less or quit entirely. 

Take the Alcohol Use Assessment to find out if your drinking habits make you eligible for an online naltrexone prescription. 

Find out How Alcohol is Impacting Your Liver and Hormones

Want to know if alcohol is impacting your liver health? Take an at-home liver health and function blood test to get your baseline numbers. You can measure again after several months on naltrexone to see how reducing alcohol use is improving your health. 

And if you’re interested in getting a better idea of your hormone levels, Choose Health offers a 12-in-1 Female Wellness at-home test and a 12-in-1 Male Wellness at-home test that provides clear information on your estradiol (estrogen) levels to know if your production is elevated.