How Much Booze Do You Have To Drink To Mess With Your Hormones?

We all love to unwind at the end of the day. Sometimes that’s a great bout of yoga or high-intensity training, and sometimes it's a glass of wine or a favorite cocktail. Everything in moderation, right?

Or not? Have you ever wondered what impact (if any) alcohol has on your hormones? And just how much is too much? Is any amount "safe"? What is alcohol doing inside our bodies? And what does moderate consumption even mean?

According to clinical studies, moderate alcohol consumption can vary with life stages. What you consume at age 20 may not be the same as what you consume at age 40—and what you drink will affect your hormones really differently as well. As a woman ages, her hormones fluctuate; therefore, less alcohol is needed to have larger hormonal effects over time. For a woman in her 40s or 50s, even "moderate" amounts of alcohol can affect the hormonal system.

According to a study by the Testosterone Centers of Texas, "alcohol is the enemy of testosterone." Testosterone is important for both men and women (although men have much more)! It’s well-known as the hormone for sex drive and libido, but it is a key player in muscle formation, bone mass, fat distribution, and brain health. Low testosterone (caused by alcohol or something else) in both men and women can result in brain fog, fatigue, irritability, lower muscle mass, and lower motivation.

The Testosterone Centers study goes on to cite that the decrease in testosterone is in direct relation to the amount of alcohol consumed, which poses the question: How much is too much?

In this particular study, the findings suggest that drinking two to three beers a day caused a "slight" reduction in testosterone for men and none for women, a good sign that moderate drinking doesn't have that huge of an impact. The way in which alcohol affects hormone levels is related to the chemicals alcohol contains. Beer and wine contain chemicals that can increase estrogen, thereby lowering testosterone.

Though most studies seem to suggest moderate alcohol intake may not cause any health issues in men and women, I've found in my years as a practitioner that "moderate" can mean very different things to different people.

The bottom line: What’s moderate and appropriate for you might not be the same as what’s moderate and appropriate for me—especially when it comes to hormone balance.