Alcohol and Menopause: Things to Consider

Alcohol and Menopause: Things to Consider

Many people enjoy an occasional drink of alcohol. Some enjoy even more. But when it comes to alcohol and menopause, does the amount you drink have an impact on your health?

The North American Menopause Society recently addressed this question and it’s good information for you to know. Here are the facts.

How do you quantify the amount of alcohol you consume?

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) defines one standard drink as:
• 5 fluid ounces (one glass) of wine (about 12% alcohol). Don’t let your wine glass fool you—most hold much more than 5 ounces.
• 12 fluid ounces (usually one can or bottle) of regular beer (about 5% alcohol)
• 1.5 fluid ounces (one shot) of 80-proof distilled spirits

This NIAA defines different levels of drinking for women as:
• Light – less than one drink per day
• Moderate – one to two drinks per day
• Heavy – more than two drinks per day

benefits

risks

Bottom line for alcohol and menopause: light to moderate drinking can have some positive effects. But heavy drinking is never good and drinking even lesser amounts may be harmful for some women. For women, the NIAA puts its low-risk drinking limit at no more than seven drinks a week and no more than three drinks on any single day.