Experts have found that women are more likely to binge drink at certain times in their menstrual cycle, due to the spike in sex hormones.
Experiments have shown that the female hormone estrogen stimulates activity in a part of the brain, which stimulates the rapid drinking of alcohol.
Binge drinking behavior was most likely to occur in the middle of the cycle, just before ovulation, when estrogen is at its highest.
Although the study, by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, was based on mice, the authors said it could have implications for preventing dangerous alcohol intake in women.
The discovery comes amid growing concerns that pro-drink trends on social media specifically aimed at women could cause serious liver disease and even deaths.
Official data shows that alcohol-related deaths in Britain are rising faster among women than men. Between 2019 and 2022, the number of deaths per 100,000 people increased by 44 percent among women, while men saw a smaller increase of 38 percent.
Last year, a report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development revealed that one in four British women now binge drink at least once a month – the highest rate of the 29 countries surveyed.
More than a quarter also admit to consuming six or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion, more than double the average rate of 12 percent.
Experts have discovered that women’s hormone levels may be the reason why some are more vulnerable to binge drinking than others
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In the new research, published in Nature Communications, scientists found that high estrogen levels encouraged female mice to consume large amounts of alcohol in the first half hour after it was offered.
Experts have attributed this effect to an interaction between the hormone and cells in a part of the brain called the stria terminalis, which ‘lights up’ when the female rodents consumed alcohol, encouraging continued drinking in rapid succession.
One of the authors, Dr. Kristen Pleil, an expert in pharmacology, said: ‘When a woman takes her first sip from the bottle of alcohol, those neurons [brain cells] going crazy.’
But this effect was “even crazier” when a female was in a high-estrogen state.
Women’s estrogen levels naturally fluctuate over the course of the menstrual cycle and become particularly high just before ovulation.
Dr. Pleil said the observation that estrogen could influence alcohol consumption made sense, given that the hormone was already known to influence emotions.
‘Estrogen has such powerful effects on so many behaviors, especially in women. So it makes sense that it would also modulate drinking,” she said.
Last year, a report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revealed that one in four British women now binge drinks at least once a month – the highest rate of the 29 countries surveyed
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The team is now investigating the exact signaling mechanisms between the neurons in the stria terminalis that cause this response and are also investigating whether the same system may play a role in binge drinking in men.
Dr. Pleil said: ‘All the infrastructure is also present in men, the estrogen receptors and the basic circuit organization.’
‘The only difference will be the source of the estrogen, which in men without any restrictions depends on the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in the brain.’
Although the research has so far only been conducted on mice, the authors say it could one day lead to possible interventions to tackle excessive drinking.
The authors said this could be similar to already approved cancer treatments that stop tumor growth by inhibiting estrogens.
The discovery comes after experts recently raised the alarm a ‘worrying’ increase of drinking-related deaths among middle-aged women.
Although the trend has been going on for years, experts say Covid-era social restrictions have likely worsened Britain’s drinking problem.
Dozens of studies have also found that boredom, more time to drink and anxiety have fueled the rise in alcohol consumption during lockdowns in both genders.
Exactly how much alcohol can cause irreversible liver damage varies from person to person, depending on genetics, drinking experience and weight.
But a shock study found that just 21 binge drinking sessions over seven weeks – three binge episodes per week – were enough to trigger symptoms of early-stage liver failure.
Binge drinking among men was defined as five beers, a bottle of wine or five shots of liquor. For women this amounted to four or more drinks in two hours.