MG Asks: Is Drinking Alcohol on Your Period a Bad Idea?

When you work hard, you want to play (and drink) hard, especially when your hormones are raging. But did you know that drinking alcohol on your period can adversely affect your cycle?

As with many external factors like stress and smoking cigarettes, drinking booze can have an impact on your menstrual cycle. This is because alcohol can temporarily increase your levels of estrogen and testosterone.

Disruptions in typical hormonal fluctuations may alter ovulation, which can change when you menstruate. Queue: An irregular period or one that shows up earlier or later than expected, or perhaps not at all.

These findings are especially pertinent with alcoholic women. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) finds that “alcoholic women are known to have a variety of menstrual and reproductive disorders, from irregular menstrual cycles to complete cessation of menses, absence of ovulation (i.e., anovulation), and infertility.”

For those who drinking regularly, moderate amounts of alcohol can affect menstruation because of the hormonal disruptions it can cause.

On the subject of cramping, The New York Times reports, “Alcohol does not cause menstrual pain, but in women with dysmenorrhea, alcohol consumption may prolong the pain.” So, if you do suffer from heavy cramping, it might be best to stay away from the hard stuff while Aunt Flo is in town.

Photo courtesy of HuffPost