Now, scientists have found that resveratrol – a natural compound found in red wine and grapes – can help address this hormone imbalance.
Alcohol is known to raise estrogen levels, but there is evidence that the chemicals in red grape seeds and skins may actually decrease estrogen levels. If your peri-menopausal symptoms are caused by a drop in estrogen then red wine may make things worse!
Red Wine and the Risk of Breast Cancer
Doctors determined long ago that alcohol increases the body's estrogen levels, fostering the growth of cancer cells.
This inhibition leads to a marked decrease in estrogen (estradiol and estrone) levels. Naturally occurring aromatase inhibitors include grapes, grape juice, and red, but not white wine. The aromatase inhibitory effects are attributed to wine phytochemicals and not to alcohol.
These findings suggest that red wine contains a higher content and/or biologically more active phytoestrogens than does bourbon. The effects of bourbon and red wine congeners on (A) uterus weight and (B) luteinizing hormone (LH) levels of rats whose ovaries had been removed.
Alcohol like bourbon, wine, and beer contain phytoestrogens (estrogen-mimicking substances), which can raise your estrogen levels, worsening PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroid symptoms.
Drinking red wine in moderation may have certain health benefits, including boosting heart, gut, and brain health. This is because it contains compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-improving effects.
Alcohol consumption is known to affect the levels of oestrogen and progesterone significantly. Acute consumption of alcohol has been shown to increase oestrogen levels (2). Alcohol does this by slowing down the breakdown of oestrogen in your liver and upregulating the conversion of testosterone to oestrogen (3).
Within a few weeks, most moderate drinkers should see overall health improvements, including positive impacts on hormone levels. If you quit after years of heavy drinking, though, it may take years for your hormones to get back to where they should be.
The investigators concluded that red wine, but not white wine, was associated with significant effects on some indices of estrogen metabolism; free testosterone and luteinizing hormone were increased, but no significant differences were noted in estrogen levels.
But the Cedars-Sinai study found that chemicals in the skins and seeds of red grapes slightly lowered estrogen levels while elevating testosterone among premenopausal women who drank eight ounces of red wine nightly for about a month. White wine lacked the same effect.
Avocado. Research shows that avocados can help reduce the absorption of estrogen and boost testosterone levels. They also improve heart health and aid in satiety. We need enough healthy fats to make hormones, and avocados are a great source of hormone building blocks.
Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries are all hormone balancing foods packed with great nutrients. Berries are rich sources of vitamin C, which regulates your progesterone levels, particularly during the luteal (PMS) phase of your cycle .
In some of the studies reviewed above, heavy alcohol consumption has been found to increase estrogen production, which should protect bone from the development of osteoporosis. Yet, despite this increase in estrogen, alcohol consumption leads to accelerated bone loss.
Wine increases the release of dopamine and serotonin in our brain as all pleasurable activities do including, for example, going out with friends, getting a promotion at work, going on holiday, and so on. By raising dopamine levels in our brain, wine can make us feel good.
By interfering with the hormone system, alcohol can affect blood sugar levels, impair reproductive functions, interfere with calcium metabolism and bone structure, affect hunger and digestion, and increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Because of its high quantities of resveratrol, Pinot Noir is considered the healthiest wine. It's created from thin-skinned grapes and has low sugar, calorie, and alcohol content. Pinot Noir is regarded as the healthiest red wine available.
Pinot Noir is rated as the healthiest wine because of the high levels of resveratrol. It is made of grapes with thin skin, has low sugar, fewer calories, and low alcohol content. Sagrantino made in Italy contains the highest concentration of antioxidants and is packed with tannins.
"Dry reds like pinot noir are usually the healthiest, and white wines are usually sweeter and tend to have more calories per glass," Dr. Sonpal explains. Why? They tend to contain higher levels of flavonoids and polyphenols, both of which provide trace antioxidant benefits.
Caffeine and Estrogen: A Complex Relationship
In fact, if you're trying to balance your hormones, caffeine may be a no-go. Research shows that it can increase estrogen levels. While caffeine is known to give you a quick energy boost, it can also disrupt your hormones, particularly estrogen levels.
So, they designed this analysis to study how drinking soda might affect hormones. In conclusion, women who drank more than a cup of regular (not diet) soda a day had higher levels of estrogen than those who drank less regular soda, diet soda, or fruit juice.
Summary. High estrogen levels can cause symptoms such as irregular or heavy periods, weight gain, fatigue, and fibroids in females. In males, they can cause breast tissue growth, erectile dysfunction, and infertility.