Menopause, ageing, and alcohol use disorders in women

Milić, Jelena; Glišić, Marija; Voortman, Trudy; Pletsch-Borba, Laura; Asllanaj, Eralda; Rojas, Lyda Z.; Troup, Jenna; Jong, Jessica C. Kiefte-de; Beeck, Ed van; Muka, Taulant; Franco, Oscar H.

doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.03.006

Cited by 90 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 86 publications

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“…12 The sleep changes related to aging, hormonal fluctuations, and psychological adjustment may contribute to women in this age group being particularly vulnerable to developing AUD. 61 Improved understanding of the mechanisms by which these hormones modulate sleep may help guide development of novel therapies for treatment of problematic alcohol use. Such studies will help health care providers make informed decisions about medications (and dosages) and behavioral interventions that will be effective for treating sleep problems among women with AUD.…”

Section: Considerations and Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sleep and Alcohol Use in Women

Inkelis

Hasler

Baker

2020

ARCR

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Sleep disturbance is common among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Insomnia not only is a pathway toward alcohol consumption but also is related to increased risk of relapse, psychosocial impairment, decreased quality of life, and suicidal ideation in individuals with AUD. Few studies examining sleep disturbance and alcohol use have explored how this relationship differs between men and women. Historically, studies of AUD have included few, if any, women in their samples. However, women are increasingly consuming alcohol at an earlier age and at higher rates, and the effect of alcohol on women's mental and physical health is expected to rise. This narrative review consolidates findings from studies that have reported the effects of acute and chronic alcohol use on sleep among women. Additional research is needed to investigate sex differences in this area. Such research should consider the modifying effects of age, lifetime alcohol use, and psychiatric co-occurrence, as well as the effectiveness of combined interventions for AUD and sleep disturbance.

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Section: Considerations and Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 12 The sleep changes related to aging, hormonal fluctuations, and psychological adjustment may contribute to women in this age group being particularly vulnerable to developing AUD. 61 …”

Section: Clinical Considerations and Treatmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep and Alcohol Use in Women

Inkelis

Hasler

Baker

2020

ARCR

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“…Previous research has demonstrated that alcohol consumption among women may increase as they age as a result of various psychosocial changes, such as retirement and widowhood [13]. Because women may be at heightened risk for using alcohol to regulate negative affect [7], women across the menopausal transition may be at higher risk for drinking in response to divorce, children leaving the home, retirement, illness, and isolation [4,13]. The present study demonstrated that women who did not previously engage in excessive drinking are more likely to transition to excessive drinking as they progress through the stages of the menopausal transition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While one study has demonstrated that alcohol use is not strongly associated with depression across 20 years among women over the age of 65 [12], there is scant literature exploring the relationship between alcohol and depression during menopause. Menopause has been categorized as a time of increased negative affect, including psychosocial stress and depression, among other symptoms of psychological impairment [13], which may lead older women to drink for negative reinforcement of such affect. Additionally, among older adults, "reactive" drinking may be excessive, in that as psychosocial stressors connected to later life stages (e.g., retirement and widowing) emerge, and they are more likely to regularly consume alcohol [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in excessive alcohol use among older women across the menopausal transition: a longitudinal analysis of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation

et al. 2020

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Background: Recent data suggest that excessive alcohol use is increasing among women and older adults. Such trends are concerning, as women are more vulnerable to alcohol-related health consequences, and such health problems may be exacerbated with age. Furthermore, there are sex-specific factors that may influence alcohol consumption among women, including the hormonal changes associated with the menopausal transition and negative affect. The present study sought to investigate transitions in excessive drinking among women across the menopausal transition and included exploration of sex hormones (estradiol; testosterone) and depression. Methods: The present study utilized publicly available data from the Study of Women Across the Nation (SWAN) and included 3302 women (42-52 years old at baseline), who completed 10 years of annual assessments. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) criteria were used as guidance when defining excessive drinking within the present dataset. At year 1, 170 women were identified as drinking excessively. Random-effect logistic regressions were used to examine transitions in excessive drinking. Results: Women identified as excessive drinkers were more likely to transition to non-excessive drinking across all menopausal transition stages (ORs range = 3.71-5.11), while women were more likely to transition from nonexcessive to excessive drinking during the early peri-and postmenopausal stages (OR = 1.52 and 1.98, respectively). Higher testosterone levels were associated with a decreased likelihood of transitioning to non-excessive drinking (OR = 0.59). Depression and estradiol levels were not related to transitions in drinking. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the menopausal transition marks a period of instability in alcohol use among women. Further research is warranted to understand factors related to transitioning in and out of excessive drinking.

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“…However, Wakabayashi et al (13) observed weaker or no associations between BMI or WC and drinking frequency in older men (45-70 years). It is theoretically possible that the menopause has some effect on the relationship between alcohol consumption and obesity (33) . We did not have any data available on menopausal status, although our data showed no clear difference between subgroups of women divided by age 50 years.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%