Let’s talk about something a lot of women in their 40s and 50s wonder about, but rarely discuss in depth: why does alcohol affect me differently now?
If you’re navigating peri-menopause or menopause, you might have noticed your tolerance to alcohol has changed. You’ve noticed it leads to less restorative sleep, more heat spikes (not necessarily hot flushes), sudden weight gain, foggy mornings and a rollercoaster of moods. That evening glass of wine may feel like a reward at the end of a long day, but it might also be silently sabotaging your metabolism and hormone balance.
What’s Actually Going On?
During peri-menopause and menopause, your body is already undergoing massive hormonal shifts. Oestrogen and progesterone start to decline, affecting everything from your sleep to your stress levels, digestion, cognitive function, moods and weight. Your liver is working overtime to break down not just everyday toxins, but also to metabolise these changing hormones.
Here’s where alcohol complicates things:
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Liver Load: alcohol is prioritised in the liver because it’s a toxin. It can’t multitask. That means your liver puts all other processes hormone detoxification and fat burning on the backburner while it works to clear the alcohol.
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Stored Toxins: when the liver can’t keep up, toxins can get stored in fat cells, particularly around your middle – hello stubborn belly fat.
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Blood Sugar Spikes: alcohol can cause wild swings in blood sugar, which makes cravings worse and sleep harder to come by.
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Hot Flushes and Sleep Disruption: alcohol dilates blood vessels, increasing hot flushes, night sweats or just a surge of heat. Plus, it disrupts melatonin production, making it harder to get quality, restorative sleep.
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Oestrogen Dominance: alcohol can reduce the clearance of estrogen through the liver, contributing to oestrogen dominance, a common imbalance in peri-menopausal women that can worsen PMS, mood swings, heavy periods, and weight gain.
Common Symptoms Linked to Alcohol & Hormonal Disruption
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Difficulty losing weight (especially around the middle)
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Hot flushes, night sweats and just feeling hot
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Sleep disruption
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Anxiety or irritability
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Brain fog
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Increased fatigue
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Irregular or heavy periods (in peri-menopause)
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Sugar cravings and low energy crashes
So, What Can You Do?
I’m not saying you have to give up alcohol completely. But, understanding how it affects your body means you can make more informed decisions. Here’s how to support your body:
DIY/Home Remedies & Helpful Swaps:
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Set a Drink-Free Challenge: try going alcohol-free for 7-14 days and see how you feel. Use as a gauge – better sleep, clearer thinking, less bloating? That feedback is powerful.
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Hydrate + Support Liver Function: use herbal teas like dandelion root, nettle, or milk thistle. These help with detoxification and fluid retention.
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Magnesium and B Vitamins: these nutrients are often depleted by alcohol. A quality supplement or magnesium-rich foods (leafy greens, nuts, seeds) can help with sleep, mood and stress.
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Bitters Before Dinner: herbal bitters help stimulate digestion and liver detoxification. A few drops in water before meals can go a long way.
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Create an Evening Ritual: replace wine with a non-alcoholic botanical drink or sparkling mineral water with citrus and mint – something that feels like a treat without the metabolic backlash.
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Move Daily: walking, yoga, or strength training supports hormone balance and helps reduce belly fat.
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Prioritise Protein + Real Food: eating in line with your Metabolic Balance plan helps stabilise blood sugar, support liver detox and reduce inflammation.
The Metabolic Balance Difference
One of the most effective ways I support women through this transition is with the Metabolic Balance Program. It’s personalised to your unique biochemistry, helping you reset your metabolism, reduce inflammation, balance blood sugar, and support hormone detox pathways through food.
Many women find that once their metabolism is supported, their tolerance for alcohol improves—or they no longer crave it the way they used to. That’s a sign your body is working with you, not against you.
Final Thoughts
Peri-menopause and menopause aren’t a punishment. The symptoms they exhibit are a call to reset. If alcohol has started to feel like more of a problem than a pleasure, you’re not alone, and there’s plenty you can do to take back control. You don’t need willpower, you need a strategy.
Ready to support your metabolism, your hormones, and your health?
Let’s chat about whether Metabolic Balance is right for you – book a call today,
With you health in mind,
Catherine
