Over 49% of Americans are actively trying to cut back on alcohol in 2025. But for women in midlife, especially those navigating perimenopause or menopause, the stakes are even higher. On The Tamsen Show, Dr. Brooke Scheller, certified nutritionist and author of How to Eat to Change How You Drink, broke down exactly how alcohol impacts women’s health and why so many are rethinking their habits.
Dr. Scheller explained that alcohol doesn’t just affect the liver. It’s a known Class I carcinogen (in the same category as asbestos and tobacco), and it increases the risk for seven types of cancer, including breast cancer, due to the production of acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism that damages DNA and cells.
She also pointed out that alcohol significantly disrupts hormone metabolism, increases cortisol, and worsens symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, and brain fog, especially during perimenopause. New research shows even one drink a day can shrink gray and white matter in the brain, accelerating aging.
So if you’re waking up more tired, noticing mood swings, or struggling with energy in midlife, your glass of wine might be playing a bigger role than you think.
If you want to learn more, listen to this episode of The Tamsen Show
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