Cyclic fluctuation in alcohol consumption among female social drinkers

The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between menstrual cycle phase and alcohol use in female social drinkers. Sixty-nine normally menstruating women monitored alcohol consumption and basal body temperature daily over three consecutive menstrual cycles. Temperature charts were used to ascertain five cycle phases (menstrual, postmenstrual, ovulatory, luteal, and premenstrual) and data were analyzed using single-group repeated measures analysis of variance. Whereas frequency of alcohol use did not vary among the five cycle phases, quantity of alcohol consumed significantly fluctuated and peaked in the luteal phase. These data suggest that female drinking patterns may be influenced by hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle.