DO ALCOHOL PHARMACOKINETICS IN WOMEN VARY DUE TO THE MENSTRUAL-CYCLE

Many authors in the alcohol field believe that the physiological respo nsiveness of women to alcohol varies during the menstrual cycle, due t o changes in levels of sex steroid hormones. Statements about this iss ue are very contradictory, however. The aim of this review was to deci de what valid evidence was available on this issue. Three criteria wer e set to assess the validity of the reviewed studies: (1) was a within -subjects design used with normally cycling subjects, (2) were the tim e points selected for testing characterized by significant variations in sex steroid activity, and (3) was it verified whether ovulation occ urred in the subjects by measuring levels of sex steroids? Two of the 11 studies we examined met these criteria. These studies, emanating fr om the same laboratory, found that alcohol elimination increased, by a bout 14%, during the luteal phase compared to other phases of the cycl e. The results were discussed in relation to other research regarding effects of sex steroids on alcohol metabolism. It is concluded that th ere is no evidence that menstrual cycle causes significant instability in alcohol pharmacokinetics in women.