Does drinking on your period make you bleed more?

Alcohol consumption has multiple effects on your body and brain. On the one hand, it has a sedative effect on your brain and can potentially help you relax and reduce pain intensity perception. On the other hand, it can cause dehydration, bloating, and hormonal imbalance that can adversely affect you during menstruation.

Does drinking on your period make you bleed more? It can. According to different studies, alcohol can dilute blood and cause blood vessel dilation. It can also alter your estrogen and progesterone levels, which might result in heavier bleeding. On top of that, alcohol can also increase the severity of your cramps and cause other negative effects.

That’s why drinking alcohol on period is generally not recommended. In any case, it should be thoughtful and moderate. 

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It’s not unusual for a woman to crave a glass of wine or something else while on their period. Some feel like it may help them relax and ease menstrual symptoms. However, there is still plenty of debate on whether drinking during menstruation improves or worsens your condition, and anecdotal accounts may be incredibly misleading.

Does drinking on your period make you bleed more? Can it worsen your cramps? Many women find it hard to answer these questions.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the effects of alcohol on your body, hormones, and menstruation to help you feel well during this stage of your cycle.

Evaluating the Impact of Alcohol on the Female Body

Before you can tell if drinking alcohol on period is good or bad for you, it’s important to understand the general effects of alcoholic beverages on your body.

We all know that frequent or excessive alcohol consumption has a negative impact on multiple bodily systems. But let’s look at it from the female perspective. Apart from causing general damage, alcohol can affect women in the following ways:

• Hormonal levels – Alcohol consumption can directly interact with your hormones. In particular, it can alter the levels of essential reproductive hormones, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and also affect anti-müllerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinising hormone (LH).
• Cycle – As you already know, alcohol acts on a whole range of hormones in females. Since all these hormones are engaged in cycle regulation, women who consume alcohol frequently often have cycle irregularity, absent ovulation, and even complete cessation of menstruation.
• Dehydration – Alcohol is a diuretic. In plain terms, it increases urine production, causing you to lose more liquid than you should. As a result, it can cause significant dehydration that can impact the work of different organs in your body, as well as your brain.
• Blood vessel dilation – In a nutshell, dilation (vasodilation) stands for vein widening. When this happens, more blood can move through the vessels, which can potentially worsen bleeding.

Can You Drink on Your Period?

Now that you know more about the general effects of alcohol on your body, there is another big question. So, is it bad to drink on your period? And can you even do that?

Let’s answer the second question first. Technically, yes, you can drink while having your period. On some occasions, it can help you reduce the emotional tension, relax, or even ease some of the symptoms. However, it’s recommended to consume alcoholic beverages in moderation to avoid adverse effects.

But, is it good for you? Not really. Alcohol and your periods just don’t mix well for a number of reasons. First of all, it affects your hormones and cycle regularity. Secondly, it hinders your water balance, which is crucial for health and well-being. Also, alcohol can potentially have a negative effect on your menstrual symptoms.

Does Drinking on Your Period Make You Bleed More?

When exploring the matter of drinking alcohol on period, one of the biggest concerns women have is its impact on the blood flow. 

Indeed, there are some reports that confirm that alcohol may increase menstrual flow. Firstly, this may be caused by hormonal fluctuations. In particular, the balance between your estrogen and progesterone levels during menstruation can cause increased thickening of the uterine lining. As a result, when it sheds, it can produce more blood. By acting on your hormones, alcohol can potentially have such a side effect.

Secondly, as you already know, alcohol can cause blood vessel dilation. It can also impact blood clotting and potentially dilute it. This can result in heavier bleeding. However, there are still surprisingly few studies that would directly link alcohol to heavier menstrual flow.

Does Alcohol Make Period Cramps Worse?

Easing pain is one of the most common reasons for drinking alcohol on period. Many women report that a glass of wine or another beverage helps relieve their cramps. And this could be partially true. The thing is that alcohol acts on the central nervous system and neurotransmitter systems in the brain. It alters the way your brain works and has been proven to increase pain thresholds and, respectively, decrease pain intensity perception. Besides, alcohol generally makes you feel more relaxed, which means that you may pay less attention to cramps. However, there might be the opposite effect.

Apart from giving relief, alcohol can also worsen your cramps. This can happen due to dehydration. When your body is dehydrated, your uterine muscles become more prone to painful contractions, causing you more discomfort. Also, alcohol can aggravate inner inflammation and trigger increased prostaglandin production, which can also worsen your cramps.

Other Possible Effects of Drinking Alcohol on Period

So, you already know about the potential blood flow and cramp worsening. How else does drinking alcohol make your period worse?

There are three additional side effects that you should keep in mind:

• Sleep quality – On the one hand, sleep has a sedative effect on your nervous system, which is why it’s typical to feel drowsy and fall asleep quickly after consuming it. However, the reality is that it may only help you fall asleep but not have proper night rest. Alcohol hinders your ability to get into deep sleep, which can result in lower energy levels and, hence, worse menstruation symptoms and overall well-being.
• Bloating – Generally, it’s common for women to be slightly more bloated during their periods. However, due to its diuretic properties, alcohol can significantly increase water retention, causing more prominent bloating and associated digestive issues.
• Mood swings – We all know that our emotional well-being can be incredibly unstable during periods. Alcohol, on the one hand, acts as a mood booster and sedative that relaxes you. On the other hand, it makes your emotions intensify and spin out of control. So, if you are experiencing significant mood swings, you may want to avoid drinking alcohol on period.

FAQ

Does drinking on your period make you bleed more?

It’s possible. Alcohol has a proven impact on your hormonal levels. In particular, it can disrupt the balance between your estrogen and progesterone levels. This can potentially result in a thicker uterine lining and thus heavier blood flow. Also, alcohol is known to cause blood vessel dilation and dilute blood, which can also contribute to heavier bleeding. 

Does alcohol make period cramps worse?

Yes, it might. Some women report that small amounts of alcohol actually relax them and help them feel better during menstruation. This can happen because alcohol changes your pain threshold and intensity perception. On the other hand, drinking alcohol on period can also worsen your inflammation and cause significant dehydration, which can result in more prominent or prolonged cramps.

Does alcohol make your period come faster?

This is a common concern that women have. However, despite a common misconception, alcohol consumption does not make your period come faster. On the contrary, it’s frequently linked to menstrual irregularity, such as delays and missed periods. This can happen due to hormonal disruptions.

Can you drink on your period?

Yes, you can. Of course, alcohol is known to have a range of negative effects on our body and brain. It indeed can worsen some of your period symptoms, such as bloating or cramps. However, everything depends on the situation. If you crave a glass of wine and feel like it will make you feel better, that’s also okay. However, it’s always recommended to drink in moderation.

Conclusion

Many women know what it’s like to feel in pain, irritated, or simply tired during their menstruation. Often, these feelings hit you hard, and you crave a glass of your favorite alcoholic beverage to relax and feel better. But should you actually do that, or does drinking on your period make you bleed more?

Technically, drinking alcohol on period is not prohibited completely. Unless, of course, you have specific conditions. In small amounts, it can really help you relax. But, on the other hand, alcohol consumption can have a number of adverse effects on your body and brain. So, it’s important to consider the possible side effects and consume alcohol in moderation.

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