Experts have women could be more likely to binge drink at certain times in their menstrual cycle, due to the peak in sex hormones.
Experiments found that the female hormone oestrogen boosts activity in part of the brain that encourages the rapid drinking of alcohol.
Binge drinking behaviour was most likely to occur in the middle of the cycle, just before ovulation, when oestrogen is highest.
While the study, by researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine, was based on mice, the authors said it could have implications for preventing dangerous alcohol intake in women.
The discovery comes amid rising concern that pro-booze trends on social media aimed specifically at women may be fuelling serious liver disease, and even deaths.
Official data show alcohol-related deaths in Britian are rising faster in women than men. Between 2019 and 2022, the rate of such deaths per 100,000 people rose 44 per cent in women, with a smaller 38 per cent jump in men.
Last year, an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report revealed one in four British women now binge drink at least once a month — the highest proportion of the 29 countries looked at.
Over a quarter also admit to consuming six or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion, more than double the average rate of 12 per cent.
Experts have found women’s hormone levels could be why some are more vulnerable to binge drinking than others
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In the new research, published in Nature Communications, scientists found high oestrogen levels encouraged female mice to consume large quantities of alcohol in the first half-hour after it was offered.
Experts pinpointed this affect to an interaction between the hormone and cells in part of the brain called the stria terminalis, which ‘lights-up’ when the female rodents consumed alcohol, encouraging continued drinking in rapid succession.
One of the authors, Dr Kristen Pleil an expert in pharmacology, said: ‘When a female takes her first sip from the bottle containing alcohol, those neurons [brain cells] go crazy.’
But this affect was ‘even crazier’ if a female was in a high-oestrogen state.
Women’s oestrogen levels naturally fluctuate over the course of the menstrual cycle, becoming particularly high just before ovulation.
Dr Pleil said the observation that oestrogen could influence alcohol consumption made sense given how the hormone was already known to influence emotions.
‘Oestrogen has such powerful effects on so many behaviours, particularly in females. So, it makes sense that it would also modulate drinking,’ she said.
Last year an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report revealed one in four British women now binge drink at least once a month — the highest proportion of the 29 countries looked at
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The team are now investigating the exact signalling mechanisms between the neurons in the stria terminalis that produce this reaction and also exploring if the same system has a part to play in male binge drinking.
Dr Pleil said: ‘All of the infrastructure is there in males too, the oestrogen receptors and the basic circuit organisation.’
‘The only difference will be the source of the oestrogen, which in males without an relies on conversion of testosterone to oestrogen in the brain.’
While the study has so far only been performed on mice, the authors say it could one day lead to possible interventions to tackle excessive drinking.
The authors said this could be similar to already approved cancer treatments that stop tumour growth by inhibiting oestrogens.
The discovery comes after experts recently sounded the alarm over a ‘concerning’ uptick of booze-related fatalities among middle-aged women.
While the trend has been emerging for years, experts have said Covid-era social restrictions likely exacerbated Britain’s drinking problem.
Dozens of surveys have also found boredom, having more time to drink and anxiety fuelled the rise in alcohol consumption during lockdowns in both sexes.
Exactly how much alcohol can trigger irreversible liver damage varies person to person, depending on genetics, drinking experience and weight.
But one shock study found just 21 binge drinking sessions over seven weeks — three binge episodes per week — was enough to cause symptoms of early-stage liver failure.
Binge drinking was defined as five beers, a bottle of wine or five shots of hard liquor among men. For women, it stood at four or more drinks in two hours.
