Gwyneth Paltrow is considered a pillar of health in the wellness community, which has made her the subject of scorn in the past. Critics have deemed her “unrelatable” and her goals “unattainable” for the average person.
But the acclaimed actress and entrepreneur opened up about her struggles with something every woman has to go through — menopause — on the March 4 episode of Goop’s podcast.
“I’m really in the thick of it right now, so I’m all over the place,” Paltrow, 52, said of her symptoms.
“I would just wake up [and] I would get crushed with anxiety, which I’ve never had in my life,” she said.
“And I would lie in bed thinking about every mistake I’ve ever made, every person’s feelings I ever hurt, like, every bad, you know. And I would be up, like, for six hours. It was crazy.”
Paltrow noted that her symptoms had been “pretty well under control” — until the devastating Los Angeles, California, wildfires happened in January, which is when she began to use “alcohol for its purpose.”
“I think I drank every night,” she said. “I was medicating. Normally, now at this point, I don’t drink a lot at all. Maybe I’ll have one drink a week.”
Drinking every night, on the other hand, worsened her symptoms in a way that was impossible to ignore.
“My symptoms were completely out of control,” Paltrow said. “It was the first time I really noticed, like, causation in that way.”
Dr. Kecia Gaither, director of perinatal services/maternal fetal medicine at NYC Health + Hospitals, told The Post that “alcohol consumption can influence menopausal symptoms in several ways, but its effects can vary widely among women.”
That being said, she outlined a few of the ways drinking alcohol can commonly affect menopause symptoms.
More intense hot flashes
Gaither noted that some women might experience more severe hot flashes if they drink, because “alcohol can dilate blood vessels, which may lead to increased flushing and discomfort.”
Sleep disruption
While sipping your favorite Chardonnay might make you sleepy, it can ultimately mess with your sleep cycle by inducing you to wake up in the middle of the night — which could, over time, make you develop insomnia.
“Since sleep disturbances are common during menopause, this can be markedly exacerbated” if you drink, Gaither said.
Changes in mood
While alcohol might make you feel better in the moment, it could also lead to even higher anxiety levels the following day.
“While some women may use it to alleviate stress, heavy consumption can lead to increased anxiety and depression, which may worsen during menopause,” she said.
Bone health
Long-term alcohol consumption can have a negative influence on bone density and make you more frail.
“Since women are at an increased risk of osteoporosis during and after menopause, excessive alcohol intake may pose an increased risk of bone loss,” Gaither said.
Weight gain
This one is probably fairly obvious, but Gaither pointed out that because alcohol is “calorie-dense, weight gain can be a concern during menopause due to hormonal changes.”
Don’t worry — it’s not all bad news.
When it comes to drinking alcohol, Gaither acknowledged that not everyone necessarily needs to go cold turkey.
“Moderation is the key,” she said. “For some women, moderate alcohol consumption may not have significant negative effects, while for others it may exacerbate symptoms.”
She suggested speaking to your doctor on the topic if you have any concerns.
