stimulates liver enzymes that metabolize hormones.(and some drugs too)

So when you stop smoking, your hormone levels may be higher.

It is typical and necessary for young women who smoke to need higher dose birth control pills. The really low dose ones may fail in smokers.

How that translates to older women, that would be harder to
say. But I know my feet act up if I have anything with MSG in it earlier in the day. Some foods like tomato pastes also set me off. Foods that release histamine, etc.