Alcohol takes a greater toll on women
Ever wondered why women seem to get drunker than men after knocking back the same amount of alcohol, even when body weight is taken into account?
The simple explanation is because women’s bodies have proportionately less water than men’s. Because alcohol mixes with body water, a given amount of alcohol becomes more highly concentrated in a female’s body than in a male’s. Also, women have less of the metabolizing enzyme ADH that helps the body break down and get rid of alcohol, than men do. This means that more of the alcohol that women drink enters the blood stream as pure alcohol, and stays there.
This is why men are advised to stick to no more than three to four drinks a day, while women are advised to stop at two drinks a day.
Which women have the highest risk of alcohol abuse and alcoholism?
• Women who have family histories of alcoholism.
• Women who are victims of violence as children or adults.
• Women whose partners are alcoholic.
• Women with binge/purge eating disorders (bulimia).
• Women who are depressed.
• Young women who are single or co-habitating.
• Middle aged women in transition (divorce, retirement, children leaving home).
• Older women with grief and loss issues
Drinking too much?
Here are some warning signs that you may be drinking too much:
• Need to have alcohol at hand
• Get into trouble because of drinking
• Make drink a top priority
• Have to increase the amount drunk in order to feel the same effect
• Have accidents or injuries because of drinking
If alcohol is having an adverse effect on your physical and/or mental health, avoiding alcohol altogether may be the best option. Speak to your doctor or Google AA meetings in your area.
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