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Alcohol is a harmful substance, which is no secret. However, studies show that alcohol consumption is increasing among women. In addition, some of the consequences of drinking alcohol may be more serious for women than for men. What it comes from? How can alcohol affect a woman’s body?
- The risk of the negative effects of drinking alcohol is higher for women
- Women are more susceptible to, inter alia, for liver or heart disease associated with drinking alcohol
- Studies show that alcohol also increases the risk of developing breast cancer
- You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page
Alcohol poses a greater risk to women than to men
Research shows that health problems caused by drinking alcohol appear earlier in women than in men. Their occurrence is also found with lower consumption of alcoholic beverages than in the opposite sex. This is for a number of reasons. In terms of volume, a woman’s body contains less water than a man’s, and about 10 percent. more fat. Additionally, women tend to weigh less. This affects the amount of alcohol in the blood which will generally be higher in a woman who has drunk the same amount of alcohol as a man.
Zobacz: How much do you need to drink to have 2 blood alcohol levels?
Another issue is the fact that the female body synthesizes smaller amounts of the enzyme responsible for breaking down alcohol in the stomach. The risk of the negative effects of drinking alcohol is therefore higher for women. Additionally, such an effect may be influenced by other biological differences in the structure and functioning of the organism.
The effects of alcohol on the body also depend on individual factors and the specific situation. What matters is the person’s height and weight, genetic background, the amount of food eaten before drinking, the time of eating this meal, taking medications, and general health.
Are you having an alcohol-drenched evening behind you? Perform AlcoTEST, which is a breath alcohol test available for purchase at Medonet Market.
Long-Term Effects of Drinking Alcohol by Women
Drinking too much alcohol leads to negative health effects for everyone. In the case of women, it is worth paying attention to:
- Alcohol use disorder (Ang. alcohol use disorderor AUD). It is a disorder that denotes the chronic inability to abstain or control alcohol consumption despite negative health, social and professional consequences. AUD is considered a brain disease of varying severity, from mild to severe. It can be treated as part of behavioral therapy, support groups or drug support.
- Liver damage. Regular alcohol abuse by women more than men who drink the same amounts of alcohol increases the risk of alcoholic hepatitis, which can be fatal. Another risk is cirrhosis, which is the appearance of scars on the liver that make it difficult for it to function properly.
- Heart diseases. Long-term drinking of alcohol in excess is one of the leading causes of heart disease. Women are more prone to these types of alcohol-related health conditions.
- Brain damage. Studies show that this type of alcohol-related damage occurs faster in women than in men. Normal brain development can also be disrupted by alcohol when consumed during adolescence. Scientific evidence shows that adverse changes (such as memory loss) can occur in heavy drinkers in teenage girls, while in boys who also drink heavily, they do not. Women are also more prone to the “broken film” phenomenon when drunk.
- Breast cancer. Research has shown a link between alcohol consumption and the development of breast cancer. Compared to nondrinking women, the risk of this cancer increases by 5-9%. in women who consume one alcoholic drink a day.
Take care of preventive health care and perform a diagnostic test package for a healthy liver. You can also assess your cancer risk by doing the Women’s Oncology e-pack.
When Can Women Not Drink Alcohol?
Absolute contraindications for drinking alcohol by women include attempts to become pregnant and ongoing pregnancy, because this substance may cause severe alcoholic fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS syndrome) or premature birth. You must also not drink alcohol if you are taking certain medications that interact with it, such as painkillers, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and anti-anxiety medications.