Alcohol and women
Research has shown that alcohol affects women differently than men.
Higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC)
If a man and a woman drink exactly the same amount of alcohol, the woman will almost always have a higher blood alcohol concentration. One reason is that a woman's body contains more fatty tissue and less water than a man's body, plus women are often smaller than men.
Health problems
Women may develop liver damage and other health problems at lower levels of alcohol consumption than men. Women who drink alcohol are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer and gynaecological problems than women who don't drink.
Hormonal differences
Some research suggests that a woman's reaction to alcohol may vary at different stages of her menstrual cycle, due to differences in hormone levels. Women who take the contraceptive pill may take longer to get rid of alcohol in their bodies than women not on the pill.
For all these reasons, health authorities recommend that women should drink less alcohol than men.
For more information, please click on the Australian Drug Foundation's DrugInfo Clearinghouse web site link below.
Last Reviewed: 20 September 2006
