Why Alcohol is More Harmful For Women Than Men

1. Why Alcohol is More Harmful Why Alcohol is More Harmful for for Women Than Men Women Than Men “It provokes the desire, but it takes away the performance.” ― William Shakespeare, Macbeth The legendary English poet compares alcohol with lechery, highlighting the likely consequences of both. However, the health consequences of alcohol consumption run the gamut from mild to severe. Being the most consumed substance in the United States, it is a significant risk factor that has the potential to cause liver and brain damage, heart diseases, breast cancer, traffic accidents, etc. However, the impact of drinking alcohol pans out differently for each person. Besides differing from person to person, the repercussions are also different for men and women. For instance, despite drinking an equal amount, women appear to be more vulnerable to alcohol-related health consequences than men. In fact, heavy drinking can prove to be riskier for women than men. Biologically, men weigh more than women; therefore, women tend to absorb more alcohol and take longer to break down compared to men. Such gender-based physical differences can increasingly expose a woman’s brain and organs to the toxic byproducts while taking longer for her body to eliminate them. As a result, the immediate effects of alcohol occur more quickly and last longer in women than men. Drinking trends in American women The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) states that 60 percent of adult women in the U.S. have admitted of having at least one drink a year. However, among this population, 13 percent have more than seven drinks per week, which is above the recommended limits published in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. According to the data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Around 46 percent of adult women reported drinking alcohol in the past month. Approximately 12 percent of adult women reported binge drinking three times a month, with an average of five drinks per session. www.sovnaturaldetox.com

2. About 2.5 percent of women and 4.5 percent of men met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence in the past year. Excessive drinking can disrupt the menstrual cycle and increase the risk of infertility. Women indulging in binge drinking are more likely to engage in unprotected sex and have multiple sex partners. These factors increase the risk of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Nearly 10 percent of pregnant women drink alcohol; this also increases the risk of delivering a baby with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) that cause mental retardation and other birth defects. Risk factors for proclivity to drinking among women Though there is no safe drinking limit, some of the risk factors associated with alcohol use as given below increase the chances of developing dependence on it: Genetics: A person may be more prone to excessive drinking if he or she has a family history of alcohol problems. Early exposer: Many teenagers venture into drinking to have a good time, experiment, relax or relieve tension. Several national surveys and complementary studies have highlighted that early exposer to alcohol remarkably increases the chances of developing lifetime dependence compared to those who start drinking in their 20s. Childhood victimization: One of the researches suggests that women with traumatic childhood experiences related to sexual abuse and assault had a greater risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems along with one or more symptoms of alcohol dependence. Another study found that women who underwent treatment for alcohol problems reported childhood sexual abuse, father-to-daughter verbal aggression or physical violence. In addition, drinking can make women more vulnerable to sexual assault, as well as unsafe and unprotected sex. Explore world, not alcohol Problem alcohol use among women can also lead to the development of cancer and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Several studies suggest that as little as one drink per day can increase the risk of developing breast cancer in some women who are postmenopausal or have a family history of cancer, although the cause is still unclear. The impact of alcohol use during pregnancy can be even more severe as complications are borne by the woman and her unborn child. If you or your loved one is battling alcohol abuse, get in touch with Sovereign Detox Services. Call us at our 24/7 helpline number 855-682-0103 to know more about our detoxification programs and comprehensive treatment plans. Sovereign Detox Services understands the plight of someone who has an alcohol-related problem and wishes to embrace sobriety. The treatment of alcohol withdrawal offered by us entails naturally assisted detox, medications, talk therapy and recovery management to assist patients gainfully take control of their lives. www.sovnaturaldetox.com