Research published in ScienceDirect points to other biological factors, including lower gastric alcohol dehydrogenase activity women and alcoholism in women. This enzyme breaks down alcohol in your stomach before it even enters your bloodstream. Don’t let myths or fears hold you back from reclaiming your health and well-being.

Health and Behavioral Consequences of Drinking Among Women

• Recovery.com combines independent research with expert guidance on addiction and mental health treatment.
• Understanding these dangers helps identify when drinking habits become problematic and require professional intervention.
• Having a strong support network is one of the most valuable resources that will keep you on track with your recovery.

Countless studies show that males are more likely than females to be drinkers, and that among drinkers, males drink more heavily than females (Grant et al, 2015; Hasin et al, 2007). However, research suggests that this gender gap in alcohol use may be narrowing (Grant et al, 2017; Keyes et al, 2011; Slade et al, 2016). In a recent meta-analysis by Slade and colleagues (2016), temporal trends in alcohol use (any and problematic) and alcohol-related harms were analyzed by birth cohort using data derived from 68 studies (about 75% from the US or Europe). They reported a linear decrease over time in sex ratios for any and problematic alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, with ratios in younger cohorts (e.g., those born 1991–2000) being closer to equal compared to older cohorts (Slade et al, 2016). In contrast to a decline in heavy drinking among younger men, there was an increase in heavy drinking frequency among younger White and Hispanic women.

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• Any exposure to alcohol during pregnancy increases the risk of cognitive, physical, and behavioral issues after birth.
• This culture disproportionately impacts marginalized groups, including women of color and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Treatment Outcome

Alcohol affects women differently than men due to biological and physiological differences. Women have lower body water content so when they drink the same amount of alcohol as men, their blood alcohol concentration is higher. So alcohol stays in a woman’s body longer and its effects are more pronounced..

Teen & Young Adult Treatment Tracks

You might start drinking for different reasons, engage in different behaviors, and face different consequences. Rehabs that offer women-only treatment address those differences head-on. They put your addiction into the context of your life experience as a woman. These supportive communities provide a safe place for you to begin healing. This isn’t about heavy drinking – even moderate consumption increases breast cancer risk. The relationship drug addiction treatment is dose-dependent, meaning the more you drink, the higher your risk, but even low levels carry some increased risk.