WHILE it’s no surprise that heavy drinking comes with health consequences, women in particular are more prone to serious complications from alcohol — including an increased risk of alcohol-related death, according to a new study.

The researchers found that the largest annual increase of alcohol-related deaths occurred among non-Hispanic white women.

That’s even more alarming considering the number of women who are drinking alcohol and abusing alcohol is on the rise, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Even though men are not only more likely to drink alcohol but also more of it, alcohol hits women harder. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that “gender differences in body structure and chemistry cause women to absorb more alcohol, and take longer to break it down and remove [metabolize] it from their bodies,” adding, “These differences also make it more likely that drinking will cause long-term health problems in women than men.”

Heavy drinking also impacts heart health. The CDC states that studies show women who drink excessively have a higher risk of damaging the heart muscle than men, “even for women drinking at lower levels.”

Keith Humphreys, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences studying alcohol consumption at Stanford University explains that, while the precise physiology is not well understood, one of the reasons why alcohol has a more profound effect on women is because, on average, they weigh less than men. According to the NIAAA, “Alcohol resides predominantly in body water, and pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men. This means that after a woman and a man of the same weight drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman’s blood alcohol concentration… will tend to be higher, putting her at greater risk for harm.”

But it’s not just about size. Research shows that women also have fewer alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzymes, which help the body metabolize alcohol.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans has recommendations aimed at reducing the risk of alcohol-related health issues, noting that if alcohol is consumed, it should be done in moderation: up to two drink per day for women and one drinks per day for men of legal drinking age.

(SD-Agencies)