5 Facts about Women and Alcoholism

Fact #1 - Women get more intoxicated then men after drinking the same amount of alcohol.

Even when the the difference in body weight is taken into account, a woman’s body has less water than a man’s body does.  When alcohol is consumed it mixes with the water in the body and because there is less water to mix with in a woman’s body, this creates a higher level of alcohol concentration.  In addition to this, and for the same reason, a woman is more likely to suffer from a worse hangover.

Fact #2 - Alcohol can affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant.

Alcohol can impair the release of hormones in a women’s body which can cause serious medical problems.  One such problem is reproduction.  Chronic heavy drinking can cause a women to stop menstruating, have irregular menstrual cycles, menstruate but not ovulate or bring on early menopause.  Most reproductive problems were found in women who drank alcohol heavily, but this problem has also been found in social drinkers as well.

Fact #3 - Use of alcohol can increase the risk of breast cancer.

British researchers have found that as little as one drink of alcohol a day can increase the risk of breast cancer by 7%.  Furthermore, it is estimated that alcohol is responsible for 4% of all breast cancer cases.  This may be a small percentage but is still a fact to be aware of.  The reason for this link between breast cancer and alcohol use is not yet known, but it is suspected that it has something to do with the effects that alcohol has on a woman’s hormones.

Reduce your alcohol intake and reduce your risk of breast cancer.

Fact #4 - Treatment is more successful when an alcohol problem is detected early

Getting sober and staying sober has a higher success rate the earlier it is detected.  If you or someone you know is showing signs of alcohol dependence, take the first step toward recovery.  Read my review on “The Forgotten Five Steps” and how it can help to become addiction free.

Fact #5 - Many health-related diseases cause by alcoholism affect women more than men.

Alcoholic liver disease, brain disease and heart disease are all linked to and can be caused from alcoholism.  Research suggests that women who abuse alcohol or have an alcohol dependence are more likely to develop liver inflammation and die from cirrhosis.  Women are more vulnerable to alcohol-related brain damage and are more susceptible to heart disease caused from alcoholism.

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