Gender Differences and Alcohol

Alcohol has a different effect on men and women. In general, women get drunk more quickly. Men are less likely than women to get drunk. There are a few reasons for this. The most obvious reason is that the female body is naturally and usually smaller than the male body. Therefore, if men and women are drinking the same amount of alcohol at the same rate, women will be affected more so, because their bodies will contain a greater concentration of the substance. Besides body size, another factor is the level of alcohol dehydrogenase in the body. The female body contains lower levels of this enzyme that assists in metabolizing alcohol through the liver. Therefore, the likelihood of alcohol intoxication is greater among women. Further, the female body contains higher concentrations of adipose tissue; this can act as an obstacle to metabolizing alcohol. While drinking alcohol might have a greater effect on women, most alcoholics are men.