Alcohol Abuse in Women

The physiological make-up of women makes them more susceptible to alcohol abuse and other alcohol-related risks.

Women’s bodies generally contain less water than men’s, which means that if the same amount of alcohol is consumed by both, it will affect the woman more. Not only is she likely to become intoxicated more quickly, but she is at greater risk for alcohol-related organ damage.

Alcohol abuse in women has been shown to have severe consequences on the reproductive system, causing everything from infertility to miscarriage and impaired fetal development. A woman who’s drinking while pregnant is putting her baby at risk for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). FAS can cause significant mental retardation, physical deformities, and learning and/or behavior problems in children. There is currently no amount of alcohol, no matter how miniscule, that is considered “safe” for a woman who is pregnant.

Breast cancer is also an alcohol-related risk. An estimated one in eight women in America has or will develop breast cancer. There is evidence to suggest that alcohol may increase that risk, though by how much is unclear. Similarly, women who are post-menopause and use hormone replacement therapy are at higher risk of developing breast cancer if they are moderate drinkers.

By the time a woman reaches her 35th birthday, her bones are as dense and strong as they are ever going to be. From that point on, her bones lose ½ to 1 percent of their density each year. After menopause, that rate increases to 3 to 7 percent. Studies have found that women who abuse alcohol are at increased risk for osteoporosis, especially if they start drinking at an early age. There is even evidence to suggest that bones which are weakened because of alcohol abuse never regain their strength.

One other area in which women appear to be especially susceptible to alcohol-related effects is in brain development and damage. Women are already at greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s, and that risk appears to increase in women who abuse alcohol.