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Effects of Alchoholism on Women

Many men and women enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage. There are even some health benefits associated with light drinking. Yet for some, drinking may become excessive and can even lead to alcoholism. According to the Marin Institute, heavy drinking or alcoholism is the consumption of five or more alcoholic beverages within a day, for five or more days within a 30 day period. Woman who drink heavily, or suffer from alcoholism, are prone to significant health risks.

  1. Liver Disease

    • Women are more vulnerable to the affects of alcohol due to higher body fat content, and lesser amounts of certain digestive enzymes responsible for metabolizing alcohol. Due to these differences, as much as 30 percent more alcohol enters the blood stream and travels throughout the body. This puts a significant strain on the filtering process of the liver, making women more susceptible than men to alcohol-induced liver diseases like hepatitis or cirrhosis.

    Organ Damage

    • Heavy drinking behaviors in women can adversely affect other vital organs such as the brain and heart. Alcohol-induced brain damage occurs more frequently in women, as does a significant increased risk of heart disease. As a result, women have a 50 to 100 percent higher death rate than men resulting from various types of organ damage.

    Hormonal Factors

    • Research suggests that an increased risk of organ damage may be linked with the higher amounts of estrogen found in women. Hormonal differences and changes are always occurring throughout a woman's reproductive life. These changes can affect, or be affected by, heavy consumption of alcohol. Puberty, pregnancy, and even the onset of menopause are linked to how hormones like estrogen affect the alcohol metabolism in women. Additionally, women who are heavy drinkers may also be more prone to breast cancer, and can suffer an increased risk of endometriosis.

    Alcohol and Pregnancy

    • Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption adversely affects a woman's reproductive health. Women who drink heavily often experience higher rates of infertility. The ovulation cycle and implantation of a blastocyst are significantly compromised by alcohol levels in the body, resulting in problems with conception. In the event a pregnancy occurs, the survival of a developing fetus is compromised with heavy drinking. Consumption of moderate to heavy amounts alcohol during pregnancy is linked to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), and is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation.

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