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// Cardiology and Gynecology // 11.03.2008
Alcohol: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Effects on Women’s Health
October’s issue of the Harvard Heart Letter reports some interesting findings about alcohol’s long-term effects on women’s health.
Women metabolize alcohol at a slower rate than men do. As a result, in spite of the same alcohol intake, a woman will maintain a higher amount of alcohol in her system for a longer period of time, making her more susceptible than men to the damaging long-term effects of alcohol.
In a previous analysis of various studies, the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that heavy alcohol consumption is associated with an increased incidence of breast cancer. And drinking is known to cause high blood pressure, stiff arteries, and enlarged hearts in women, elevating their risk for strokes, and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack by five or six times.
So while the benefits from sensible alcohol consumption have long been known – fewer heart attacks and strokes; less likelihood of suffering from high blood pressure or hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, peripheral artery disease, and the common cold – alcohol can have a more toxic effect on women than on men because women are exposed to higher levels of alcohol for longer periods of time.
To balance out the good and bad effects of alcohol, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends moderate drinking; no more than one drink a day for women, and two for men. Also keep in mind that each individual’s response to alcohol is unique, and is also affected by diet, medications, and genetics.
Alcohol interferes with the absorption of folic acid and its effectiveness. It’s essential for those who consume alcohol to take daily multi-vitamins to ensure adequate vitamin and mineral intake.
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