• Body water content. Women have less water in their bodies than men do, partly because they normally have more body fat. Water content plays an important role in the absorption of alcohol into the cells. Because women have a smaller amount of water in their bodies, they develop a higher concentration of alcohol in their bodies’ cells. As a result, alcohol has a greater and long-lasting effect on women.

  • Metabolism. Alcohol is broken down or metabolized faster and more efficiently in men than in women because they have different levels of enzymes. The breakdown of alcohol is especially slow and inefficient in female alcoholics. This means that alcohol remains in the system for a longer time, giving women longer exposure to its damaging effects.

  • Hormones. Female hormones affect the metabolic rate. Therefore, depending on the point at which a woman is in her menstrual cycle, a particular amount of alcohol can produce different levels of alcohol in the blood.

  • Liver. Women appear to be more susceptible to alcohol-related liver diseases such as cirrhosis and hepatitis than men, even after drinking smaller amounts than men.

  • Cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, multiple cancers may be linked to alcohol consumption. The different types of cancer thought to be linked are: liver, breast, pharyngeal, laryngeal and esophageal. Cancers of the mouth have a six percent higher rate of occurrence verses the liver and breast cancer.