Women & alcohol
Be in the know- safe drinking recommendations for women.
Article by : SpunOut.ie - Rating :
It's bad luck for us, but women are more affected by alcohol than men are. It's not sexist, it's fact. One reason is that women have more body fat and less water than men. This means that alcohol is less diluted in women's bodies. Also, women's livers take longer to breakdown alcohol than men's so we get drunk faster.
Even if you're the same weight as an average man, you're body will still take longer to breakdown alcohol. So, it's important that women don't try to keep up with the rate men drink at.
- Low risk drinking recommendations are measured in alcohol standard drinks. A pint is two standard drinks and a pub measure of spirits is 1.1 standard drinks. A glass of wine or beer is one standard drink.
- Men shouldn't drink more that 21 standard drinks a week and women shouldn't drink more than 14 standard drinks. Your drinking should be spread over the week. It's not healthy to drink all your standard drinks in one night!
- A standard drink is half a pint, one measure of spirits or a small glass of wine. Men should drink less than six standard drinks at any one time and women should drink less than four standard drinks at one time. Drinking three or more standard drinks a day puts women at risk.
- So, health wise that means men shouldn't drink more than three pints on a night out and women should only drink two pints. If this sounds like very little, then you normally drink too much.
- If you can drink large amounts without getting drunk it doesn't mean it's okay. You've developed a tolerance for alcohol by drinking a lot and this means that you're regularly drinking more than the low risk limit.
- Studies show a connection between breast cancer rates and drinking alcohol. The risk increases if you also smoke or use birth control pills. A woman’s risk of breast cancer increases by 7% for every additional drink consumed per day.
- Drinking a lot over the years damages our bodies. It can affect a woman's ability to absorb vitamins and can lead to internal organ damage.
- Don't forget to check out our section on Drinking alcohol during pregnancy as well!
- Find further information in the HSE leaflet: The Little Book of Women and Alcohol.
If you are worried about alcohol and your health, check out the help section for supportive information and links to support organisations.
