Alcohol contains ethanol, a substance that occurs as a result of the fermentation of fruits and other sugar sources. This makes it act as a drug in the body when consumed, hence the reason why we get tipsy.
Experts say when compared to male, the female body’s tolerance for alcohol is low.
Alcohol content of your drinks
According to online platform Mayo Clinic, constant and heavy use of alcohol affects a woman’s fertility.
Indeed, the World Health Organisation warns that alcohol is one of the major risk factors for breast cancer.
For older women, alcohol makes menopause a lot more complicated than it should be, and this makes healthy living for women very difficult.
about seven in every 100 breast cancer cases are caused by alcohol consumption
Here are the differences that alcohol makes between a male and female consumer:
● According to an entry in the Britannica, most of the alcohol men consume is broken down in the stomach before it gets into the bloodstream. This happens a lot less for women.
● Women tend to be smaller than men, which means taking the same quantity of alcohol as men is practically overloading the body.
● For weighty women, alcohol still has its effects on women a lot more than men because it is held in the body water and not the fat. This means that a higher proportion of fat in the body does not guarantee safety when consuming the same proportion as men.
Alcohol and female fertility
Alcohol affects the fertility of men and women, experts say. However, when women drink a lot of alcohol, it can affect their menstrual cycle and make conception a lot more difficult.
“This is why it is advised that women looking to conceive should avoid even the slightest portion of alcohol,” physicians say.
Alcohol can affect your pregnancy
According to the National Health Service, NHS, taking alcohol while pregnant can affect your baby. This is because alcohol passes through the placenta to your baby’s blood stream, and this affects the baby’s liver as well as overall development.
Physicians warn that if you keep on drinking alcohol while pregnant, it can have severe consequences for your baby’s overall health.
Alcohol increases risk of breast cancer
There is a big connection between alcohol consumption and cancer, experts say. According to the WHO, alcohol is a major contributing factor to breast cancer.
The world health body also pointed out that about seven in every 100 breast cancer cases are caused by alcohol consumption. To reduce the risk of breast cancer, women are advised to reduce their alcohol consumption.
Alcohol ages you faster
According to online platform WebMD, constant alcohol consumption causes women to age faster. This is because alcohol affects certain body organs, causing faster degeneration and aging.
This could be both mental and physical, and this is something we need to avoid if we want to live a lot healthier as we age.
Alcohol affects your overall appearance
As a woman, consuming a lot of alcohol dehydrates your body. It interferes with your sleep cycle, and even when you have had enough sleep, you still have tired-looking eyes.
It also causes weight gain because it contains a lot of calories. So, when you drink, your body prioritizes taking it out of the system rather than absorbing nutrients, and this leaves you in an unhealthy state where you look malnourished.
Bottom line
As we have seen from everything highlighted so far, constant alcohol consumption does your body more harm than good. This is why, to live healthily, you need to prioritize stopping your alcohol consumption.
If you feel addicted, work with your doctor, who will guide you on how you can reduce your portions until you are comfortable stopping altogether.