09-22-2009, 05:52 AM
For women, two drinks a day is above what the Dietary Guidelines for Americans call “moderate:” no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two drinks a day for men (see below for more on the Guidelines, and the recommendations for moderate drinking).
Why the difference between women and men? Alcohol passes through the digestive tract and is dispersed in the water in the body. The more water available, the more diluted the alcohol. As a rule, men weigh more than women. In addition, pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men, so a woman’s brain and other organs are exposed to more alcohol before it is broken down. These differences play a role in both the short– and long–term effects of alcohol on women.
Why the difference between women and men? Alcohol passes through the digestive tract and is dispersed in the water in the body. The more water available, the more diluted the alcohol. As a rule, men weigh more than women. In addition, pound for pound, women have less water in their bodies than men, so a woman’s brain and other organs are exposed to more alcohol before it is broken down. These differences play a role in both the short– and long–term effects of alcohol on women.