Women: Beware How Much You Drink

By Sally Finder-Koziol

Even one drink a day may be one too many for some women. Research has found that women’s bodies have trouble breaking down alcohol, which can result in an increased risk of heart and circulatory problems, particularly high blood pressure, weakness of the heart muscle, and stroke.
           
With these findings in mind, Mayo Clinic experts say that young women who aren’t planning a pregnancy can safely consume one alcoholic drink a day. Twelve ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 1⁄2 ounces of distilled spirits may decrease cholesterol levels. However, researchers say, postmenopausal women should limit themselves to less than one drink a day. And there is no safe level of alcohol for women who are pregnant or suffer from addiction.

The reason women and alcohol don’t mix can be traced to an enzyme—gastric alcohol dehydrogenase. Compared to men, women produce less of the enzyme, which helps process alcohol before it exits the stomach. More alcohol leaves a woman’s stomach in its original form and affects the bloodstream. After menopause, the limit should be less than one drink a day.