Women’s Test with Alcohol

Whether we are aware of it or not, nature has developed details of its own—details we cannot fully comprehend. In fact, isn’t what we call science simply our effort to make understandable the mechanisms and principles behind nature’s functioning, which has existed for millions of years?

Seventy years ago, when Simone de Beauvoir—one of the iconic figures of feminism—complained about feeling dizzy after a single glass of alcohol, we were not aware that there was a scientific reality behind it. Among the seemingly innocent metaphors in gender-equality-focused discussions, equality at the drinking table has certainly been one of the main topics of conversation. Who would have thought that this time, science itself would be the one to strike a blow to equality?

The Journey of Alcohol in the Body

Let’s take a look at how alcohol travels through the body. Everything begins in the mouth, as you might expect. But even before we swallow, the receptors in the mouth send preliminary information about the presence of alcohol to the brain. Once this information reaches the brain, the first wave of alcohol’s effects begins:

• Heart rate increases.
• Blood flow increases.

When we swallow alcohol, a small portion is absorbed in the stomach, while a much larger portion is absorbed in the small intestine and passes directly into the bloodstream. This is where nature’s distinction between women and men emerges—its first example being an enzyme.

 This enzyme, which can break down alcohol in its initial stage, is ADH. Present in the stomach and the liver, this enzyme exists in higher amounts in men and in lower amounts in women. As a natural consequence of this difference, when the same amount of alcohol is consumed, a larger portion of the alcohol in men is broken down by ADH, meaning less of it enters the bloodstream compared to women. In other words, the first line of defense is stronger in men and weaker in women. When women and men are given equal amounts of alcohol adjusted for body weight, the blood alcohol level in women is clearly higher.

Reflections of Differences in Body Structure

Differences in water and fat ratios within the body compositions of women and men are significant in terms of alcohol’s effects.

Women:

• Have a higher fat ratio
• Have a lower water ratio

Alcohol distributes throughout the body by mixing with water. When the body’s water ratio is lower, the alcohol mixture becomes more concentrated. Thus, when the same amount of alcohol is consumed, the circulating alcoholic mixture in women is denser and, naturally, more impactful. We can think of the bodily reflections of this as quicker dizziness, faster relaxation, and more rapid intoxication.

What Is Happening in the Brain?

What happens in the brain is still not fully understood. However, scientists are now certain about some things.

• When we feel pleasure, dopamine—the chemical messenger that governs reward and motivation in the brain—increases. In women, alcohol affects dopamine more quickly and more intensely.
• Especially in women, this effect can be much stronger during the ovulation period, when productivity is high.

If we use the “telescoping effect” analogy employed by researchers in the field of memory studies, the process leading toward alcohol dependence progresses much faster in women than in men. Even if women begin drinking regularly at a later age, they can become dependent more quickly.

So Where Does This Leave Us?

It is true that women are more affected by alcohol. But the reason lies in bodily dynamics.

If alcohol consumption could be regulated based on biological assessments, the size of servings for women and men would need to be differentiated. This is because female and male bodies process alcohol in different ways. Yet it is never considered acceptable for the glasses served to women and men to be of different sizes. In that case, under the principle of equality, it would be perceived as discrimination against women. In reality, differences in glass size should be regarded as a matter of dosage adjustment.

Field studies have shown that women are more inclined than men to turn to alcohol as a means of coping with stress. This tendency increases both frequency of consumption and the risk of dependence.

The slogan frequently voiced by feminist movements in the 1970s—“We have the right to drink like men”—is, of course, entirely valid in terms of demanding equal rights. However, differences in body structure result in this equal consumption producing unequal effects for women.

In Summary

• ADH enzyme levels are lower in female bodies.
• Water ratio is lower in female bodies.
• Fat ratio is higher in female bodies.
• When alcohol mixes with a smaller amount of water, it becomes proportionally more concentrated.
• The brain’s reward circuits are affected much more rapidly, especially during ovulation periods.
• Women have a higher tendency to turn to alcohol when coping with stress.

Scientific findings help us understand why women are more affected when consuming the same amount of alcohol. Women are not affected more because they are weaker, but because, due to the characteristics of their bodies, alcohol has a greater effect on them.

It is beneficial to adjust dosage and tolerance levels by taking our body chemistry into account. This is something we can do by understanding our innate characteristics well—and it has little to do with equality. What do you think?