Effects of alcohol are varied in men and women. But as per the researches it is proved that women have a higher risk for medical complications when compared to men. Even if women consume less alcohol than men they have to suffer lots of negative effects. What’s the reason behind this? The answer to this question is that when compared to men most women have a small height and relatively less weight. Women also have less body water and even ten percent more fatty acids when compared to men. Effects of Alcohol can be harmful to women in the long run because there is less amount of water in their body to absorb its effects. So even when women consume the same amount of alcohol to their male counterparts they attain a high BAC i.e. blood alcohol consumption.
Once you have a brief idea why you have a high risk of medical complications, let’s learn about the adverse effects of alcohol.
Effects of alcohol on the central nervous system and brain:
Alcohol which is considered to be a depressant can slower down the central nervous system which can therefore induce sleep, drowsiness, mild euphoria etc. Consumption of alcohol also worsens the area in the brain which helps to control emotions and behavior. This is why women with alcohol abuse can face behavioral problems such as emotional outburst, mood swings etc. They can also face problems regarding concentration, memory, problem solving abilities, slow reactions, anesthesia and lots more.
Effects of Alcohol on lungs:
Excess consumption of alcohol can damage the liver of men as well as women but women have to face lots of trouble. This is because women can develop liver disease even at low drinking levels when compared to their male counterparts. They can die of liver cirrohosis and can also develop liver hepatitis which can be harmful in long run.
Breast cancer:
There are some scientific researches that show that alcoholism can be one of the risk factor which can cause breast cancer. As per the researches it is believed that around 4% of the breast cancer in women is due to alcohol.
Effects of Alcohol on Fertility:
Excess consumption of alcohol can be a cause for lower conception rates. The functioning of the ovaries is hampered due to alcoholism and even causes cessation during menstruation. The researches show that those women who have fewer drinks per week have experienced lessen fertility. Those couples who are planning a baby should stop consuming alcohol because the quality of the egg is deteriorated and even the sperms count is reduced.
Besides the above mentioned problems there are many other effects of alcohol on women like osteoporosis, fetal alcohol syndrome, cancer of rectum, visual impairment and lots more.
Effects of Alcohol during Pregnancy:
Some experts believe that taking even a single drink during pregnancy is like gambling with your baby’s health. This is because even a drink of beer, wine or any other drink you consume is also taken by your unborn baby. Whatever you drink or eat directly goes to placenta through the medium of your blood stream. Some of the negative effects of alcohol on the unborn baby are outlined below:
- Less weight and small body size
- Small Jaw
- Normal development is slow
- Deformities of organ
- Effects on kidney and urinary system
- Central nervous system is also affected to some extent
- Skin webbing
- Learning deficiency and the list goes on…..
Alcohol and sex:
There are lots of possible effects of alcohol on sexual behavior. As per the researches some experts are of the opinion that alcohol consumption increases the sexual arousal and also the desire for sex. There is also a possibility of decreased physiological signs of arousal. Consumption of alcohol increases the testosterone level which has the ability to control the strength of libido on women. This therefore increases the interest in sex in women.
The bottom line: Effects of alcohol can cause lots of physical problems in both men and women and can even cause death in the long run. Therefore it is advisable to quit alcoholism or stay away from it and lead a healthy life.
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