This archive report was first published on 22 June 2021.
Published on June 22, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the volume of alcohol consumed in a lifetime, coupled with frequency and quantity per occasion, increases the risk of health and social harms.
According to Dr. Priscilla Henson, a physician specializing in Emergency Medicine, both men and women are likely to engage in binge drinking in their late teens and 20s, putting them at a high risk for alcohol-related problems and lifelong dependency.
However, women who drink are more likely to pay a heftier price due to their biology. They tend to absorb more alcohol and take longer to metabolize it compared to men, resulting in a higher blood alcohol content (BAC) level from the same quantity consumed.
As a result, women are more vulnerable to alcohol-induced liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, and liver cirrhosis. They are also at a greater risk for alcohol-related brain issues and are more likely to experience 'black outs' and periods of memory loss.
Furthermore, alcohol can increase levels of female hormones such as estrogen in the body, posing a risk of hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. Binge drinking may also lower a woman's libido, and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), miscarriages, stillbirths, or early deliveries.
Additionally, women drinking heavily are at risk of dehydration, which can result in vomiting, diarrhea, fever, extreme sweating, and damaged skin. It's worth noting that alcoholic beverages are classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
