Last Updated on September 22, 2018 by Keisha Mclean-Green

We’re continuing our series on the effects of alcohol on the heart. This article is especially for the ladies as we discuss the heart health topic of women & alcohol.

Ladies, did you know:

1. A woman’s genetic makeup shapes how quickly she feels the effects of alcohol, how pleasant drinking is for her, and how drinking alcohol over the long term will affect her health, even the chances that she could have problems with alcohol?
2. Fewer women than men drink. However, among the heaviest drinkers, women equal or surpass men in the number of problems that result from their drinking?
3. Aging seems to reduce the body’s ability to adapt to alcohol. Older adults reach higher blood levels of alcohol even when drinking the same amount as younger people?
4. Scientists want to know why women in general seem to develop long-term health problems from drinking more quickly than men. Research suggests that a woman is more likely to drink excessively if she has parents, a partner or siblings with alcohol problems, a history of depression or a history of childhood physical or sexual abuse?
5. You should be honest with your doctor about how much alcohol you are drinking so they can make an honest assessment and recommendation for preventing potential risks. Visiting the Detox of Florida website can help give you tips on quitting alcohol or to find a website. Studies show chronic heavy drinking is a leading cause of heart disease. Among heavy drinkers, women are more susceptible to alcohol-related heart disease, even though women drink less alcohol over a lifetime than men?

Neither did we until we started researching the connection between heart disease and alcohol. As DWI service providers and substance abuse prevention advocates, we serve people everyday who have experienced the consequences of drinking too much alcohol. In fact, that is the purpose of this series on alcohol and heart health: To bring awareness and shed light on health issues associated with drinking beyond getting a DWI.

So, what is a woman to do to protect her heart from heart disease caused by drinking? Doctors and researchers from the American Dietetic Association and the American Heart Society recommend the following:

• Women should keep drinking to no more than one alcoholic drink per day. This translates to one 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce bottle of beer, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.
• If you have not already started drinking, do not start. The American Heart Association is starting to recommend against drinking any alcohol since there are so many risks associated with overindulging including the consequence of becoming addicted to alcohol.
• Despite what you might have noticed from some sources, the American Dietetic Association still recommends that you should not drink if you are pregnant or may become pregnant.
• If you stay active you tend to drink less and to be more aware of any effects alcohol may be having on you.
• Do not use alcohol if you are taking prescription medications. Ask your physician or pharmacist about any precautions or prohibitions and follow any advice received.
• The American Heart Association suggests better diet, exercise and non-alcoholic red wine for a healthier alternative to drinking to relieve stress or receive any other health benefits that you may get from drinking wine.

What do you think? Have you found any of these reports or suggestions true for you or someone you know?

Previous Articles In This Series

Sources

• National Institute On Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
• American Dietetic Association
• American Heart Association