Why Women Get Drunk Faster Than Men: The Science Explained

Even if a man and a woman drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman often feels the effects more quickly. This happens due to differences in body composition, metabolism, and hormones.

1. Women Have More Body Fat & Less Water

• Alcohol mixes with body water, not fat.
• Women naturally have higher body fat and lower water percentage than men.
• So, when both drink the same amount, alcohol becomes more concentrated in a woman’s bloodstream, making her feel drunk faster.

2. Women Have Lower Levels of Alcohol-Degrading Enzyme

• The stomach produces an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) that breaks down alcohol before it enters the bloodstream.
• Women have lower levels of ADH.
• This means more alcohol reaches their blood unchanged, leading to stronger and quicker effects.

3. Hormones Intensify Alcohol’s Impact

• Female hormones—especially estrogen—affect how alcohol is processed.
• During menstruation, PMS, ovulation, or while taking birth control pills, women may get drunk even faster.
• Estrogen slows down how the body eliminates alcohol.

4. Women Are Usually Smaller in Size

• Body weight and muscle mass matter.
• On average, men have more muscle, which holds more water and dilutes alcohol.
• Women with smaller bodies reach higher Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) quickly.

5. Alcohol Affects Women’s Brain & Organs Faster

• Studies show alcohol reaches women’s organs more rapidly.
• Long-term effects like liver damage, heart disease, and brain shrinkage can appear sooner in women even with lower drinking levels.

In Simple Words

👉 Lower water, higher fat, fewer alcohol-breaking enzymes, and hormonal effects make women get drunk faster than men—even if both drink the same amount.