Men can drink more alcohol than women can, it has been scientifically stated. Due to the fact that men have more muscle mass than women do, meaning they have less fat. Alcohol is water soluble, which allows it to be absorbed more quickly in a man’s body. For years, alcohol consumption guidelines have emphasized this. NIDA, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, set the guidelines on what defines binge drinking, for example. Binge drinking is any kind of alcohol consumption which raises the BAC, blood alcohol content, to 0.08% or above. Typically, this is defined as five drinks in a two hour period for men and four drinks in a two hour period for women. Other standards reflect the same imbalance. Moderate drinking and heavy drinking tend to indicate that a man can hold more liquor than women.
According to The Washington Post, “The threshold for low-risk drinking, the researchers found, is about seven beers a week for men and women alike.” Published in Lancet, the study had more than 100 co-authors and included data on drinking patterns as well as health outcomes form almost 600,000 people in nearly 20 countries. Here are some of the more pertinent findings.
- Moderate drinking does lower the risk of nonfatal heart attack likely due to the fact that alcohol promotes “good” cholesterol to help prevent blocked arteries.
- Moderate drinking does not prevent other cardiovascular issues like stroke, aneurysm, or heart failure. Researchers emphasize that according to the data, whatever good effects of alcohol there may be, the bad effects of alcohol outweigh them.
- Drinking of any kind increases the likelihood of digestive system cancers.
- Moderate drinking, or beyond moderate drinking, causes a lower life expectancy. The more that a man drinks per day, the lower his life expectancy drops.
- 100 grams of alcohol per week and above is considered the “threshold for health risks” and reduces life expectancy by about six months. Consuming 200 to 350 grams of alcohol can equal anywhere from one to two years shaved off a life expectancy. More than 350 grams of alcohol consumed per week meant an average of four to five years.
Of particular interest to men was the finding that there is no difference between men and women and the reduction of life expectancy based on alcohol consumption. Men are told they can drink more than women, but their life expectancy shift is the same as women who drink less. The risk for men is no less than the risk for women, though much science and research have indicated otherwise.
Alcohol abuse grows over time. The transition into alcoholism can be subtle. If you are struggling with alcoholism, help is available to you. Tree House Recovery in Portland, Oregon offers men’s treatment programs providing a path to freedom from alcoholism. Call us today for information: (503) 850-2474