Lower levels of ADH activity would allow more alcohol to be made available to women's body systems. Fluctuations in women's hormone levels during the menstrual cycle affect the rate of alcohol metabolism, resulting in higher BAC's at different points of the cycle. Research also suggests that the existence of a genetically influenced form of alcoholism is as likely for women as it is for men. Health Risks Women may be at greater risk than men for incurring alcohol-related problems. Correlations exist, too, between alcohol consumption and increased risk for problems such as breast cancer and reproductive disorders, as well as heart muscle and brain damage.
Women are at increased risk for alcohol-induced liver disease.
Differences in how men's and women's bodies process alcohol likely are responsible for the enhanced tissue damage suffered by women. Gender differences also may exist in the progression of alcohol-induced liver disease in women evidence shows that injury to the liver advances more rapidly and is more likely to be fatal in women than in men. Another area of research receiving attention is the possible link between alcohol use and breast cancer. The study of breast cancer's relationship to alcohol consumption is a new line of research, and the connection is yet unproven. Epidemiological research indicates that women who drink are approximately 1.2 to 2.0 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do not consume alcohol.