Does Alcohol Affect Women’s Hormones and Mood More Than Men’s?

Because women and men metabolize alcohol differently, drinking the same amount can hit women harder, with much worse effects on their hormones, mood, and overall health. Let’s dive into the science on how alcohol impacts women’s bodies and minds differently.

How Alcohol Affects Women

Worse Hangovers Than Men

There are a few reasons why women’s hangovers tend to be worse than men’s:

• Lower ADH levels: Women produce about half as much alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)—the enzyme that breaks down alcohol—as men. The result is that even when men and women drink the same amount, women’s blood alcohol levels can stay high for about 50% longer.
• Different body composition: Men’s bodies are about 55–65% water, while women’s are 45–50% water, and women also have ~10% more body fat than men on average. This means alcohol is less diluted by total body water and can be retained more in body fat.
• Smaller average body size: Women are typically smaller than men, so when they consume the same amount of alcohol, their blood alcohol content (BAC) reaches higher levels.

Effects of Alcohol on Women’s Hormones

Even when only “mild-to-moderate”, alcohol consumption can affect the “big three” reproductive hormones in women: estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Alcohol consumption can increase estrogen while reducing progesterone, which may be harmful for fertility, increase risk of breast cancer, and cause other symptoms like irregular periods and heavy bleeding. By lowering testosterone levels (yes, women also need some testosterone!), drinking alcohol can also impact libido, mood, and bone health.

In the long run—especially as they get older and reach menopause—women’s chronic alcohol consumption can contribute to hormonal imbalances that increase the risk of serious chronic diseases like osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer, and more. Because of the factors above, women may be more susceptible to these impacts than men, even with comparable levels of alcohol consumption.

As Mayo Clinic psychiatrist and addiction specialist Terry D. Schneekloth sums up these differences: “When you’ve got that higher blood alcohol level, it’s going to impact all of the organs more significantly. And this is likely why we’re seeing women developing alcohol-related problems if they’re drinking roughly the same dose as a man, because they’re absorbing more and it’s hitting their organs harder. We see it with cardiomyopathy, or enlargement of the heart, and we see it with liver disease.”

Effects of Alcohol on Women’s Mood

Women are more prone to anxiety and depression than men—in fact, they’re twice as likely to experience these conditions. This also means that after drinking, women are more likely than men to experience what’s often called “hangxiety”: hangover-related anxiety that occurs due to alcohol’s effects on neurotransmitters like GABA.

Alcohol’s disruption to hormone levels also contributes to these mood effects. For instance, by causing fluctuations in reproductive hormones that are essential for mood regulation, regular alcohol consumption can cause severe mood swings and other emotional difficulties.

It’s worth noting that among people with alcohol use disorders, women are more likely than men to also have co-occurring depression or anxiety. For women, alcohol abuse tends to come after the depression, while in men, alcohol abuse typically comes before the depression. This suggests an important causal relationship: for many women, depression pushes them toward alcohol abuse, while for many men, it’s the opposite. In this study, for instance, 42% of men were depressed when they began alcohol treatment, but only 6% were depressed after four weeks of treatment, even without specific depression treatment.

How Women Can Support Their Bodies Through Drinking Alcohol

Although alcohol hits women harder than men, there are some measures that can help the body manage negative effects and bounce back more quickly:

Take PREGAME before you drink

Formulated by internal medicine and integrative wellness expert Dr. Dan Nguyen, MD, MBA, PREGAME contains a blend of ingredients to support the body’s natural detoxification processes:

• Clovinol®: Can reduce negative post-drinking feelings by 55%.
• Siliphos®: A milk thistle–derived compound that may lower risk of cirrhosis.
• N-acetyl cysteine (NAC): Can reduce unpleasant post-drinking feelings.
• DHM: An anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Take HYDRATION before, during, and after drinking

One reason you might feel bad after a night of drinking is dehydration. Counter this with plenty of Capsulyte’s HYDRATION, which includes essential electrolytes and more:

• Hydra 4G™: A blend of sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
• Liposomal Pureway C™: A potent antioxidant that may also support immune function.
• Zinc: Essential mineral for the immune system.
• B vitamins: Support neurological function and energy metabolism.

Be sure to visit the Capsulyte blog for even more evidence-based insights into alcohol consumption and health.