Get the Facts: Women and Alcohol

Women break down alcohol slower. They have a lowered amount of dehydrogenase, an enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the liver.
The average female carries more body fat than the average male, and body fat contains little water. Consequently, most women have less body water to dilute the alcohol, leaving a higher concentration of alcohol in women's bodies. Body fat also does not absorb the alcohol, so it stays circulating in the body for longer periods of time.
A woman’s ability to metabolize alcohol can be affected by her menstrual cycle.