This summer has been hotter and sunnier than ever, which means more BBQs, more pub garden trips and unfortunately, more hangovers. But did you know, women actually get worse hangovers than men?
Yes, it’s scientifically proven that women suffer worse the day after drinking a lot of alcohol, and it’s all down to the way their bodies are made. Annoyingly, there’s nothing women can do about it!
As explained by British NHS doctor Dr Amir Khan on ITV’s Lorraine, the enzyme that breaks down alcohol is called alcohol dehydrogenase.
“Women have less of it than men do, so they take longer to break down alcohol, so alcohol is floating around their bodies more, so they are more likely to feel the effects of alcohol and then get a hangover the following day,” he said.
On top of that, women also have less circulating blood, which means the alcohol in their system is more concentrated. Again, this contributes to a worse hangover.
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Most people don’t know that oestrogen also plays a part, and the time of the month that you drink can have a big impact on whether you get a hangover or not.
Oestrogen makes the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme more efficient at breaking down alcohol, so you are less likely to have a hangover during the part of your cycle when you have the most oestrogen.
“When you look at the menstrual cycle, for the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle, your oestrogen levels are on the up, so you’re more effective at breaking down alcohol, and less likely to get drunk, less likely to get a hangover,” the doctor explained.
“But the second half when oestrogen levels drop, you’re more likely to get drunk, more likely to get a hangover.”
Menopause reduces oestrogen levels too, which is why a lot of older women aren’t able to enjoy the drinks they used to when they were younger, as their bodies don’t break down the alcohol as efficiently.
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