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May 16, 2008 8:56 am US/Mountain
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Alcohol Does More Damage To Women, 1 A Day Limit
(CBS4)
A new study by the American Society of Hypertension finds that women who have two or more drinks a day can develop serious heart problems. It suggests there is a think line between heart healthy drinking and consumption that can do serious damage, Dr. Dave Hnida reports.
Previous research has shown that small amounts of alcohol can lower blood pressure and raise the level of HDL or good cholesterol. The definition of small amounts is getting smaller and smaller.
Men should have a maximum of two drinks per day, Hnida said.
For women, the limit is one drink per day.
The reason is that men and women metabolize alcohol differently. Women lack an enzyme that breaks down alcohol in the stomach. That leads to higher blood levels more quickly.
In the short term, that means women get intoxicated quicker. In the long term, they could see heart damage earlier than men.
Going past the suggested amount can cause damage that's like driving off a cliff. The consequences can be rapid and severe, Hnida said.
Here are some guidelines for women and drinking at different stages of life:
Pregnant women shouldn't drink at all.
Post menopausal women may be able to drink zero to one times a day. The reason is even small amounts of alcohol may increase the risk of breast cancer.
Other women can drink once a day.
Hnida said that drinking more than the recommendations can cause serious health problems because alcohol is a direct toxin to the heart muscle and blood vessels.
That damage can increase the risk of heart failure, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke.
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