Not much benefit from alcohol for the older woman

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

A review of the evidence suggest there's a thin line between benefit and harm for older women when it comes to drinking.
Various studies have suggested that moderate drinking can help prevent heart disease and also reduce the risk of dementia. But there are downsides - especially where women's health is concerned - and maybe these have been downplayed. For women, one drink a day will reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by as much as 50 per cent and older women who drink moderately have better cognitive skills.

On the other hand, as little as half a drink per day can increase the risk of breast cancer, maybe because alcohol raises estrogen levels. Women are also more likely than men to become dependent on alcohol and suffer the accompanying problems like liver disease and psychiatric illness. Women are more sensitive to alcohol than men because their bodies contain less water and more fat. Water dilutes alcohol in the bloodstream and fat retains it. So womens' brains and other organs are exposed to higher concentrations of alcohol and that risk goes up with age. That is why doctors at Harvard University are suggesting that women aged 65 or more limit themselves to one drink a day or fewer, to balance out the risks and benefits.

Source
Harvard Women's Health Watch July 2006

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