Do women require less alcohol to become intoxicated compared to men?

Women do tend to require less alcohol to become intoxicated compared to men, primarily due to physiological differences. One significant factor is body composition; women generally have a higher percentage of body fat and a lower percentage of water compared to men. Because alcohol is water-soluble, this difference means that women often have less water in their bodies to dilute alcohol, leading to higher blood alcohol concentrations after consuming the same amount of alcohol as men.

Additionally, the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which aids in the metabolism of alcohol, is typically present in higher levels in men. This effective metabolism allows men to process alcohol more efficiently than women. These biological differences contribute to the increased susceptibility of women to the effects of alcohol, including becoming intoxicated more quickly.

Therefore, stating that women absorb more alcohol into their bloodstream does reflect the scientific understanding of gender differences in alcohol absorption and effects.