March is the month of college spring breaks and, let’s face it, some people raise a glass or two in the name of temporary freedom from homework.
That makes it a timely time to cover some things you may not know about alcohol.
• Men and women process alcohol differently
According to the American Heart Association and the Department of Health and Human Services, moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and two for men. Why?
There are a few reasons, said Eric McCarty, a clinical supervisor who runs the chemical dependency program at Lakeview Hospital in Bountiful.
“Men generally weigh more and have a higher muscle mass than women, but the underlying reason, which seems to surprise the patients I work with the most, is that women lack a certain enzyme which metabolizes alcohol,” McCarty said.
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