In a viral TikTok video, Samia Hurst, a physician bioethicist from the University of Geneva, highlighted the increased risks associated with alcohol consumption for women compared to men.
She based her assertions on differences in how each sex’s body metabolizes alcohol:
"Even if [a woman consumes] the same amount [as a man] as calculated by your body weight… [women] still have about six times the risk of developing liver cirrhosis [as] a guy would have"
Cirrhosis signifies scarring and irreversible damage to the liver, making it a significant health concern for women.
Hurst shared anecdotes of women who considered their alcohol consumption as social or casual but unknowingly placed themselves in dire need of liver transplants, putting their health in "severe danger."
Watch her video, below:
As a precautionary measure, she recommended that women limit their alcohol intake to no more than four drinks per week, although she acknowledged that individuals are not obligated to follow her advice.
She expressed concern over the fact that many people take substantial risks with their health without being fully aware of the consequences.
She explained further in a follow-up video:
The internet was overwhelmed with this information:
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Hurst's statements align with the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which affirms that:
"Biological differences in body structure and chemistry lead most women to absorb more alcohol and take longer to metabolize it."
Consequently, women face a heightened risk of developing liver disease and cancer, as well as experiencing adverse cardiac and neurological effects, due to alcohol consumption.
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