Top doctor reveals the reason why women suffer worse from hangovers than men

Daily Mail​

14-07-2025

A top doctor has revealed the reason why women experience worse hangovers than men.
Dr Amir Khan said certain biological factors mean women's bodies take longer to break down alcohol, meaning they are more likely to wake up with a bad headache after a few glasses of wine.
He explained that older women struggle more with the effects of booze than younger women; as their oestrogen levels decline with age.
However, Dr Amir revealed that there are certain times during a woman's menstrual cycle when she is less likely to feel the effects of alcohol.
Speaking on Lorraine, the NHS doctor explained the enzyme responsible for breaking down alcohol is called 'alcohol dehydrogenase' and that women have less of it than men do.
'They take longer to break down alcohol as alcohol is floating around their body more, so they're more likely to feel effects of alcohol and then get a hangover the following day as well,' he explained.
'They also have less circulating blood so the alcohol is more concentrated.'
Dr Amir went on to say that oestrogen plays a big role in how women's bodies process alcohol.
'When you look at the menstrual cycle for the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle, your oestrogen levels are on the up, so you're more effective at breaking down alcohol and less likely to get drunk, less likely to get a hangover,' he said.
'But the second half when oestrogen levels drop, you're more likely to get drunk, more likely to get a hangover.'
The GP also explained why women can feel their hangovers more severely as they get older.
'It's true after the menopause as well you might not be able to enjoy those drinks that you used to when you were younger because your oestrogen levels are lower,' he said.
'You don't break down alcohol as efficiently and you're more likely to get a hangover too.'
Previously, Dr Amir revealed the daily habit that could harm brain health - and women are most at risk.
He warned that constant multitasking, which is when you're doing multiple jobs or tasks simultaneously, can be potentially detrimental to our brain health.
'While we think we are being productive, jumping between tasks stresses the brain,' revealed Dr Amir in a TikTok video which has been watched more than 33,700 times.
Speaking to his 67,000 followers, he ran down 'five everyday habits that are quietly ageing your brain'.
He began: 'Number one, constant multitasking.
'We think we're being productive, but jumping between tasks stresses the brain.
'It can weaken short-term memory and increase our cortisol levels.
'Over time that can affect our grey matter, which is linked to focus and emotional control.'
It turns out that this is a common misconception, as when we focus on one singular task our brain uses both sides of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in harmony.
It has long been believed that women are superior to men when it comes to juggling different tasks - a skill historically needed due to them being expected to run a home, raise children, feed their husband and work full time - but recent studies have hinted that men are also able to step up to the plate.
Last year, a survey of 2,000 Britons that found 60 per cent of men and women described themselves as being a 'decent multi-tasker'.
But this isn't likely true, as a separate study found only 2.5 per cent of people were able to do two tasks at once without a drop in performance.
In the comment section of Dr Khan's video, a social media user asked: 'Isn't there research on multitasking and using different parts of your brain being positive?'
The PFC is the part of the brain that processes planning, decision-making, working memory, and social behaviour.
But when we try to do another task at the same time, the left and right sides of our brain are forced to function independently from one another, and this can cause stress on the organ.
According to Dr Jennifer E. Davies, a neuropsychology expert at Brown University, 'What our brains are doing when we multitask is rapidly switching between tasks.
While she highlighted that these effects can be temporary, she added: 'Chronically increased blood pressure and stress can have permanent effects on the brain.'
'This constant switching taxes our brain. It essentially tires it out and makes it less efficient.
'This particularly affects our ability to focus our attention in general, even when we are not multitasking.'
Writing in a blog for Brown University Health, she warned: 'Multitasking temporarily increases stress levels which raises blood pressure and heart rate.
'Multitasking is also associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety.'
Researchers have also found trying to do multiple tasks at once leads to short-term memory problems.
Other studies have found it causes significant psychological distress and stress on the heart.
However, the professor at Brown University added: 'The only time you can truly multitask is if one of the tasks is fully automated, like walking on the treadmill.'
So she reassured: 'It's okay to read a book and walk on the treadmill or fold laundry while watching television'.
Instead, she warned against 'bad multitasking' that involves trying to simultaneously do two tasks that require your attention like 'reading your email while attending a Zoom meeting'.