Some men brag that they can handle alcohol better than women. Can there be some truth to that? Don and Ya?l talk about that on this Moment of Science.  D: If I were you, Yael, if I were a woman that is, I would reconsider that fourth drink you just ordered. You don't want a hangover tomorrow.

Y: I take offense to that, Don. Are you implying that because I'm a woman I can't handle my alcohol as well as any man can? That may be true for itty bitty petite women, but I'm six feet tall, taller than most men, including you, Don. And I might even weigh more than you too. I imagine that you're the one who needs to watch out for a hangover.

D: Well, Yael, the average weight difference between women and men is one reason why women tend to get intoxicated faster, but there's more. Women also tend to have more fat and less muscle than men, even tall women. This is significant because muscle tissue contains more water than fat does, and alcohol dissolves in water and thus is diluted. With about ten percent more water in their bodies than women, men can drink more alcohol than women before becoming intoxicated. In fact, studies show that women suffer worse hangovers than men too. Men tend to experience more sweating and vomiting as a result of drinking, but overall, women suffer more, including dehydration, exhaustion, headaches, and nausea. With every drink, women are reaching higher degrees of intoxication than their male counterparts and thus it makes sense that they're reaching higher degrees of hangover too. More research is needed though to determine for certain why women's hangovers are worse.

Y: Hmm. Maybe I'll order a pitcher of water with this last drink.

D: Good idea.