I wrote an article for the New York Weekly last October about the Rising Alcohol Use and Health Risks for Women aimed at women in their 30s and 40s. But research shows that excessive alcohol use among older women is rising and the risks for women over 50 are even greater. And even though this is relatively common knowledge, alcohol companies are targeting older women more than ever.
Advertising and Alcohol Enticement
When we look at how alcohol advertising is targeting the population of aging women, it becomes obvious that they are trying to seduce us, and it could kill us! Alcohol companies employ various strategies to market to older women:
Health-Conscious Messaging
Some brands highlight low-calories or organic options, showing a few friends getting together for a prosecco after yoga or aqua-aerobics.
Sophisticated Branding
Some brands use upscale packaging, with sophisticated and elegant branding that resonates with older women, designed to convey luxury and refinement.
Social Connection
Some alcohol campaigns portray alcohol consumption as a means of socializing and connecting with friends and family, and often feature mature women enjoying wine or cocktails in social settings, promoting the idea of shared experiences.
Influencer Partnerships
It’s become common for brands to collaborate with influencers or celebrities who resonate with older women.
Advertising Is Everywhere
It’s not just the ads showing older women drinking at virtually every celebration and get-together. But most movies and TV shows consistently show women of a certain age with a glass of wine in their hands:
And speaking of book clubs, it doesn’t take long to find memes on social media about alcohol and women and books, with so many jokes online that book groups are just an excuse to get together and drink. With memes like:
- “Our book club reads wine labels.”
- “Come to my house for book club, and by book club I mean wine.”
- “We started a book club to have a reason to drink wine.”
- “My book club can drink your book club under the table.”
- “Oh, you read important books at your book club, how sweet! We just drink wine.”
Memes targeting older women are abundant on Pinterest:
Here’s to being mature enough to celebrate wine Wednesday instead of Tequila Tuesday.
Just spend a bit of time on Facebook or Instagram:
Look for #VodSquad #WineTime; the majority of participants using these hashtags are women over 50, which is the main demographic of Facebook these days.
I can hear people thinking: Oh, it’s just a bit of fun, what’s the problem?
Alcohol, Women and Health – The Stats
According to recent data, alcohol-related deaths among women is rising at an alarming rate. The number of women dying from alcohol-related causes in the United States has increased by more than 85% from 1999 to 2020.
And those numbers are rising for older adults, particularly older women. The death rates for older women has increased from 10.2 to 12.9 for those aged 65–74, and from 4.4 to 5.3 for those aged 75 and over.
Why the Health Risks Are Different for Women
So how does alcohol impact women’s health in general and why is it different for women than men? First there is the difference in body composition and metabolism. Women usually have more body fat and less water content than men, and because alcohol is water soluble and not fat soluble, alcohol is more concentrated in a woman’s body, which leads to a higher blood alcohol concentration.
Women also tend to have a slower metabolism so they metabolize alcohol more slowly. This means that alcohol stays in a woman’s system longer, increasing its effects and its harm. Hormonal factors can also play a role in how women process alcohol. Higher estrogen levels can intensify alcohol’s impact.
The way that women’s bodies process alcohol leads to increased health risks. Women are more susceptible to alcohol related liver damage than men. Women are at a greater risk of developing alcohol induced cardiovascular diseases than men. Alcohol consumption also increases the risk of several types of cancer in women (including cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver and colon.) And drinking alcohol is associated with breast cancer in women, even at low levels of consumption.
The specific health risks for older women are more complex due to a combination of physiological, hormonal, and social factors.
Physiological Changes
First, we can consider the physiological changes: As women age, muscle mass tends to decrease while body fat increases. Alcohol is distributed in body water, so the higher fat content can lead to increased blood alcohol concentration (BAC) even if the amount consumed remains the same.
Metabolism
Then there is metabolism. The liver’s ability to metabolize alcohol declines with age. Older women often process alcohol more slowly, leading to prolonged effects.
Hormones
And of course, there are the hormonal changes with the onset of menopause. Menopause results in a decrease in estrogen levels, which can alter how alcohol affects the body. Estrogen is believed to protect against some harmful effects of alcohol, and its reduction increases vulnerability.
Chronic Conditions
There is also the obvious increased risk of chronic conditions that alcohol consumption can exacerbate. Health issues common in older women, such as hypertension, liver disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer have increased in occurrence. And bone health is impacted, too. Alcohol can interfere with calcium absorption and bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
And finally, alcohol use can impact cognitive function. Older women are at a higher risk of developing alcohol-related dementia. Over time, excessive drinking can damage brain cells, shrink brain tissue, and impair blood flow, all of which can contribute to cognitive decline and dementia.
Women, Alcohol and Creativity
Another damaging myth that impacts women as we age is that alcohol consumption makes you more creative. (I hear this a lot in workshops!)
However, recent research completely debunks this myth.
A recent study by Essex University and Berlin’s Humboldt University, worked to debunk the myth that drugs and alcohol make a person more creative, examining hundreds of papers. It concluded that,
“It doesn’t do anything for creativity,”’ Dr Panel Hanel told The Guardian.
But this is for another article (coming soon!)
(If you’re interested, you can read my past articles about creativity and the aging brain here and here)
So with all this in mind – not to be a kill joy – but the next time you think to yourself, I have to have a bit of bubbly to make this occasion a Real Celebration, perhaps consider a few bottles of sparkling water with some colorful slices of lemon and lime, and save your body, mind and spirit!
For more articles and conversations about the effects of alcohol on women’s bodies, check out my website or my Substack.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you notice alcohol ads online or in media directed at your age group? Have you noticed your alcohol consumption changing as you’ve aged? What changes has alcohol caused to your body? Have you noticed any changes in any of your family and friends, in terms of their relationship with alcohol as they’ve gotten older?
