Final answer:
Alcohol is metabolized differently in males and females due to variations in body composition, enzyme activity, and hormonal levels. Women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat, lower levels of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and hormonal differences, leading to different alcohol tolerances.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alcohol is metabolized differently in males and females due to the differences in body composition, enzyme activity, and hormonal levels. Women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat compared to men, which leads to a lower water content in their bodies. Since alcohol is water-soluble, it gets diluted more in men's bodies than in women's bodies, resulting in different effects. Moreover, women have lower levels of a stomach enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which is responsible for breaking down alcohol. This leads to slower alcohol metabolism and higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in women compared to men, causing them to tolerate alcohol differently. Hormonal differences also play a role, as estrogen has been found to affect the metabolism and elimination of alcohol in women.