Why Alcohol Affects You Differently as You Age

Many people notice from a certain age that they tolerate alcohol differently from before. Just one glass may be enough to disrupt sleep or leave them feeling “lightly hungover” the next day. This is not imagined: it reflects a measurable change in the body that research is describing with increasing precision.

How the body’s response to alcohol changes with age

Over time, the body functions differently. This affects more than wrinkles and grey hair; it also changes how alcohol is processed. The liver, the body’s main detoxification organ, gradually becomes slower.

It still produces the enzymes that break down alcohol, but they work less efficiently. Alcohol is metabolised more slowly and remains in the bloodstream for longer. In other words, the same amount that was consumed at 25 results in a higher blood alcohol level at 55 - and therefore has a stronger effect.

Alcohol remains active in an older body for longer because the liver works more slowly and there is less water in the tissues to dilute it.

At the same time, muscle mass declines, which is a normal part of ageing. Muscles hold a great deal of water, and this water dilutes alcohol in the body. Less muscle mass therefore means less “dilution”, a higher concentration and a more intense effect.

Why one glass hits harder than it used to

Research is clear: as people get older, the same quantity of alcohol produces a higher blood alcohol concentration. Many people experience this very directly:

Common effects of alcohol in later life

• Drowsiness that comes on faster and feels more intense