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Why do bartenders have the most experience dealing with the differences in how women and men metabolize a drug?
Because alcohol.
A short thread on how medicine doesn't consider drug metabolism differences between the biological sexes.
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Because alcohol.
A short thread on how medicine doesn't consider drug metabolism differences between the biological sexes.
1/5
We used to think that differences in alcohol tolerance between M + F was only due to any differences in weight/fat.
But that's not the whole story.
Even when sexes are matched for weight, there is a marked discrepancy in which sex metabolizes alcohol faster, M>F.
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But that's not the whole story.
Even when sexes are matched for weight, there is a marked discrepancy in which sex metabolizes alcohol faster, M>F.
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Women don't have the same level of activity of alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme which helps break down alcohol in the body.
And other enzymes that break down prescription drugs may also be less active in women, making them more likely to experience adverse side effects.
And other enzymes that break down prescription drugs may also be less active in women, making them more likely to experience adverse side effects.
It's not just alcohol that males metabolize faster than women.
Many other drugs fall under this category. #Paracetamol/ #Tylenol for example is metabolized (broken down) 22% faster by men.
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Many other drugs fall under this category. #Paracetamol/ #Tylenol for example is metabolized (broken down) 22% faster by men.
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Then there's the gut.
Women on average have much longer colons, slower gastric motility and intestinal transit time.
This means that a woman needs to wait longer before taking a drug that needs to be taken on an empty stomach, such as the allergy medication Claritin.
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Women on average have much longer colons, slower gastric motility and intestinal transit time.
This means that a woman needs to wait longer before taking a drug that needs to be taken on an empty stomach, such as the allergy medication Claritin.
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So why don't doctors adjust the dose of medications according to sex?
Because even if they wanted too, they can't.
Drug companies aren't required to provide sex specific dosing. This is likely why more women are overdosed unintentionally by doctors.
#TheBetterHalf
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Because even if they wanted too, they can't.
Drug companies aren't required to provide sex specific dosing. This is likely why more women are overdosed unintentionally by doctors.
#TheBetterHalf
5/5
