Science Can Tell You –
July 25, 2019 – Researchers have examined multiple factors to figure out why some people’s bodies appear to handle more alcohol better than others, Martin said. Gender and body weight clearly influence how an individual tolerates alcohol. Men tend to be able to drink more than women before they appear drunk. Larger people may imbibe more than smaller people without immediate ill effects. Other biological factors are a bit more complicated.
“Some think it relates to the enzymes involved in metabolizing the alcohol; others think there’s a varied effect on neurotransmission in the brain,” Martin said. In the case of the neurotransmitters, the theory is that the brains of some people with high tolerance simply aren’t receiving signals saying, “Whoa there, you should probably stop drinking.”
