With Christmas and New Year coming up, it’s time to remind the adults about some key tips when it comes to alcohol so they aren’t feeling ill on Boxing Day or New Year’s Day.

Age, size and gender are some of the factors that can all contribute to the way we feel the effects of alcohol.

Lions Club information hub Alcohol&Me spokesperson Jude Walter advises keeping these factors in mind and remembering the adult liver can only process one standard drink – 10g of pure alcohol – per hour.

“If a person is smaller, they are likely to feel the effects of alcohol more because there is simply less body mass, so there’s less places for the alcohol to go.”

Walter said this means the excess alcohol in their system is going to focus around their vital organs more and therefore they will feel the effects of the alcohol more.

“Females are naturally born with a higher body fat ratio, it’s biology, there’s no way to change it.

“So even the leanest 70kg female is going to have a higher body fat content than a 70kg male.”

To explain, Walter used an analogy of a roasting dish. “If you turn on the tap the fat and the water don’t mix, fat and alcohol is exactly the same.

“If we have a higher body fat ratio, there’s less places for the alcohol to go because it can’t be absorbed into the fat. Therefore it’s going to centre around our vital organs and we’re going to feel the effects of the alcohol more.”

Body fat isn’t the only impacting factor when comparing the effects of alcohol on females to males.

“Hormone levels can change the way we feel the effects of alcohol.”

She said a lower level in certain hormones can change the production of the enzyme that helps to break down alcohol.

Age can also change the way you experience the effects of alcohol.

“Our organs are not fully developed until we’re in our mid to late-twenties, so if you’re drinking alcohol when you’re younger than this, your liver is going to be more sluggish.”

On the other end of the spectrum, the body’s ability to store water for those 60 and above is decreased. Water can dilute the alcohol, “So if we’re not able to store as much water in our body, we’re going to feel the effects of alcohol more unless we hyper hydrate to counter for that.

“As you get older, your muscle gets replaced with fat, therefore you are likely to feel the effects of alcohol more as you age.”

To find out more about making smarter drinking choices check out Alcohol&Me’s fun, interactive and highly informative online quizzes here.

For more information visit their website or their YouTube channel.