FPGEE for National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) Practice Exam 2025 - Free NABP Practice Questions and Study Guide

The correct answer highlights that women typically have a higher fat content and less gastric alcohol dehydrogenase compared to men, which are key factors that contribute to higher peak blood alcohol concentrations in women.

Fat tissue has a lower blood flow than other tissues, such as muscle. While alcohol is water-soluble and distributes more readily in aqueous environments, the higher proportion of body fat in women leads to a greater concentration of alcohol in the bloodstream when they consume the same amount of alcohol as men. Essentially, with more fat and less body water to dilute the alcohol, women will experience higher blood alcohol levels.

On the other hand, gastric alcohol dehydrogenase is an enzyme that helps metabolize alcohol in the stomach before it enters the bloodstream. Women tend to have lower levels of this enzyme compared to men, which means that a greater proportion of alcohol they consume is absorbed into the bloodstream rather than being metabolized in the stomach. This combination of factors results in women reaching higher peak blood alcohol concentrations, especially when both genders consume alcohol in similar amounts.