Alcohol addiction treatment should be different for men and women: study explains why

Scientists know that alcohol dependence disorder affects men and women differently, making it imperative to operate tailored treatment approaches. A recent study has shed airy on the mechanisms underlying these sex differences, suggesting that hormonal and biochemical factors play key roles in shaping patterns of alcohol operate and dependence.

“This is the first huge study to confirm that part of the variability in alcohol operate disorder (AUD) and related problems is related to specific combinations of hormones and chemical biomarkers in men and women. This may indicate that gender-specific treatments can be tailored to improve response in men and women with alcohol problems,” said lead researcher Victor Karpyak in press release.

The researchers analyzed hormone and protein markers in 268 men and 132 women with alcohol operate disorder at the beginning of the study, before the participants began any treatment. They tested for a variety of sex-specific blood markers, including sex hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone, as well as proteins that affect reproductive health, such as follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone.

They also measured proteins that affect hormone availability in the blood, such as albumin and sex hormone-binding globulin. After that assessment, the researchers correlated the biological markers with psychological factors, including symptoms of depression, anxiety, cravings, alcohol consumption, and treatment outcomes over the first three months of therapy.

Early in the study, researchers noted that men with alcohol operate disorder who experienced more depressive symptoms and cravings had lower levels of the hormones testosterone, estrone, and estradiol, as well as lower levels of a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). However, this link between hormones and psychological symptoms was not seen in women with alcohol operate disorder.

“We found that there were different associations in men and women. For example, women who had higher levels of testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin and albumin were also more likely to relapse within the first three months of treatment compared to women with lower levels of these biochemical markers. No such associations were found in men,” Professor Karpyak said.

Experts say the study results provide vital information on the link between sex hormones and the treatment of alcohol operate disorders.

“Although sex differences in the manifestation of the disorder are known, these results suggest that sex hormones may modulate treatment response, potentially supporting sex-specific pharmacological intervention. However, hormonal fluctuations associated with the menstrual cycle are also potential modulators of alcohol abuse, warranting further investigation into their role in treatment and relapse outcomes in female patients,” said Dr. Erika Comasco, assistant professor of molecular psychiatry at Uppsala University in Sweden, who was not involved in the study.