Question: Does drinking alcohol have a feminizing effect on males?
Answer: Yes. A study done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) showed that men who drank 220 grams of alcohol (or around 16 standard drinks) a day for 5 days showed a decrease in testosterone, the principle male sex hormone. Testosterone is responsible for secondary male characteristics, such as chest hair and deepening of the voice, as well as sperm production and fertility. The feminizing effect of this condition can result in loss of hair on the chest and upper body, loss of facial hair, enlarged breasts.
In addition, alcohol may interfere with normal sperm structure and movement by inhibiting the metabolism of vitamin A, which is essential for sperm development.
This blog post is part of our Commonly Asked Question series. Each post attempts to answer commonly asked questions about addiction, drugs, alcohol, recovery, and treatment.