Maybe you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, or look forward to a few margaritas at happy hour. What’s the harm, right? But it can be easy to forget that a few drinks here and there add up quickly over the weeks and months, potentially causing cumulative, long-term health effects. In fact, new research warns that booze-loving women are risking much more than a morning-after headache—their wine habit might actually contribute to an early demise.

To reach that conclusion, researchers in Germany tracked the drinking habits of 4,000 adults for 14 years. The results: The annual death rates among women diagnosed with alcoholism was 4.6 times higher than women who didn’t drink excessively—a difference was more than double the risk for alcoholic men.

And consider this scary statistic: The mean lifespan among women who abused alcohol was only 60—around 20 years younger than that of the general population.

It makes sense that these women are worse off than men, largely because female bodies are less capable of metabolizing alcohol, says Elizabeth Epstein, PhD, a professor in the Center of Alcohol Studies at Rutger’s University. “Women are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of drinking alcohol,” she says. “And it takes fewer years for our bodies to suffer the bad effects of too much drinking.”

Those effects include an increased risk of liver disease, breast cancer, brain damage, and heart disease. Plus, Epstein says, the caloric heft of alcoholic beverages means that women who imbibe frequently are in danger of becoming overweight or obese, which can carry additional implications.

Figuring out if you’re at-risk of alcohol dependence, or already in its throes, can be tricky. Generally speaking, more than three drinks on a given day each week is considered “high-risk” behavior. “That’s less than people would think,” Epstein says. She suggests pulling out a measuring cup to remind yourself what 5 oz. of wine—a standard serving—really looks like.

Other troubling signs include lying to loved ones about how much you’re drinking, blanking on events from a previous alcohol-heavy evening, or thinking about when that first drink of the day is going to happen, Epstein says.

Unfortunately, women aren’t only more likely than men to die early from alcoholism, they’re also less likely to seek help. “Women tend to be ashamed of their drinking, or worried about hurting their families,” Epstein says. “The most important thing is to speak up, and yet so many aren’t doing it.” Your primary doc is a great place to start.

More from WH:
Can Beer Keep You Buff?
How Alcohol Affects Your Body
The Beneficial Health Effects of Alcohol
Look Better Naked: Buy the book to learn how to look (and feel!) your very best.

javahut healthy feed