Several research studies have shown that some women who drink heavily can do as much damage to their bodies in four to five years as a man who has been drinking for 20 to 25 years, according to Laura Veach, Ph.D., director of screening and counseling intervention services at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. “It has something to do with the concentration of water and fat, but we’re really not sure that we understand the whole picture because there is much less research on how women process alcohol,” Veach said.