In addition to differences in body composition, sex-related differences in alcohol pharmacokinetics may also be influenced by reproductive hormones. Although research in this area remains limited, that sex hormones affect the activity of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes is suggested by the finding that castration in male rats reduced the in vivo rate of ADH degradation, leading to increases in ADH protein content and ADH activity to levels that are comparable to those of female rats (210). Similarly, patients treated for prostatic metastatic carcinoma with orchiectomy exhibit an increase in AER within one month after surgery (211). Additionally, dihydrotestosterone administration decreases ADH activity in hepatocytes in vitro and decreases AER in healthy males who received the drug over a two-week period (212).
