As we age, we may become more sensitive to alcohol’s effects. One reason is that older people metabolize, or break down, alcohol more slowly than younger people, so alcohol stays in their bodies longer. Also, the amount of water in the body goes down with age. As a result, older adults have a higher percentage of alcohol in their blood than younger people after drinking the same amount of alcohol.
Aging lowers the body’s tolerance for alcohol. This means that older adults can experience the effects of alcohol, such as slurred speech and lack of coordination, more readily than when they were younger. An older person can develop problems with alcohol even though his or her drinking habits have not changed.
If you have any concerns about your habits regarding alcohol, or the effects of alcohol on your health, talk with your doctor.
— Source: National Institutes of Health