A new study has found that having 14 alcoholic beverages each week for men, which amounts to heavy drinking, correlates strongly with an enlargement in the wall of the main pumping chamber of the heart.

And women appear to be even more affected than men when it comes to alcohol’s effects on the cardiovascular system, and could result in a higher risk of cardiomyopathy — an enlargement and thickening of the heart muscle as it is replaced by scar tissue — no matter how much or how little alcohol is consumed, according to a Zee News report.

The study took a look at alcohol consumption about 4,466 people who were an average age of 76 years old to see how their hearts looked and compare it to how much alcohol they drank. The researchers found that as people drank more alcohol, the heart appeared to change its function and its structure.

Scientists define heavy drinking as more than two drinks per day or beer, wine, or liquor for men, and more than one drink per day for women.

While low alcohol intake may have some benefits to the body, once drinking crosses into heavy territory, it appears to have adverse effects, especially on the elderly and especially on women.

Guidelines from the American Heart Association suggest alcohol should be limited to one per day for women and two for men, which is categorized as moderate drinking. Research has suggested light to moderate drinking actually has the opposite effect of protecting against some diseases of the heart.