Alcohol:
Effects on Health
Is alcohol harmful?
Drinking alcohol is very common in our society. However,
alcohol can affect your health. Some people should not drink
at all. You should not drink alcohol if you:
-
cannot limit your drinking to low or moderate levels
-
plan to drive, operate machinery, or do anything
that requires you to be alert and coordinated
-
have certain medical conditions
-
take medicines that interact with alcohol.
If you drink too much alcohol, you risk having physical
and mental health problems. This is especially true for
older adults, who often have other medical problems.
What physical problems does alcohol cause?
Alcohol
can affect your body in the following ways:
-
Alcohol increases the acid in your stomach. The
irritating effects of alcohol may cause gastritis
(inflammation of the lining of the stomach),
pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), or a peptic
ulcer (a raw area in the lining of the stomach or
intestines). Alcohol can also damage your small
intestine and keep it from absorbing nutrients.
-
Alcohol can keep you from getting deep sleep, which
may mean a less restful night's sleep. Also, drinking
alcohol can make insomnia worse. Although it may help
you go to sleep, when the drink wears off you may wake
up earlier. You may also wake up more often to urinate.
-
Alcohol can cause gout because it can keep your body
from getting rid of uric acid. Gout is a buildup of uric
acid that causes inflammation in your joints.
-
Drinking too much alcohol puts you at higher risk
for cancer of the pancreas, mouth, tongue, and throat.
This risk is even greater if you also use tobacco
products.
-
Alcohol may cause liver cancer, fatty liver,
hepatitis, cirrhosis, and other liver disease.
-
Drinking too much alcohol makes you lose protein,
minerals, and vitamins. Alcohol affects thiamine
(vitamin B-1) in particular. Your nerves, muscles,
heart, and brain need thiamine to work normally. Lack of
thiamine can cause problems with short-term memory, eye
movement, walking, cramps, numbness, tingling, and
weakness in your legs and hands.
-
Drinking too much alcohol also may be part of what
causes high blood pressure and strokes. Alcohol can lead
to heart muscle disease or heart failure.
Alcohol can also cause:
-
increased blood sugar levels, which makes diabetes
worse
-
interactions with medicines
-
worsening of most other medical problems (heart
disease, kidney disease, circulation problems)
-
injuries from falls and other accidents.
What mental health problems does alcohol cause?
When you drink too much alcohol, you lose proper judgment.
When you drink heavily you can have changes in moods and
emotions. You may be very angry and irritable. You can have
personality changes, such as becoming suspicious, jealous,
or possessive. Your loved ones find it hard to cope with
these outbursts and changes. As drinking problems become
worse, you may argue or fight at home, at work, and in
social settings. This can lead to domestic violence, child
abuse, and losing your job and friends. Your children are at
high risk of becoming alcoholics as adults.
Alcohol can worsen other mental health problems such as
bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and
schizophrenia.
Regularly drinking too much alcohol also can cause major,
even life-threatening, mental, emotional, and behavioral
problems including:
Many violent crimes, child sexual abuse, assaults, and
murders are related to alcohol abuse. Drunk drivers cause
about half the deaths from vehicle accidents in the US.
How much is too much?
Moderate drinking is no more
than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per
day for men. The differences between women and men are based
on body size and the way their bodies change food into
energy. Examples of 1 drink are:
Before you choose to drink alcoholic beverages, even in
moderate amounts, talk with your health care provider. Your
provider can help you determine what is best for your
health.
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