Over time, alcohol use takes a toll on your body and increases your risk of over 200 health conditions. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that has immediate effects on the body, like intoxication (feeling drunk) and hangovers (unpleasant aftereffects from drinking). While these effects are short-lived, long-term alcohol use can trigger systemic (bodywide) does alcohol weaken your immune system inflammation, which damages the body’s tissues and vital organs over time. Binge drinking is drinking enough alcohol to raise one’s BAC to 0.08% or above. Women typically reach this level after about four drinks and men after about five drinks in two hours. Binge drinking—and heavy drinking—is a type of alcohol misuse (a spectrum of risky alcohol-related behaviors).
- Cirrhosis, on the other hand, is irreversible and can lead to liver failure and liver cancer, even if you abstain from alcohol.
- This article discusses everything you need to know about the short-term effects of alcohol.
Cardiovascular System
Stress reduction, mood elevation, increased sociability, and relaxation are the most commonly reported psychosocial benefits of drinking alcohol (Baum-Baicker 1985; Hauge and Irgens-Jensen 1990; Leigh and Stacy 1991; Mäkelä and Mustonen 1988). By examining the lifestyle characteristics of people who consume either no alcohol or varying amounts of alcohol, researchers may uncover other factors that might account for different health outcomes. For example, gender, age, education, physical fitness, diet, and social involvement are among the factors that may be taken into account in determining relative risk of disease. An association between moderate drinking and lower risk for CHD does not necessarily mean that alcohol itself is the cause of the lower risk.
- In fact, because heavy drinking is a major cause of depression in some individuals, treating the underlying alcohol abuse may lead to big improvements (25, 26, 27).
- Moderate alcohol consumption may increase life expectancy, while alcohol abuse is a strong risk factor for premature death.
- In people assigned female at birth, consuming more than four drinks in one sitting is considered binge drinking.
- Alcohol can also contribute to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and hypertension (high blood pressure), increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
- One of the best-known effects of drinking alcohol is lowered inhibitions.
- Alcohol use and abuse also contribute to injuries, automobile collisions, and violence.
- Chronic and excessive alcohol use disrupts the balance of bacteria in the gut microbiome (dysbiosis).
How Does Alcohol Influence Your Physical Health?
- The morning after a night of over-imbibing can cause some temporary effects on your brain.
- It’s produced by yeasts that digest sugar in certain carb-rich foods, such as grapes — used to make wine — or grains — used to make beer.
- If you are on any medications, talk to your health care provider about how alcohol may affect them.
- Blood and tissue concentrations are therefore higher in women, who have more subcutaneous fat and a smaller blood volume, than in men, even when the amount of alcohol consumed is adjusted for body weight.
- Evidence suggests that certain alcoholic beverages, such as wine and beer, appear to accelerate the movement of food and waste through the digestive system, which can lead to diarrhea.
Some studies have found that even light or moderate drinking can lead to some deterioration of the hippocampus. Because alcohol is a depressant, it can also contribute to mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression. Research indicates that heavy alcohol use can also increase the risk of suicide.
Long-term effects of alcohol
Drinking alcohol can lower your inhibitions, so you might assume alcohol can ramp up your fun in the bedroom. Ulcers can cause dangerous internal bleeding, which can sometimes be fatal without prompt diagnosis and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ treatment. Drinking too much alcohol over time may cause inflammation of the pancreas, resulting in pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can activate the release of pancreatic digestive enzymes and cause abdominal pain.
For more information about alcohol and brain health, please visit the Alcohol and the Brain topic page.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines moderate drinking as two or fewer drinks in a day for men and one or less in a day for women. Excessive (binge) drinking is defined as four or more drinks on a single occasion for women and five or more drinks on a single occasion for men. Many people assume the occasional beer or glass of wine at mealtimes or special occasions doesn’t pose much cause for concern. But drinking any amount of alcohol can potentially lead to unwanted health consequences.
Overview of Alcohol Consumption
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