Alcohol consumption can lead to alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, in predisposed individuals. An estimated 12% of Americans are believed to have been dependent on alcohol at some point in their life (69). Alcohol abuse during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of birth defects in the US. Drinking while pregnant can lead to abnormal facial features, low birth weight, central nervous system problems, and other serious issues (63, 64). Your liver is a remarkable organ with hundreds of essential functions.
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Researchers have also suggested that red wine, in particular, might protect the heart, thanks to the antioxidants it contains. While alcohol intoxication is only temporary, chronic alcohol abuse can impair brain function permanently. However, moderate drinking may have benefits for brain health — especially among older adults. A 2017 meta-analysis found an association between moderate alcohol consumption — 12.5 grams or less per day — and a reduced risk of dementia. Drinking alcohol can also reduce the body’s ability to recover when blood sugar levels drop. A person with diabetes should discuss with their doctor any effects that alcohol may have on their condition or medications.
Is there a health benefit to some drinking compared with none?
It directly influences the stomach, brain, heart, gallbladder, and liver. It affects levels of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and insulin in the blood, as well as inflammation and coagulation. Moderate drinking seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system, and probably protects against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. Heavy drinking is a major cause of preventable death https://ecosoberhouse.com/ in most countries.
Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
Type 2 diabetes causes the body’s cells to take in less glucose, or sugar, from the blood as a result of insulin resistance. When the body’s cells do not respond to insulin and take up glucose, a person will have high blood sugar levels. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking consists of two drinks or less per day for men of legal drinking age and one drink or less per day for women of legal drinking age. Up to 65% of American adults drink alcohol, but messaging around alcohol and its potential impact on health has been confusing in recent years. Some studies have claimed that smaller amounts of alcohol are good for you. Globally, the WHO European is alcohol good for you Region has the highest alcohol consumption level and the highest proportion of drinkers in the population.
- All physicians featured on this website are on the medical faculty of Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center or Rush Oak Park Hospital.
- The authors of the recent study analyzed data collected from 434,321 participants, aged 18–85.
- A 2022 review suggests that alcohol consumption may have an association with the immunological risk of alopecia areata.
- Ethanol reduces communication between brain cells — a short-term effect responsible for many of the symptoms of being drunk.
- Some of the physicians featured are in private practice and, as independent practitioners, are not agents or employees of Rush University Medical Center, Rush Copley Medical Center or Rush Oak Park Hospital.
- “These wines have far fewer additives and your liver won’t have to work as hard, adding to the health benefits that you may get from your wine,” she says.
However, when it comes to heavy drinking and binge drinking, your risk rises (53, 54, 55, 56). Though light to moderate beer intake has potential benefits, heavy intake and binge drinking can be extremely harmful. The benefits and risks of moderate drinking change over a lifetime. In general, risks exceed benefits until middle age, when cardiovascular disease begins to account for an increasingly large share of the burden of disease and death. Heavy drinking, on the other hand, is linked to a number of poor health outcomes, including heart conditions.
