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Alcoholic drinks are very popular recreational beverage. People in all walks of life drink alcohol. However, there are consuming alcoholic drinks have health risks.
As a matter of fact, those who are drinking alcohol heavily could be considered a form of suicide, at least acceptable in social perspective.
The CDC website mentions that excessive alcohol drinking kills over 80,000 people in the U.S. every year. This is a staggering number number. In fact, it doubles the number of death due to suicide and self-inflicted injuries.
Aside from hangovers, alcohol consumption also contributes sexual health issues. Moreover, it destroys many lives including families and commnunities.
Unfortunately, drinking alcohol is still the top past time especially during Friday nights, weekends, or during any form celebrations. In addition, there are more concerns about suicidal people, but heavy alcohol consumption is widely ignored.
The 4 Health Risks Linked To Drinking Alcohol
Although there are many other health risks associated with alcohol consumption, these 4 are more prevalent. Unfortunately, not many people care about it. In fact, most alcoholics don’t know about these risks.
Men and women who drink alcohol know about hangovers, sleep disturbances and stress. However, they are unaware of the bigger health risks waiting ahead due to heavy drinking of alcohol.
41. Alcohol Drinking Can Cause Liver Damage
The most common liver damage due to drinking alcohol is fatty liver. When a person consumes over 40 grams of alcohol daily, this is enough to cause severe damage to the liver. How much do 40 grams of alcohol look like? Well, it’s equivalent to 4 beers.
However, many people both men and women consume more than that. When the amount of alcohol consumed exceeds 40 grams, it overwhelms the liver with acetaldehyde, which is a toxic enzyme. Acetaldehyde can cause scarring to the liver eventually damaging the cells.
Furthermore, alcohol also causes damage to the intestines as it floods with toxins. Aside from fatty liver disease, alcohol drinking also causes autoimmune disorder and hepatitis.
2. Alcohol Drinking Increases Cancer Risks
One study finds that drinking alcohol is not only linked with one type of cancer, but 7 cancers.
3Cancers Linked Alcohol Consumption
The list, of course, includes liver cancer.
- Breast
- Colon
- Esophagus
- Larynx
- Liver
- Mouth and throat
- Rectum
The study is publised in the Addiction Journal1.
Those heavy alcohol drinkers are mostly at high risks. Two drinks a day is enough to increase risk of bowel cancer by 8%.
The American Cancer Society says alcohol acts as a solvent allowing carcinogens from the environment enters the body easily.
Do you remember actor Michael Douglas? He had throat cancer and he attributes it to smoking and drinking alcohol. In the video below, Philip Brook of NIH confirms alcohol is carcinogenic to human.
Although Michael Douglas later said it was not throat cancer, but tongue cancer, I guess it doesn’t matter. It is still cancer and alcohol drinking causes oral cancer especially when a person smokes.
23. It Cuases Dehydration
Alcohol is a diuretic2 even small doses. This means that when you drink alcohol, your body flushes more water than the amount of beverage you take in.
The reason alcohol causes dehydration is because it inhibits anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) eventually sending signals to the kidney to reabsorb water.
Dehydration affects the hair and skin and even lead to severe and permanent damage to the brain.
14. Increases Risk of Mental Illness
Here’s a quick overview how alcohol affects mental health.
How Alcohol Affects The Brain?
Here’s a quick presentation showing the effects of alcohol on the brain. One of the most immediate and noticeable effects is dizziness, right?
Here’s another video explaining the effects of alcohol on the brain. This is something we should be taking note. After all, it is our own body that’s affected when we drink alcohol.
Therefore, learn to say “No” when someone invites you to drink. It’s them who will eventually suffer the consequences, but you.
Confession After Quitting Alcohol
There are already many men and women who successfully overcome alcohol drinking. Alcohol addiction is real. Probably, this is the reason many are struggling to quit drinking alcohol as much as quitting smoking.
Fortunately, one study might be able to shed light and able to help heavy drinkers quit.
Final Thoughts – Alcohol Drinkers, Are You Quitting Now?
For most alcohol drinkers who read this article and watch the videos, this may sound terrifying. Unfortunately, only few will take action and persist in quitting drinking alcohol.
The decision is yours. No one will be blamed but you if you don’t quit drinking and you’ll suffer the consequences later. It might be difficult to quit cold turkey, but gradually reducing the amount of alcohol consumption on a daily or weekly basis is possible.
Do whatever you can to lessen the amount of alcohol you drink. It’s worth it. I totally quit alcohol and now I’m alcohol-free for 13 years. So, I know it’s possible to quit drinking alcohol.
Drinking a shot or two of red wine weekly may not be bad at all. But drinking hard liquor like tomorrow can surely put your health at risk.