Alcohol use

Alcohol use is a common occurance.   Although consuming alcohol in moderation may not generally be an issue, alcohol affects different people in different ways. There are individuals who should not consume alcohol including:

• individuals under 21 years old
• women who are pregnant
• individuals who will be driving
• individuals taking medications as there are many medications that interact with alcohol
• individuals who have cetain medical conditions as alchol can aggrevate their condition
• individuals in recovery of Alcohol Use Disorder (CDC, 2024)

Factors that determine how alcohol will affect someone include:

• how much someone drinks
• how often someone drinks
• age
• health status
• family history 
• sex
• weight
• medications
• eating while consuming alcohol (Stanford, n.d.)(NIH, Overview, n.d.).

Factors may determine the rate in which alcohol is absorbed, however, consuming too much alcohol will indeed have consequences.  As the amount of alcohol increases in someone's blood, their blood alcohol concentration level (BAC), the more impaired someone becomes, the more consequences they experience. 

Consequences of having a high BAC include:

• reduced inhibitions
• slurred speech 
• motor impairments 
• confusion
• memory problems
• concentration problems
• coma
• breathing problems 
• death (NIH, Overview, n.d.).  

Excessive drinking can be broken down into Binge drinking or Heavy drinking.  Binge drinking is defined by the CDC as four or more alcoholic drinks in a single occasion for women and five or more alcoholic drinks in a single occasion for men.  Heavy drinking is defined by the CDC as eight or more alcoholic drinks per week for women and 15 or more alcoholic drinks per week for men (CDC, 2024).

Alcohol related consequences can lead to greater consequences.  Because of these consequences, car accidents, risky or violent behavior, or suicide or homicide are all risks of drinking alcohol (NIH, Overview, n.d.).  When drinking alcohol in excess over a long period of time, other effects can occur such as:

• alcohol use disorder
• interference in brain pathways
• stroke
• cardiomyopathy
• hepatitis 
• cirrhosis
• pancreatitis 
• increased risk of certain cancers (Mouth, stomach, esophagus, throat, liver) (NIH, Effects, n.d.). 

Additionally, alcohol use can have effects during pregnancy.  It can increase the risk of miscarrage, stillbirth or caue Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (CDC, 2024) Long term alcohol use can also lead to Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome which is a brain disorder caused by Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency.  Long term alcohol use can lead to Vitamin B1 deficiency (NIH, Effects, n.d.).



References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024)  Alcohol Use and Your Health.  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm#:~:text=Long%2DTerm%20Health%20Risks,liver%20disease%2C%20and%20digestive%20problems.&text=Cancer%20of%20the%20breast%2C%20mouth,liver%2C%20colon%2C%20and%20rectum.

National Institutes of Health. (n.d.)  Alcohol Effects on the Body.  National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.  Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body

National Institutes of Health. (n.d.)  Overview of Alcohol Consumption.  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.  Retrieved from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption

Stanford University. (n.d.) Factors That Affect How Alcohol is Absorbed.  Stanford University.  Retrieved from https://alcohol.stanford.edu/alcohol-drug-info/buzz-buzz/factors-affect-how-alcohol-absorbed

UPDATED 4/23/24