Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center

Two Faces of Alcohol Consumption

IN MEN'S HEALTH

You've probably heard about benefits and risks of consuming alcohol, and you may be uncertain about whether to enjoy that icy mug of beer or not. With so much compelling information on both sides, it may seem like the only thing left to do is flip a coin. Experts suggest that there are a number of more precise deciding factors, and once you weigh them, you can decide how much and how often to consume. Heads: The Upside of Alcohol Consumption It's possible that moderate consumption of alcohol can yield positive effects on your heart, especially if you're over the age of 45, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (www.niaaa.nih.gov). In contrast, heavy consumption of alcohol over a long period of time can have just the opposite effect. Few, if any, physicians would suggest you start drinking if you're a non-drinker, but according to the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.com), studies have linked light to moderate consumption of alcohol with decreased risk for:
  • Alzheimer's disease
  • coronary artery disease
  • development of blocked arteries in legs
  • heart attack
  • ischemic stroke
  • senility
Tails: The Downside of Alcohol Consumption Consumption of alcohol has been observed to yield negative effects on health and relationships. Studies indicate that light drinking can
  • contribute to heartburn
  • interfere with your sexual functioning
  • interfere with your sleep
  • produce headaches
  • raise your blood pressure
  • slow brain activity
In addition, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (www.niaaa.nih.gov), the more heavily you drink, the more likely you are to experience
  • arguments with your family
  • loss of work due to decreased productivity
  • strained relationships with coworkers
  • tardiness to work, or absence from work
  • violence
If drinking escalates to heavy or binge drinking, your risk will increase for a host of serious conditions such as accidents, cancer, harmful drug interactions, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease, obesity, and osteoporosis.

A Little about Your Liver
While alcohol-related problems such as auto accidents, adverse reactions to medications, and legal problems can occur quickly, other health and social problems may take years to develop. Alcohol affects nearly every organ in your body, and long-term heavy use of alcohol increases your risk for liver disease, which includes
  • alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
  • alcoholic cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
In addition, if you consume much alcohol and are infected with hepatitis C virus, you are more susceptible to alcohol-related liver damage.
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