Alcohol Side Effects | The Effects Of Alcohol Use

In the United States, about 85% of adults will drink alcohol at some point in their lives. Some drink in moderation, while others engage in excessive alcohol use (also called alcohol abuse).

No matter how much you drink, it’s important to understand how alcohol affects your body.

Drinking Levels & The Effects Of Alcohol Use

Alcohol can have many different effects. The specific effects you’ll experience depend on personal factors, including:

• your age (older people tend to experience stronger effects than younger people)
• your sex (women tend to experience stronger effects than men)
• your drinking level

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), there are three main drinking levels:

• moderate drinking, which occurs when a woman has 1 drink or less per day and a man has 2 drinks or less per day
• binge drinking, which occurs when a woman has 4 or more drinks in about 2 hours and a man has 5 or more drinks in about 2 hours
• heavy drinking, which occurs when a woman has more than 3 drinks in one day and a man has more than 4 drinks in one day

The NIAAA defines a standard drink as a beverage that contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. This amount of alcohol is found in 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of liquor.

In general, binge drinking and heavy drinking pose more serious health risks than moderate drinking. However, all three drinking levels can have short-term and long-term effects on your health.

Short-Term Effects Of Alcohol Use

As a central nervous system depressant, alcohol slows down your brain activity. This effect lowers your inhibitions, which can make you feel relaxed and confident. However, it also makes you more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as driving while drunk or having unprotected sex.

Other short-term effects of alcohol include:

• increased heart rate
• high blood pressure
• slurred speech
• blurry vision
• trouble thinking clearly
• trouble walking
• slowed reaction times
• poor memory

Accidents & Injuries

Because alcohol impairs both your physical and mental functioning, it increases your risk of various types of injuries, such as drownings, falls, and burns. It also makes you more likely to commit or be a victim of violence.

Alcohol Poisoning

In addition, alcohol can cause a life-threatening overdose, especially if you binge drink.

Alcohol overdose (also called alcohol poisoning) occurs when you drink so much alcohol that your breathing, heart rate, and other body functions start to shut down. Common signs of alcohol overdose include:

• stomach pain
• vomiting
• confusion
• slow or irregular breathing
• loss of consciousness

Learn more about Alcohol Poisoning

Long-Term Effects Of Alcohol Use

When you drink alcohol on a regular basis, you increase your risk of various health problems, including:

Ulcers

Ulcers are painful sores that appear in the stomach, esophagus, or small intestine. Some studies suggest that excessive alcohol use raises the risk of ulcers. Also, if you already have an ulcer, alcohol can make it worse.

Liver Disease

Alcohol takes a serious toll on your liver. The most common liver diseases associated with alcohol use include:

• alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
• cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
• steatosis (a buildup of fat in the liver)

Heart Problems

Drinking alcohol can damage your heart and cause issues such as:

• arrhythmia (a heart disease that causes irregular heartbeat)
• cardiomyopathy (a heart disease that enlarges your heart muscle and prevents your heart from properly pumping blood)
• stroke

Cancer

Alcohol has been linked to the following types of cancer:

• breast cancer
• liver cancer
• colon cancer
• rectum cancer
• head and neck cancer

Pancreatitis 

Pancreatitis is a painful and life-threatening condition that occurs when your pancreas becomes inflamed. Alcohol use (especially heavy drinking) is one of the main risk factors for the disease.

Weakened Immune System

Over time, drinking alcohol can weaken your immune system and leave your body more vulnerable to infections, including mild infections (such as colds) and serious infections (such as pneumonia).

Poor Birth Outcomes

Pregnant women who drink alcohol face an increased risk of negative birth outcomes, including:

• miscarriage
• stillbirth
• fetal alcohol syndrome (a condition that causes physical and mental defects in developing fetuses)

Mental Health Issues

Since alcohol affects your brain activity, it can contribute to mental health concerns such as:

• depression
• anxiety
• learning problems
• memory problems, including dementia

Alcohol Use Disorder 

Alcohol use disorder (also called alcohol addiction) is a serious disease that makes you feel unable to control your alcohol use. Common signs of the disease include:

• intense cravings for alcohol
• tolerance (needing increasingly larger or more frequent drinks to feel the desired effects)
• physical dependence (experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety and nausea, when you don’t drink alcohol)
• loss of motivation at work or school
• loss of interest in activities once enjoyed

If you or a loved one experiences these symptoms, seek help at an alcohol abuse treatment program. When left untreated, alcohol use disorder can lead to a variety of issues, including job loss, damaged relationships, and the health issues described above.

To learn about treatment options for alcohol use disorder, please contact Northeast Addictions Treatment Center. Our board-certified physicians provide personalized, comprehensive services to help you stay alcohol-free.

What Is Alcoholic Nose?

Alcoholic nose, known clinically as rhinophyma, is a severe form of the non-contagious skin disorder rosacea. This condition occurs most in fair-skinned men of European heritage between the ages of fifty and seventy and causes an abnormally waxy, swollen, red or purple nose.

Despite its name, alcoholic nose is not caused by alcohol consumption. However, chronic alcohol addiction may contribute to rhinophyma’s severity in certain cases.

Learn more about Alcoholic Nose/Rhinophyma

Does Alcohol Cause Weight Gain?

Alcohol can cause weight gain especially if it’s consumed in large amounts. Alcohol is often high in calories, has very little nutritional value, and can negatively affect different parts of the body. All those factors can lead to weight gain.

Learn more about Alcohol & Weight Gain

Does Drinking Alcohol Affect Weight Loss?

Yes. Drinking alcohol can prevent you from hitting your weight loss goals and may even make you gain weight. Alcohol use often leads to unhealthy food choices, poor sleep, and less exercise. Drinking heavily can interfere with proper digestion and liver function.

Learn more about Alcohol & Weight Loss

Can Drinking Alcohol Cause Pancreatitis?

Yes. Drinking alcohol increases your risk of both acute pancreatitis (sudden, short episodes of pancreatitis) and chronic pancreatitis (long-term pancreatitis). That’s because the byproducts of alcohol can damage cells in the pancreas and prevent the organ from functioning properly.

Learn more about Alcohol-Induced Pancreatitis