Is alcohol good for you? Harvard, MIT scientists slam door on studies showing ‘health benefits’ of drinking

09 sep Is alcohol good for you? Harvard, MIT scientists slam door on studies showing ‘health benefits’ of drinking

Drinking too much in a short period of time can make someone drunk and more likely to get injured – whether by falling down, crashing a car or getting into a fight. Alcohol poisoning, also known as alcohol overdose, is one instance of how excessive drinking can be deadly. Scientists https://ecosoberhouse.com/ have been trying to figure out whether alcoholic beverages can be good for your health for a long time, often reaching contradictory conclusions. This article discusses the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol and how to change your drinking habits.

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. Long-term alcohol drinking may also lead to alcohol use disorder, which involves difficulty stopping or regulating alcohol consumption despite negative social and health consequences. A 2017 meta-analysis found an association between moderate alcohol consumption — 12.5 grams or less per day — and a reduced risk of dementia. Moderate alcohol consumption may reduce symptoms of type 2 diabetes by enhancing the uptake of blood sugar by your cells.

What are signs of alcohol misuse or alcohol use disorder?

Alcohol is unique in that it gets absorbed right through the stomach, which can hit people faster, Hultin says. “I really recommend that people drink alcohol while eating food, because it’s going to slow the absorption of alcohol and how fast it gets into your bloodstream,” she notes. Still, if people choose to drink alcohol in moderation, there are some preferred go-to options, experts say. That’s right, wealth tends to lower your risk for chronic disease, obesity and high blood pressure. Wealthier people are less likely to smoke, and they tend to live longer. «Still, you should probably weigh your alcohol intake with your overall heart health,» says Dr. Aragam.

Heavy drinking and beer are linked to increased weight gain, while light to moderate drinking and wine are linked to reduced weight gain. For example, light to moderate drinking is linked to reduced weight gain, whereas heavy drinking is linked to increased weight gain (32, 33, 34). 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. If you’re in good shape, moderate drinking makes you 25% to 40% less likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or hardened arteries. This may be in part because small amounts of alcohol can raise your HDL («good» cholesterol) levels.

Non-Alcoholic Drink Options

Pilsners and lagers also tend to be lower in alcohol and are less calorically dense, Hultin says. “They go into your body like any other calories and get processed as such,” Hultin, author of “Meal Prep for Weight Loss 101,” tells TODAY.com. “If you’re going to drink, there are better choices than others,” adds Ginger Hultin, a Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist who once worked as a bartender. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. The answer varied by geographic region and age group, since different health problems are more prevalent in different regions and age groups. The problem with most alcohol-related research is that it consists almost entirely of observational studies that show associations, not cause and effect.

A damaged pancreas can also prevent your body from producing enough insulin to use sugar. Some of these effects, like a relaxed mood or lowered inhibitions, might show up quickly after just one drink. Others, like loss of consciousness or slurred speech, may develop after https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/is-alcohol-good-for-you-benefits-and-risks/ a few drinks. Alcohol can cause both short-term effects, such as lowered inhibitions, and long-term effects, including a weakened immune system. During it, small sugar molecules are chemically broken down by bacteria or fungi until a new molecular compound is formed.

Deciding about drinking

You can even add a splash of orange juice for a refreshing mimosa, Fernstrom says. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), one “standard” drink in the United States contains approximately 14 grams of pure alcohol. When consumed, alcohol is absorbed by the stomach and small intestine and enters the bloodstream.

Alcohol consumption can have an impact not only on the incidence of diseases, injuries and other health conditions, but also on their outcomes and how these evolve over time. Regular drinking can also affect overall mental health and well-being, in part because alcohol may worsen symptoms of certain mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. While sugar alcohol may be a better option for people living with diabetes, remember that the ingredient is still a carbohydrate. While it doesn’t require much insulin to be metabolized, it may still impact your blood sugar levels.

The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. Alcohol can also affect other parts of the body in both the short and the long term. More research is necessary to explore any further associations across bigger samples and longer time periods. Alcohol is a popular substance enjoyed by millions all over the world.

In addition, alcohol misuse or alcohol use disorder can strain relationships with family members, friends, and others. At the extreme, heavy drinking can contribute to domestic violence and child abuse or neglect. Alcohol use is often involved when people become violent, as well as when they are violently attacked. If you feel that alcohol is endangering you or someone else, call 911 or obtain similar help right away. In older adults, especially, too much alcohol can lead to balance problems and falls, which can result in hip or arm fractures and other injuries.

If cancer is your concern, especially breast cancer, abstinence may be your best bet. All of the above drinks contain about the same amount of alcohol, despite their different sizes. Depending on the recipe, a mixed drink may contain one, two, or more standard drinks, as shown in a cocktail content calculator from the National Institutes of Health (see /cocktail). There are both short- and long-term effects of alcohol on the body. As of 2021,  29.5 million people aged 12 and older had an alcohol use disorder in the past year. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic brain disorder that makes it difficult to control alcohol use, even when it’s causing problems.