Risks and Benefits of Alcohol

1. Risks and Benefits of Alcohol Does drinking benefit your health? Are you an alcoholic? Should you start drinking or stop drinking? Spotting a person with an alcoholic beverage is as likely as that of someone with water or coffee. This makes one wonder why the boss is so grumpy if they’ve had a drink or if they should be offered one with their breakfast! Alcoholic beverages certainly have a different effect on one’s body compared to any other beverage but how? This is what most people forget to qualify as a reason for drinking. If alcohol is good for your health as a question, has no definite right or wrong answers. While some studies will give you cause to debate and encourage drinking, plenty others will you why its a downward roll from the start. However, neither of these studies combined will encourage binge drinking. Let’s first figure out if you’re an alcoholic, binge drinker or casual. How much drinking is excessive drinking? All alcohol is made of ethanol however the quantity of pure ethanol differs per each alcoholic beverage. Keeping this in mind, in the U.S. one standard drink comprises of approximately 10 to 15 gms of alcohol. This standard not only changes with relevance to different countries but also as per your gender and age. It ranges from 8 grams (in U.K.) to 19.75 grams (in Japan). Low-risk, healthy or ‘moderate’ drinking ranges from approximately 1 to 3 glasses per

2. day or on an average of a week. Since the concentration of ethanol is different for each beverage, the number of glasses per day changes accordingly. For instance: One ‘standard drink’ of wine is 5 fl oz. since it contains 12 percent of ethanol. However, one ‘standard drink’ of beer is 12 fl oz. as it has 5 percent ethanol. Now, Moderate drinking is 3 to 9 glasses of alcohol per week Binge drinking is 4 or more glasses for women and 5 or more glasses for men in a span of 2 hours. Heavy or Excessive drinking is 8 or more drinks per week for women and more than 15 for men.    Even on occasion, exceeding these amounts may do more harm than benefits to your health. However, in moderation, drinking can be good for your health. Benefits of Drinking For heart health: Multiple studies have shown alcohol to help prevent the occurrence of heart diseases in moderate to light drinkers. It’s a whooping difference of 30 to 50 percent as compared in heavy or non drinkers. It also shows that even if these people have an attack, their possibility of dying from it is much less than those of others (including older people). Therefore, it lowers the risk of heart failure.

3. Alcohol also facilitates the growth of HDL levels (also known as ‘good cholesterol’ as it removes cholesterol) which relaxes the arteries, thus preventing atherosclerosis. It also reduces clot formation by decreasing the adhesiveness of platelets in the bloodstream. Taken in small doses, alcohol can therefore protect your heart. For physical health: Some alcoholic beverages (beer, for instance) can be used as a post workout substitute for energy drinks. This is because it provides much better hydration with lesser sugars than these drinks. Antioxidants found in wine (technically: the grapes in it) also helps slim the waistline. Alcohol also helps relieving muscle soreness and promotes better muscle recovery. It also supplements endurance training (see: Resveratrol in red wine) For brain functions: According to a study by Texas A&M university, alcohol (specifically red wine) can help better cognitive functions. The compound, Resveratrol, which is popular for its use in prevention of heart diseases, also showed significant effect on the hippocampus region of the brain that deals with memory, learning, and mood. Moderate drinking also reduces the risk of the memory decline associated with old age, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. This is because of compound called xanthohumol (found in beers) that protects brain cells from damage. Alcohol is also known to complement libido and sexual function in both males and females.

4. So does that mean one should start drinking to reap these benefits? Not necessarily. There are many healthy alternatives to alcohol. One bad decision can switch the properties of alcohol from tonic to poison. It is also not recommended to consume alcohol everyday. Risks of Drinking Liver diseases: Alcohol is often linked to the cancers of the liver and digestive tract even for moderate drinkers. This is because of increased fats in the liver of people who consume even half an ounce of alcohol per day. Fatty liver may result into cirrhosis. For heavy drinkers, it mostly results into liver scarring (cirrhosis) which increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Cirrhosis is irreversible and if advanced, may call for a liver transplant. Brain and other mental ailments: Alcohol has the direct effect on brain almost immediately- what we called being drunk. This is a zone of slurred speeches, lowered inhibitions, impaired communication or understanding, temporary amnesia (in cases of blackouts). While these might be temporary effects, a repetition of alcohol abuse may cause permanent impairments to brain functions as the brain is sensitive to damage. It may also be the cause of early onset of dementia.

5. Dependence on alcohol for relief from anxiety or depression may result into alcohol abuse. Most people will develop resistance to moderate amounts of alcohol and in an attempt to achieve the same effect might end up drinking more. These temporary effects, after gone, will put the person right in the same state but now with added issues such as headaches (hangover), for instance. The risk of death from alcohol abuse is higher than any other intoxicant. Since it is easily available and abused for personal reasons to peer pressure, alcohol has been the major cause of criminal offences such as rape, killings, accidents, violence, domestic abuse, etc. Alcohol abuse is reported to be the third main cause of preventable death in the U.S. It is also closely related to Cancer, Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, and also birth defects. It can easily reverse all its benefits into risks. The takeaway? Moderation. Alcohol may actually help you live longer or take years off your life depending on how much you consume. This not only depends on how much but how many times and what kind of alcohol do you consume. Keep in mind that alcohol may easily turn into an addiction. Ask yourself the reasons for drinking and also keep a check on the amounts, days, moods you prefer to drink. Check for signs of heavy drinking. If you’re a non drinker, do not feel pressurised into it. There are healthier alternatives. If you’re a moderate drinker, keep it in check. You must’ve reaped some of its benefits. Make sure they don’t turn into issues. Let’s drink responsibly.