Health effects of alcohol
[3][4] Several studies and meta-analyses have shown a reduction in overall mortality among light to moderate alcohol drinkers compared to lifetime abstainers.
[7] Even light to moderate alcohol consumption can have negative effects on health,[8][9][10] such as by increasing a person's risk of developing several cancers.
[11][12] A 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) report found that harmful alcohol consumption caused about 3.3 million deaths annually worldwide.
Research suggests that dietary intake of folate, in amounts commonly found in daily multivitamins, may help protect women from the increased risk of breast cancer associated with light alcohol consumption.
[16] Additionally, two large U.S.-based studies on health professionals found no increased cancer risk from light to moderate alcohol consumption in men who do not smoke.
[19][20][21][22] Multiple prospective studies suggest a protective effect of light to moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular health for both men and women.
[27][28][29] A 2022 statement from The Lancet, based on its 2020 Global Burden of Disease Study, said that the health risks associated with alcohol consumption vary by age and region, and that for those over age 40, "consuming a small amount of alcohol ... can provide some health benefits, such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and diabetes.
After binge drinking, unconsciousness can occur and extreme levels of consumption can lead to alcohol poisoning and death (a concentration in the blood stream of 0.40% will kill half of those affected[32][medical citation needed]).
[48] A systematic analysis found in 2022 that the level of alcohol consumption recommended by many existing guidelines is too high in particular for young people in all regions.
[58][59] Those affected are more likely to have trouble in school, legal problems, participate in high-risk behaviors, and develop substance use disorders like excessive drinking themselves.
[61][non-primary source needed] The American Heart Association states that people who are currently non-drinkers should not start drinking alcohol.
[67] Researchers have shown that intoxicated breastfeeding reduces the average milk expression but poses no immediate threat to the child as the amount of transferred alcohol is insignificant.
Intoxication does have real physiological effects, such as altering a drinker's perception of space and time, reducing psychomotor skills, and disrupting equilibrium.
[74] Common positive alcohol outcome expectancies include tension reduction, heightened sociability, increased courage, and enhanced sexual experiences, whereas common negative alcohol outcome expectancies include cognitive and behavioral impairment, risk and aggression, as well as worsened self-perception.
[80] Most addiction treatment programs encourage people with drinking problems to see themselves as having a chronic, relapsing disease that requires a lifetime of attendance at 12-step meetings to keep in check.
[84] In 2018, the WHO launched the "SAFER" initiative (an acronym defined from the list of planned actions give below), to decrease the number of deaths, diseases and injuries caused by alcohol misuse.
[85] The list of interventions were selected for prioritization based on cost effectiveness:[82][failed verification] Binge drinking has been a significant issue in the United Kingdom.
This was changed because a government study showed that many people were in effect "saving up" their units and using them at the end of the week, a phenomenon referred to as binge drinking.
The potential of injuring oneself or others can be increased after consuming alcohol due to the certain short term effects related to the substance such as lack of coordination, blurred vision, and slower reflexes to name a few.
[96] Another study showed that 21% of patients admitted to the Emergency Department of the Bristol Royal Infirmary had either direct or indirect alcohol related injuries.
If these figures are extrapolated it shows that the estimated number of patients with alcohol related injuries are over 7,000 during the year at this emergency department alone.
[102] The rs671 form of ALDH2, which accounts for most incidents of alcohol flush reaction worldwide, is native to East Asia and most common in southeastern China.
[104] The reasons for this positive selection are unknown, but the hypothesis that elevated concentrations of acetaldehyde may have conferred protection against certain parasitic infections, such as Entamoeba histolytica have been suggested.
[105] The same SNP allele of ALDH2, also termed glu487lys, and the abnormal accumulation of acetaldehyde following the drinking of alcohol, is associated with the alcohol-induced respiratory reactions of rhinitis and asthma that occur in Eastern Asian populations.
[126] In the United States, social economic status affects, one's ability to access basic necessities to support one's health, life, and survival.
They are faced with poverty, low income, unemployment, and lack of access to healthier food options, which then contributes to poor health and higher AUD risk.
The researchers, Kathryn Graham and a PhD Student, Agnes Massak, analyzed the responses to a survey by 14,063 Canadian residents aged 18–76 years.
The researchers used data from the GENACIS Canada survey, part of an international collaboration to investigate the influence of cultural variation on gender differences in alcohol use and related problems.
The lead researcher argued that the study "suggests that the use of antidepressants is associated with lower alcohol consumption among men with depression.
The temporarily impaired judgment can lead to permanent consequences such as serious and crippling injury to oneself or others, unplanned pregnancy, or alcoholism later in life.
