The great Homer Simpson once said, “To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.”
Warning: Do not read if you are not yet open to considering the unhealthy and potentially dangerous effects of alcohol, and are just going to get angry with me for pointing out potential reasons why we should consider reducing our consumption.
Oh you’re still here? Great.
So let’s get real. Alcohol can be tons of fun, and I’ve certainly had my fun with it over the years, even after my healthy lifestyle adoption. For a long time I saw it as my “one vice” which made for a great excuse to continue drinking. But what I began to notice as I passed age 35 and have now made my way into the early 40’s season of life, is that it’s really not that much fun anymore. It now feels like alcohol takes way more than it gives, especially when I’ve had more than one drink, which these days is an extremely rare choice for me. This has made me spend a lot more time thinking about my relationship with alcohol, and looking into what exactly it does to our bodies.
From my research it has become clear to me that we are not hearing nearly enough about this topic, and that this is a conversation we all really need to be having, both with ourselves and others.
It’s no secret that during the COVID lockdown, the statistics on alcoholism and binge drinking saw a massive increase that doesn’t really seem to have slowed back down even though we’ve been out of the lockdowns for well over two years. This means a lot of us are becoming more and more susceptible to the long-term effects of drinking. Knowing that, let’s get serious and take an honest look at what alcohol does to negatively impact our health vs. the positive side of what it brings into our lives.
Below is a list of all the negative effects of regularly drinking alcohol (note that these effects are not just taking place while drinking, but after the fact as well). I have compiled all of this information over several years from a variety of studies, reports, articles, websites, podcasts, and books—all of which I deem highly reputable sources. I recommend googling any of these points to find reputable sources of your own.
Negative effects of Alcohol –
– Is carcinogenic and toxic to the human body (all types and all amounts)
– Damages and kills healthy cells in the body
– Can damage numerous organs, especially the liver
– Increases the risk of numerous types of cancer, including colon, liver, and breast
– Can increase estrogen contributing to a variety of hormonal issues, including the development of breast cancer
– Weakens the immune system leading to illness and disease susceptibility
– Can increase blood pressure which increases the risk of heart disease or stroke
– Kills good bacteria in the gut causing gut damage contributing to development of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and numerous other issues
– Can trigger Autoimmune disease onset and flares
– Increases acidity in the body which promotes disease susceptibility
– Inhibits the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and nutrients leading to deficiencies
– Can provoke and worsen mental health issues, including depression and anxiety
– Hinders sleep by causing insomnia, and/or suppressing REM cycle, which leads to poor sleep quality
– Can lead to addiction impacting all facets of life and health
– Can cause chronic lethargy, tiredness, and loss of motivation
– Reduces attention, productivity, and reliability
– Can cause memory loss, slower cognition, and slower reaction time
– Can contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
– Can cause dehydration leading to fatigue, dizziness, headache, rapid heartbeat, etc.
– Reduces likelihood of making healthy choices and increases likelihood of making unhealthy choices (i.e. exercise, diet, and sleep habits)
– Causes facial changes such as red face, red and puffy eyes, and rapid aging
– Provides no nutritional benefits
– Contributes to unhealthy weight gain
And of course we all know the potential consequences of drinking way too much at one time (i.e. puking our guts out, hangovers, doing or saying really embarrassing and stupid stuff, causing accidents, potentially hurting/killing ourselves or others, getting arrested, drunk-dialing our exes, and many other bad choices with lasting effects). Yikes.
And now for the positive effects (note that these are all short-term benefits except for the resveratrol one).
Positive effects of Alcohol –
– Can be relaxing and provide temporary stress reduction
– Can help to put you at ease in social circumstances and increase “fun factor”
– Provides emphasis for special occasions (i.e. champagne toasts)
– Pairs well with certain foods for an enjoyable meal experience
– Resveratrol in red wine potentially may provide a small amount of heart health benefits (though the science on this is still inconclusive)
So, there you have it, the cons and pros of alcohol, with the cons list proving to be significantly longer – *cue music* – “the more you knowwwww”.
As with all lifestyle choices, it’s up to you to make your own informed decision about whether or not you will drink alcohol, and if you do drink it, how much of it you will drink. A simple question for us to constantly be asking ourselves regarding alcohol intake (as well as other indulgences) is, is it really worth it?
For me personally, after having progressively reduced the amount I drink overall for the last 5+ years, my plan for this year is to have a drink once or twice a month, tops. I aim to mostly make this happen on occasions when I’m celebrating something with friends, or pairing it with a really nice dinner out, so that they are meaningful moments/special occasions that will likely feel worth it. Drinking more often than that is simply not worth it to me anymore. When I consider the reality of the rather alarming negative effects list, in addition to knowing without a doubt that I feel better, look better, and am clearly healthier sans alcohol, it’s not really that hard of a decision. Remaining healed, healthy, and free of disease is just too important to me.
One thing is for sure, if and when you do indulge, it is imperative that you make extra health-promoting food and lifestyle choices so that your body can work to defend itself against alcohol’s negative effects as much as possible! Also, note that red wine appears to be less harmful than white, and something like a plain vodka/club soda will be less damaging than a sugary, artificial ingredient-filled cocktail.
For additional info that is science-based, this incredible resource has a far more technical and detailed explanation of what alcohol does to us. It’s quite long but the entire episode is very much worth giving your time to.
And ladies, I highly recommend you check out this awesome resource on alcohol and breast cancer from the doctor who treated Sheryl Crow.
Thanks for reading and feel free to let me know if I missed any other pros or cons. I’m especially curious to hear if you’ve given up alcohol, and if so, how that decision may have changed your life for the better.
And now, I raise my glass of filtered water with lemon to you – cheers, to our health!
Over the years (even during Covid) I have significantly reduced my alcohol consumption and I can say that the benefits are amazing, from healing to sleep to mood to energy to focus…(the list goes on). I’ll go months without a drink and when I find a “reason” to have one (celebration, funeral, pair with a meal…) I always say to myself afterwards “I didn’t need that”. For me everything on the drinking “pros” list can be achieved in a healthier way. Now I look at abstaining from alcohol as a long term gift to myself.
Once I started reading more about the science, and focused less on depriving myself, this became an easy decision for me. Frankly I resent the articles that told me a glass of wine is good for me. This is simply false. If your feel you need Resveratrol, eat red grapes, blueberries, cranberries or take a supplement.
Thank you for this post crazy health lady!
Thanks for the excellent comment, Tomas! I especially love the sentence, “Now I look at abstaining from alcohol as a long term gift to myself.”