Medical Update September 2023

18 —Medical Guide, September 2023 T he subject of alcohol and its e ff ects on overall health is complex. Alcohol fi gures prominently at many social functions and even in situations where individuals are operating in a professional capacity, such as at business dinners or conferences. As a result, many adults fi nd it hard to avoid alcohol, even if they have concerns regarding its potential e ff ects on their short- and long- termhealth. The issue of alcohol and overall health has garnered additional attention in recent years thanks in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital utilized datafromanationalsurveyofadultsinthe United States and found that excessive drinking increased by 21 percent during the pandemic. Those researchers, whose fi ndings were published in the journal Hepatology, estimated that a one-year increase in alcohol consumption during the pandemic will result in 8,000 additional deaths from alcohol-related liver disease. Such research highlights the link between alcohol consumption and overall health. Individuals interested in learning more about recent research into that link can consider the following information. • According to the Dietary Guidelines forAmerica,whichare jointly developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health & Human Services, emerging evidence indicates that even drinking within the recommended limits for alcohol consumptions can increase the overall riskof death fromvarious causes. Such causes include various types of cancer and cardiovascular disease. • The notion that moderate consumption of alcohol can have protective health bene fi ts is increasingly being questioned. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that various studies have suggested it’s impossible to determine if improved health outcomes among moderate drinkers are due to moderate alcohol consumption or other di ff erences in behaviors or genetics between people who drink moderately and people who don’t. • A 2022 study of binge drinking published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that binge drinking increases the risk of experiencing alcohol-related harm in the short-term and in the future. The CDC de fi nes binge drinking as consuming fi ve or more drinks on an occasion for men or four or more drinks on an occasion for women. The link between alcohol and overall health is signi fi cant. Individuals concerned about their alcohol consumption are urged to speak with their physicians. Individuals in need of immediate help in the U.S. can contact the Substance Abuse andMental Health Services Administration helpline 24/7/365 at 1.800.662.HELP (4357). In Canada, individuals can contact Wellness Together Canada 24/7/365 at 1.866.585.0445. The latest updates on alcohol and overall health H aving a drink when enjoying a good meal or attending a party is a part of socializing with friends for billions of people across the globe. Many of those people safely consume alcohol without ever experiencing negative side e ff ects. However, anyone who consumes alcohol or intends to can bene fi t from learning about the potential e ff ects of alcohol on theirminds and bodies. Public health agencies like the United States Department of Agriculture, via its ‘Dietary Guidelines for America 2020- 2025,’ note that adults who choose to drink should limit that drinking to moderate alcohol consumption, which equates to two drinks or less in a single day for men and one drink or less in a single day for women. But consuming alcohol can a ff ect the mind and body in various ways. Brain The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that alcohol interferes with the communication pathwaysinthebrain.Thoseinterferences can alter a person’s mood and change his or her behavior, potentially making it harder to think clearly or move with coordination. The American Addiction Centers notes that short-term e ff ects of alcohol consumption on the mind may include a loss of critical judgment, potentially a ff ecting a personÕs ability to make sound decisions. Heart Solongasnothinggoeswrong,it’seasy to write o ff a night of excessive drinking as essentially harmless. However, the NIAAA notes that drinking too much on a single night can contribute to signi fi cant heart problems like cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, stroke, and high blood pressure. Those problems also are associated with drinking a lot over a long period of time. Pancreas The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that pancreatitis is an in fl ammation of the pancreas that occurs when digestive enzymes begin digesting the pancreas itself. Chronic pancreatitis does not heal or improve and worsens over time. Heavy alcohol use is the most common cause of pancreatitis, as the NIAAA notes that alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that ultimately lead to the disease. Liver Many people who consume alcohol are aware of its potential to harm their liver. Such damage is most often associated with heavy drinking, which can contribute todiseases and conditions including fi brosis, cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and steatosis, or fatty liver disease. Cancers The NIAAA notes that there is consensus within the scienti fi c community in regard to an association between consuming alcohol and various types of cancer. For example, alcohol consumption is considered a major risk factor for certain head and neck cancers and is associated with a modestly increased risk of cancers of the colon and rectum. It’s possible to consume alcohol responsibly. However, adults who choose to do so should fi rst recognize the potential e ff ects that alcohol can have on their minds and bodies. Effects of alcohol on the mind and body