Neither smoking nor excessive beer drinking are healthy for anyone, but older males in particular are susceptible to some of the detrimental health effects of these two practices. This is because males in general, and older males in particular, are more prone to cardiovascular---meaning heart- and vessel-related---disease than either women or younger individuals. While the negative health ramifications of both smoking and beer drinking abound, many of the effects most relevant to older men are related to heart health.
Abdominal Fat
The term "beer gut," which refers to the pot belly typical of---particularly male---habitual beer drinkers, is no misnomer. In fact, beer is quite rich in calories, and is converted very effectively to fat by the body, note biochemists Mary Campbell, Ph.D., and Shawn Farrell, Ph.D. Unfortunately, while beer is an effective way for both men and women to put on fat quickly, men---particularly older men---are more likely to add that fat to the gut, while women are more likely to add fat to the legs and buttocks. Gut fat is strongly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, because it is more easily mobilized and can lead to blocked arteries, heart attacks and strokes.
Atherosclerosis
An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports a causal link between cigarette smoking and atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. While atherosclerosis is not a desirable symptom in either gender at any age, it is of particular concern in older men because it is such an important risk factor for heart attack and stroke. As the arteries harden, they are more easily torn when high-pressure blood is pumped through them from the heart to the body organs. Arterial tearing results in bleeding and the formation of blood clots, which can then break off and block blood vessels in the heart, leading to heart attack, or the brain, leading to stroke.
Lower HDL
There are two kinds of cholesterol, one of which---called LDL---is detrimental to health and should be kept as low as possible. The other kind of cholesterol, called HDL, is associated with good cardiovascular health. This is because while LDL moves cholesterol from the liver to the body cells and can lead to its accumulation in the arteries, producing clots and atherosclerosis, HDL helps clear the arteries and eliminate cholesterol from the blood. Unfortunately, smoking lowers HDL, note Campbell and Farrell. Since older men are particularly susceptible to low HDL anyway, largely due to their reduced activity as compared with more younger individuals, this decreased HDL effect from cigarette smoking can severely affect cardiovascular health.
Cancer Risk
Greater-than-moderate beer consumption is associated with an increased risk of cancer, warns an article published in the scholarly journal Critical Reviews in Oncology. While no one wants to increase their risk of getting cancer, older males in particular are at increased risk of certain cancers anyway, due to their age and gender. In particular, prostate and colon cancers are more prevalent in older males. As a result, the carcinogenic, or cancer-causing, properties of alcohol are of concern. The article notes that risk is greatest when consumption is excessive---moderate consumption of alcohol, which is limited to fewer than two drinks a day for men, does not appear to pose a significant threat.
References
- "Biochemistry"; Mary Campbell, Ph.D., and Shawn Farrell, Ph.D.; 2005
- Journal of the American Medical Association; Cigarette Smoking and Progression of Atherosclerosis; G. Howard, et al.; January 1998
- Critical Reviews in Oncology; Alcohol, Cancer and Immunomodulation; S. Mufti, et al.; March 1989
