The USDA 2010 Guidelines for Americans advises that men and women should practice moderate drinking: up to one alcoholic beverage a day for women and up to two for men. Drinking alcohol, in moderation, has multiple health benefits. It helps reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as well as heart attack or stroke. Heavier drinking, however, may have adverse affects on your health.
Health Risks
Not only can heavy drinking lead to alcoholism, it may also cause serious damage to your health and organs. Too much alcohol is bad for the heart, which may lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, strokes and sudden death. Your risk for certain cancers, such as breast cancer and cancers of the mouth, increase. Heavy drinking may also cause serious and irreversible damage to your liver which may lead to liver cirrhosis, or the inability of your liver to replace damaged cells as well as inflammation of the pancreas.
Digestive Problems
Alcohol is full of sugar, carbohydrates and calories which prompts your stomach to think it's full when it's really just full of alcohol. As a result, drinking on an empty stomach can irritate the stomach lining, which may therefore cause you to throw up. It can also interfere with the function of your pancreas and small intestine, halting the pancreas ability to produce insulin as well as the small intestine ability to process vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly.
Dangerous Reaction to Medication
Many medication bottles and labels warn of the dangers of mixing medication with alcohol. These include prescription as well as over-the-counter medications such as allergy, cold and flu pills, cough medicine, heartburn relief and pain medication. In addition to putting you at risk for nausea, headaches, fainting or loss of coordination, mixing alcohol with medication may also damage your heart, increase your risk for internal bleeding as well as increase your risk of an overdose.
Skin
As you drink, your body will find any way it can to metabolize the alcohol. As a result, you may find yourself constantly running to the bathroom. Another way is through sweating. The next day, as your body fights to recover from the dehydrating effects of alcohol plus the increased loss of fluids, your skin may feel dry and flaky. Continuous heavy drinking may lead to burst capillaries, bloodshot eyes and painful skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.
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