Facts on the Physical Effects of Binge Drinking

1. Large Amounts of Alcohol in a Short Amount of Time

The most common definition of binge drinking is five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women, per occasion. Some definitions consider binge drinking the ingestion of a large amount of alcohol over two or more days. Others incorporate a specific blood alcohol content (BAC). Some people prefer the more general term "heavy drinking" to the specific, yet hard to define, term binge drinking. All definitions include many drinks over a short period of time.

2. More Alcohol Leads to Less Control of Your Body

Your BAC is the ratio of alcohol in your body to the blood in your body. A BAC of .10 means that there is one part alcohol for every 1,000 parts of blood. The higher your BAC, the more your body will be affected by the alcohol in your system. At first, you might feel warm, relaxed and more confident. As you continue to drink, you may begin to have trouble seeing and speaking. You slowly lose more control of your coordination and balance to the point where you may fall over while walking or not be able to walk at all. Eventually, you could lose consciousness.

3. Binge Drinking Can Lead to Many Health Problems

Ingesting large amounts of alcohol over a short period of time is not good for your body. Your bladder can overfill. Your chance of experiencing a stroke or other cardiovascular problems increases. You can overdose on alcohol (also known as alcohol poisoning), which can lead to a range of problems, including choking on your own vomit, severe dehydration and respiratory depression, which causes slower breathing and can lead to death.

4. Alcohol Use is Highly Correlated with Transmission of STDs and HIV

Binge drinking leads to a loss of control and poor decision-making. An intoxicated person is more likely to go home with a stranger and is less likely to use protection when having sex with that stranger. In addition to the health problems directly brought on by heavy drinking, binge drinking often leads to the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. If you know or think you had unprotected sex, ask your healthcare provider to test you for HIV and other STDs.

5. Take Precautions

Before going out drinking, make sure you eat a full meal. A full stomach will help you maintain a lower blood alcohol content than you would have with an empty stomach. Avoid chugging drinks. Instead, pace yourself by drinking slowly or alternating alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic beverages. Drink with friends so that they can help you get home safely. Ideally, one friend should refrain from drinking so that she is fully aware of your surroundings and can safely drive everyone home at the end of the night. If someone you are drinking with displays signs of alcohol poisoning, call 911 immediately.