The drinking of alcohol at an early age can accelerate the development of alcoholism and increase the risks of severe health problems that might affect people early in adulthood. Teens who drink also face immediate consequences that can be dangerous and fatal. Even teens who avoid drinking alcohol can be at risk for serious injury or trauma when they are around people who are drinking.
Brain Development
Alcohol may cause severe damage to the developing brains of teens. It may explain why drinking at an early age can increase the risk of alcohol dependence. A national survey of 43,093 adults found that people who started drinking before age 14 later became dependent on alcohol at some time, as opposed to only nine percent of those who did not start drinking until age 21, it was reported in the July 2006 issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Early Liver Damage
Adolescents who drink alcohol have been shown to have elevated liver enzymes, suggesting a degree of liver damage, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports. Drinking alcohol at an early age can increase the risk of liver disease and other life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.
Body Deterioration
Drinking alcohol in the teen years may interfere with normal development of the body. It can upset normal hormonal balance that is necessary for developing organs, muscles and bones. Drinking alcohol during puberty also has adverse effects on the maturing of the reproductive system.
Loss of Self-Control
Drinking alcohol can lower a person's inhibitions, and this is particularly true in the teen years. Drinking during this period can cause risky behaviors such as unprotected sex, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration points out. The loss of self-control also leads to teens drinking and driving. A 2003 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that 31 percent of drivers age 15 to 20 who died in traffic accidents had been drinking alcohol, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Alcohol Poisoning
Binge drinking is a serious problem for many youths. It is heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time, such as having five or more drinks on one occasion. It may lead to life-threatening alcohol poisoning, which can cause irregular breathing, unconsciousness, seizures and impaired gag reflex that can cause people to choke to death on their own vomit. A 2002 report by SAMHSA revealed that 35 percent of people with alcohol problems developed symptoms such as binge drinking by age 19.
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