The Impact Of Alcohol On Physical Health  

To many, alcohol can feel like a decent way to de-stress after a long day at work. In fact, it is relatively common for adults to turn to something like a glass of wine to help them ease off the pressure from a long, challenging day. However, it is easy for that ‘one glass of wine’ to turn into two, three, and then four. These habits are hard to keep in moderation. While irregular alcohol intake at a moderate level can be enjoyable for many people, those who struggle to stop can find themselves suffering long-term.

The impact of alcohol on physical health, when consumed to excess regularly, can be extreme. In the short term, drinking alcohol can make us suffer from lower inhibitions, making us more likely to do and say things we might regret. Over the long term, though, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a variety of health problems.

While many people find that their relationship with alcohol begins with feeling tipsy and ends with feeling hungover, it is not uncommon for people to find it hard to stop. This can lead to chronic drinking habits, which is when long-term health problems can become apparent. While today, there is a large focus on the mental health impact of chronic drinking behaviours; the physical impacts are just as important.

What, then, are some of the long-term impacts of drinking alcohol on your physical health and well-being?

What Is Drinking In Moderation?

Before we continue, though, it is important to understand what ‘moderation’ means in alcohol. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), daily drinking of 2 or fewer drinks per day is considered a moderate drinking habit. While for years it has been assumed that everyday drinking in moderation can provide little health problems and even potentially some benefits, today this is less certain. Therefore, even people who believe that they do not have to worry about health problems as they ‘drink in moderation’ should be aware that some of the physical health issues below could appear.

Even moderate daily drinkers can have some of the problems below without controlling or limiting consumption. To be on the safe side, it is best to leave alcohol consumption entirely out of your life; if you would like to drink alcohol, it should be done sensibly and rarely, i.e. not every night, and not even every week(end) if possible.

The Toll Chronic Alcohol Consumption Has On Your Health

Over time, regular drinking of alcohol can lead to some pretty serious problems. Some of the most common issues that can arise from regular alcohol intake can include:

Digestive Issues

Drinking can lead to problems within your digestive tract, which can lead to problems with digesting your food and ensuring your body can properly take the nutrients it needs out of food. Through extensive alcohol damage and consumption, you might find that you start to suffer from problems as diverse as malnutrition.

In most people, though, it can lead to a sense of always feeling full in the gut, bloated bellies, and gassiness. It can also cause issues such as ulcers or even haemorrhoids.

Increased Inflammation

It is common for people who are regular drinkers to suffer from inflammation and swelling. Long-term alcohol intake will make it harder for key organs in your body, such as your liver, to get rid of harmful toxins. This means that your body is more likely to suffer from inflammation. This can be the cause of some of your bloating caused by alcohol, as well as internal pain and discomfort.

This can even lead to problems such as chronic liver damage, including scarring or even cirrhosis of the liver.

Pancreatic Damage

Our pancreas is one of the most important organs in our body as it regulates how our body manages insulin and glucose. If your pancreas and liver are not functioning as they should, then you could be suffering from problems such as low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia).

This can also mean that your body cannot produce the insulin levels needed to benefit from any sugar that your body takes in. This can lead to excessive sugar in the blood, leading to problems including diabetes.

Nervous System Damage

Another impact that can occur from chronic alcohol consumption will come down to damage to your nervous system. Over time, you can find that your body is less able to co-ordinate properly. Hand-to-eye coordination can become limited, as can your ability to balance yourself when walking. This is why it is common to see people with chronic alcohol intake struggle when walking.

You can find that you suffer from numbness and tingling sensations in your hands and feet; this can be a sign that you are dealing with central nervous system damage.

Heart Problems

Another common physical impact on your body through regular drinking can be problems related to your heart and the circulatory system within your body. This can lead to problems like irregular heartbeats blood pressure problems, and thus eventually lead to problems like heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. For that reason, it is important to understand that excessive alcohol intake can have a huge impact on your heart and your lungs.

Overcoming Alcohol Before Problems Develop

If you believe that any of the physical problems are apparent in your life, then it would be wise to look at your drinking habits. If you are drinking more than you normally would, or you feel like you are relying on alcohol daily, then you should consider looking at your lifestyle. If you are drinking daily to a more than moderate level, it might be time to evaluate whether you have a healthy relationship with alcohol.

At , we provide rehabilitation support for anyone looking to remove substances like alcohol from their lives. If you feel like you are unable to take a step back from alcohol and either heavily reduce consumption or stop altogether – especially if you have been given medical reasons to stop – then you should consider speaking to our team today.

We can provide you with the help, guidance, education, and insight to turn the tide and stop the physical problems listed above from appearing. Alcohol can cause havoc to our physical health and appearance; the sooner you act and bring a problematic drinking habit to an end, the sooner these problems can prevented, resolved, and recovered from.