5 Interesting Facts About Alcohol's Effects | St. Luke's Health | St. Luke's Health (2024)

Whether you occasionally drink alcohol or consume alcohol in moderation, you should understand how alcohol affects your health. Research on alcohol and the human body has revealed some health benefits and risks.

1. Alcohol affects men and women differently.

After a young woman and a young man drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman will have a higher blood alcohol level. This is because younger women produce less of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down alcohol in the stomach.

2. Alcohol can lower blood sugar levels.

The symptoms of alcohol intoxication and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) are similar. Diabetics should monitor their blood sugar levels while drinking, as hypoglycemia requires appropriate medical attention. If you are diabetic, talk to your doctor before drinking alcohol.

3. Moderate alcohol consumption could help protect against heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association, moderate alcohol consumption increases good HDL cholesterol and reduces plaque buildup in the arteries.

Moderate alcohol consumption means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. To reduce your risk of heart disease, increase your physical activity and eat a healthy diet.

4. Many factors influence how people react to alcohol

Your age, gender, genetics, overall health and history of alcohol abuse can influence how your body reacts to alcohol. Alcohol flows through your organs based on the amount of water that is in them. Typically, women and older men have less water in their organs. As a result, less alcohol can enter their organs, so it stays in their bloodstreams for longer periods of time instead.

5. Drinking does not actually warm you up

Consuming alcohol causes blood to rush to the skin's surface, which makes you feel warmer. However, alcohol causes blood vessels to dilate, making you actually lose heat more quickly. Alcohol also impedes the body's warmth process by causing chills.

If you or someone you know is showing symptoms of alcohol poisoning, Baylor St. Luke's Emergency Centers can help. Be proactive and know where to go in advance at PlanForIt.org.

5 Interesting Facts About Alcohol's Effects | St. Luke's Health | St. Luke's Health (2024)

FAQs

5 Interesting Facts About Alcohol's Effects | St. Luke's Health | St. Luke's Health? ›

Potential short-term effects of alcohol include hangover and alcohol poisoning, as well as falls and accidents, conflict, lowered inhibitions and risky behaviours. Long-term alcohol consumption contributes to more than 200 different types of diseases and injury.

What are 5 interesting facts about alcohol's effects? ›

Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of alcohol-related illness and injury including:
  • bowel, breast, throat and mouth cancer.
  • liver disease.
  • cardiovascular disease (CVD) (such as heart disease and stroke)
  • accidents and falls (such as motor vehicle crashes and alcohol poisoning).

What are 10 facts about drinking alcohol? ›

Here are 12 (not so fun) facts about alcohol:
  • Alcohol Alters Your Brain Cells. ...
  • Alcohol Reduces Your Libido. ...
  • Alcohol Dehydrates Your Skin. ...
  • Alcohol Weakens Your Heart. ...
  • Alcohol Weakens Your Muscles. ...
  • Alcohol Damages Your Stomach. ...
  • Alcohol Damages Your Liver. ...
  • Alcohol Increases Your Risk of Death.
Aug 11, 2022

What are 10 positive effects of alcohol? ›

How alcohol can be good for you
  • Better cardiovascular health. Studies have linked light-to-moderate drinking to a reduced risk in cardiovascular diseases. ...
  • Positive effects on glucose and fat metabolism. ...
  • Decrease in blood clotting. ...
  • Enhanced mental well-being.
May 11, 2021

What are 6 effects of alcohol use? ›

Potential short-term effects of alcohol include hangover and alcohol poisoning, as well as falls and accidents, conflict, lowered inhibitions and risky behaviours. Long-term alcohol consumption contributes to more than 200 different types of diseases and injury.

What are 5 facts about drinking and driving? ›

Here are some quick and scary facts:
  • Alcohol is involved in about 40% of all fatal car crashes.
  • Alcohol-related crashes in the U.S. cost about $51 billion each year.
  • Drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of only 0.02 to 0.05 % are 7 times more likely to die in a crash than sober drivers.

What are 5 things to remember about alcohol? ›

5 Things You May Not Know About Alcohol Use
  • Alcohol addiction is a disease. ...
  • There aren't health benefits to drinking alcohol. ...
  • The rate of liver disease is increasing – and more young people are affected. ...
  • Alcohol damages more than your liver. ...
  • You can still get a liver transplant if you have alcohol use disorder.
Jun 21, 2023

What are three bad facts about alcohol? ›

Here are some key facts you may not know about alcohol.
  • About 95,000 Americans die from alcohol-related causes annually. ...
  • Alcohol makes the use of some medications and other substances more dangerous. ...
  • Alcohol misuse can lead to health problems.
Apr 1, 2022

How many teens drink alcohol? ›

Prevalence of Lifetime Drinking

According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 13.2 million people ages 12 to 20 (34.2% in this age group) reported that they have had at least one drink in their lives. This includes: 6.5 million males ages 12 to 20 (32.3% in this age group)

What are 5 benefits of being alcohol free? ›

Common short-term health benefits include:
  • Weight loss. ...
  • Improved memory function. ...
  • Deeper sleep. ...
  • Balanced moods. ...
  • Improved heart health. ...
  • Enhanced liver function. ...
  • Boosting your immune system. ...
  • Is an alcohol-free lifestyle right for you?

Is a shot a day bad? ›

Yes. According to the World Health Organization, no amount of alcohol is safe because it causes at least seven types of cancer, including bowel cancer and female breast cancer.

Is 2 beers a day bad? ›

Drinking one or two standard beers per day (12 ounces or 355 mL) may have positive effects for your heart, bones, blood sugars, and dementia risk. But too much drinking raises your risk of many health issues, including depression, weight gain, and liver disease.

What are some facts about alcohol effects on the brain? ›

Alcohol interferes with the brain's communication pathways and can affect the way the brain looks and works. Alcohol makes it harder for the brain areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgment to do their jobs, resulting in a higher likelihood of injuries and other negative outcomes.

What are the fun effects of alcohol? ›

Alcohol induces euphoria, relaxation, and disinhibition while reducing stress and anxiety.

What are three key facts about alcohol poisoning? ›

Alcohol poisoning is a serious, and sometimes deadly, consequence of drinking large amounts f alcohol in a short period of time. Drinking too much too quickly can affect your breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex and potentially lead to coma and death.

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