As I mentioned in my blog on staying healthy into your 70s and beyond, I quit drinking in October 2019. The only thing I drank was wine ~~ Franzia White Zinfandel, but I just did not enjoy the way it made me feel, even though I only had two glasses in the evening. I had this section in my other blog, but decided to make a post on just alcohol and the effect it has on the body ~~
Alcohol affects almost every system in your body — from your brain and liver to your heart, kidneys, gut, hormones, and immune system. But what most people don’t realize is how fast the body begins to repair itself once you stop drinking. It's about quality of life -- how can you continue to drink if you look and feel like crap?
What I don't understand is ~~ why do very intelligent people do things that they know harm themselves? Drugs -- alcohol -- cigarettes -- processed foods. Does alcohol have that much control over a person that they care more about drinking than their own health?
Even small amounts of alcohol can disrupt sleep, damage your gut, lower testosterone, and increase cancer risk. In this video, Dr. Paul Saladino breaks down why even one drink isn’t as harmless as you think, and what it’s really doing inside your body.
If you care about metabolic health, hormones, longevity, and living a healthy lifestyle, this is a must-watch. Learn the science behind alcohol’s impact and how to make smarter decisions for long-term health.
5 Ways Drinking Alcohol Ruins Your Body and Your Brain TODAY ~~
(1) Impedes Fat Loss -- the more people drink, the more visceral fat they would develop;
(2) Sleep -- study shows a strong dose dependent association between how much alcohol they drank and how poor their sleep was;
(3) Sex Function -- alcohol impedes sexual function at three critical levels -- hypothalmic level; the pituitary; and leydig cells (testosterone and testes);
(4) Brain atrophy -- alcohol impacts the white matter in the brain. It's a neurotoxin;
(5) Performance & recovery -- this has to do with recovery after working out. Alcohol inhibits calcium-channel actions within the muscle cells.
What is your relationship with alcohol? Take the AUDIT online drinking check to find out.
Over time, regular alcohol use may deplete key nutrients, weaken the immune system, and alter the gut-brain connection, affecting mood and mental clarity. Supporting gut health with a nutrient-rich diet, probiotics, and alcohol-free periods can help restore balance and reduce inflammation.
What Alcohol is Really Doing to Your Body After 50
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Do you ever pour a glass of wine, or pop open a beer, at the end of the day to “wind down?” Do you look forward to its relaxing effects and hope it might help you sleep?
If so, you’re certainly not alone. Nearly half of adults over age 65 report having consumed alcohol in the past year, according to NCOA guest author and alcohol use researcher Paul Sacco. And sometimes, they say they’re drinking to cope with a challenging symptom like insomnia.
They’re not alone, either. Among people of any age who suffer from persistent insomnia, 30% report using alcohol as a sleep aid. Further, 67% of those people say that it helps.
As research consistently shows, however, the opposite is actually true. Drinking alcohol might help you fall asleep—but it won’t keep you there. And the negative effects of interrupted sleep can add up over time, leading to other unwanted health concerns including chronic pain.
How does alcohol affect sleep?
It can be confusing: people with insomnia say that drinking alcohol helps them sleep. And yet, as many as 70% of people who use alcohol suffer from insomnia. So which comes first?
“It’s fairly clear that drinking alcohol isn’t good for sleep,” said Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director of NCOA’s Center for Healthy Aging. “If you only drink occasionally, this may not be a huge concern—but if you’re someone who reaches for your wine glass or mixes a cocktail every time you can’t sleep, you’re likely making things worse.”
That’s because alcohol interferes with the ability to stay asleep and to get high-quality, deep sleep. The effects both can happen right away and develop over the long-term.
Alcohol negatively affects sleep immediately in the following ways: It disrupts the sleep cycle.
First, it helps to understand the normal sleep cycle, which includes four distinct parts: Stage 1 (N1); Stage 2 (N2); Stage 3 (N3, or “delta sleep”); and Stage 4 (REM sleep).3
When you’re in the first two stages, you’re in “light sleep.” When you’re in the third stage, you’re in “deep sleep.” And the fourth stage is your “vivid,” or dream, stage. While every person’s individual sleep cycle varies, it’s generally true that each of us goes through four to six rounds of it. Each cycle lasts around 90 minutes total, which adds up to between six and nine hours of sleep.
Of the four stages, REM is the one when our brains do some “heavy lifting:” processing emotions; combining and making sense of memories and knowledge; strengthening neural connections, and more. Getting enough REM sleep is associated with increased creativity, emotional well-being, and even longevity.
That’s why it’s important to understand how alcohol affects your sleep cycle. Unlike gin and tonic, alcohol and REM don’t mix. In fact, research shows that drinking before bedtime can delay REM sleep. Alcohol may even shorten the time you’re in it, or prevent you from entering REM sleep at all.
Alcohol can disturb other sleep stages, too. It’s a sedative, so it can send you into a deep sleep quickly—but that’s not what’s supposed to happen. In other words, it throws off the first two stages of light sleep, and it can be difficult for your body to readjust during the remainder of the night. It leads to fragmented sleep.
As the alcohol in your system begins to wear off, something called “homeostatic recovery” can occur.
“Simply put, this term describes the body’s natural urge to make up for a disrupted sleep cycle,” Cameron explained. “For example, because alcohol causes you to get too much deep sleep too soon, your body will re-set by extending how long you’re in Stage 1 and Stage 2 sleep for the rest of the night.”
However, homeostatic recovery has negative consequences. Because you’re more likely to wake up in those early stages of light sleep, you’re also more likely to experience a restless night’s sleep after drinking alcohol. This robs you of the full healthful benefits that come from a complete sleep cycle.
Further, alcohol acts as a diuretic—meaning it makes you need to pee. This, too, can wake you up in the middle of the night, sometimes more than once. And the more water your kidneys release, the higher the chances you’ll get dehydrated. Dehydration can give you a headache; and pain itself can cause poor sleep. Also, getting up multiple times at night puts you at increased risk for falling.
“It’s truly a vicious cycle,” Cameron said. It causes breathing problems.
Have you ever woken yourself up snoring after an evening cocktail or two? As it turns out, alcohol might be to blame. That’s because alcohol and sleep apnea often go hand-in-hand—even in people who don’t otherwise have the condition.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—when the soft tissues in the throat collapse and block the airway—especially correlates to drinking because of alcohol’s relaxing effects. Research shows that people who consume alcohol have a 25% higher risk of having obstructive sleep apnea. This risk increases in people who already snore.
Alcohol also can make central sleep apnea worse. Central sleep apnea happens when the central nervous system fails to tell your respiratory system what to do. Because alcohol slows brain activity, drinking can temporarily short-circuit the signals your brain is trying to send to your lungs. It might interfere with circadian rhythms.
Our circadian rhythm is sometimes called our “biological clock”—the process that regulates the way our bodies function during each 24-hour daily cycle.
Researchers continue to investigate the complex relationships between alcohol and circadian rhythms. There are many things they don’t know; at the very least, there appears to be a strong link between alcohol consumption and the body’s ability to produce melatonin—the hormone that induces sleep. It creates an unhealthy cycle.
People who wake up tired every morning may be more likely to lean back in to drinking to help them sleep better. But this can create a negative pattern that leads to more serious, long-term effects of alcohol on sleep.
What are the long-term effects of alcohol on sleep?
Regularly drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol can have multiple negative effects: not only on your sleep, but on your physical and mental health over the long term. It can turn sleep disruptions into a chronic issue.
Long-term alcohol use can create tolerance—meaning that you need to drink more to experience alcohol’s effects. If you use alcohol to fall asleep, this not only can alter the brain chemicals that regulate your sleep cycle and circadian rhythms—sometimes permanently—but also it can pave the way to abusive drinking overall. It can lead to more serious sleep disorders.
Ironically, people who rely on alcohol for sleep often complain of sleep deprivation, poor sleep quality, waking often during the night, and feeling sleepy during the day. Each of these complaints is characteristic of insomnia—a condition that, when chronic, can impact your ability to focus on important tasks; dampen your mood; and increase your risk for falls.
And if you already live with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), alcohol can cause further complications including potentially fatal levels of carbon dioxide in your blood. It can cause additional serious health problems.
Among other things, chronic sleep deprivation is linked to stroke, obesity, depression, and kidney and heart disease. Sleep problems may play a direct role in increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
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Swollen Belly (Ascites) -- If your liver is scarred, it can block blood flow to your liver and raise the pressure in blood vessels around it. This makes fluid seep out and collect in your belly. There may be a little fluid and swelling or a lot. Your belly may get very large and your belly button might push out. Sometimes ascites gets infected and needs antibiotics. If there’s a lot of extra fluid with nowhere to go, you may need to have it drained with a tube.
>Bruising could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis, liver damage, or other conditions.
The increased pressure of portal hypertension causes fluid to seep out and pool in the abdominal cavity. This is called ascites. American Liver Foundation: What is Ascites?
People with liver disease may experience different amounts of fluid buildup – a little buildup of fluid may not cause any symptoms but as the amount of fluid increases it can cause waist size to expand and weight gain. When large amounts of fluid gather in the belly it can lead to swelling and pain and be very uncomfortable. The belly becomes hard from the fluid buildup, may resemble a pregnancy belly and the belly button can become pushed out. Some people with ascites may develop swollen legs and ankles, called edema.
The associated compounds damage DNA and mitochondria.
In Aging Cell, researchers have described the chemical ways in which excessive visceral fat causes oxidative stress and cellular senescence.
Metabolic syndrome, a host of intertwined disorders that include obesity and cholesterol imbalance, is known to have multiple harmful effects that lead to decreased lifespan. These include a propensity towards Type 2 diabetes along with the accumulation of fat around the organs (visceral fat), which is distinct from the fat under the skin (subcutaneous fat).
Visceral fat cells becoming senescent is a driver of metabolic syndrome, and removing those cells was found to alleviate some of the associated problems in a murine model. Further work has found that these senescent fat cells lead to an increase in insulin resistance, the core driver of type 2 diabetes. Targeting these cells was found to alleviate insulin resistance in mice as well.
This research makes it clear that visceral fat is extremely dangerous over the long term, as it is a driver of multiple hallmarks of aging: genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence. While therapies might be developed to blunt its effects, it is clearly best never to accumulate it.
*Heart disease (smoking, HBP)
*Diabetes
*Obesity (linked to low levels of testosterone)
*Inflammation
*Depression
*Gum disease – men with poor dental health don’t take good care of themselves generally. 80% of men studied with severe ED had chronic gum disease
*Restless leg syndrome = related to brain chemical dopamine which is typically low in both conditions. Low dopamine, lack of sleep, low testosterone. Lifestyle choices recommended for restless legs is exercise, limit use of alcohol, which may boost sex life.
*Sleep apnea – men with severe ED have a higher risk for sleep apnea
Alcohol doesn’t lower testosterone overnight. It shifts it slowly — long before lab results look abnormal. Your hormone system doesn’t send loud warnings. It adapts. It compensates. It adjusts quietly in the background — until the changes become noticeable in your energy, drive, sleep, or performance.
Yes, it is possible to regain sex hormones and improve sexual function after prostate cancer treatment (specifically after androgen deprivation therapy - ADT) by stopping alcohol and adopting other healthy lifestyle changes, though recovery depends on the treatment type, duration, and age. While testosterone often recovers on its own, cutting alcohol, exercising, and avoiding smoking can support this process, though some erectile dysfunction (ED) may be permanent.
Risk of developing prostate cancer ~~ Heavy drinking, defined as more than four drinks per day on at least five days per week, is associated with an increased risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer.
Risk of prostate cancer progression ~~ Alcohol can speed up the growth of prostate tumors and the spread of the disease to other parts of the body.
Risk of prostate cancer mortality ~~ Chronic alcohol consumption is linked to higher mortality rates for prostate cancer. A Canadian study found that men who drank more than two drinks per day after being diagnosed with prostate cancer had a lower survival rate.
DNA damage ~~ Alcohol breaks down into a chemical that damages DNA, which can lead to cells growing out of control and becoming cancerous.
If you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you should immediately stop drinking alcohol. If you drink often or heavily, you should do so gradually and under the care of your doctor.
Alcohol can also irritate the bladder after prostate surgery, which can increase the risk of urinary incontinence.
Alcohol and Prostate Cancer: Time to Draw Conclusions
Current Drinking Habits Factor Big, Too ~~ A long-range Canadian study on people who’d been diagnosed with prostate cancer found men who drank more than eight alcoholic drinks a week had a higher mortality rate than non-drinkers.
And a recent, in-depth study found alcohol ramped up the growth of prostate tumors and speeded the tissues’ progression to metastatic prostate cancer. This means the disease has spread to other areas of the body. The researchers in this case advised men diagnosed with prostate cancer to promptly cut out all alcohol. (It’s key to do it gradually, under your doctor’s care, especially if you drink often or heavily.)
This is an excerpt from the above video by Andrew Huberman, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, about the effects of alcohol on the body, brain, and health. He explains, based on scientific evidence, how alcohol consumption, even in small to moderate amounts, can damage nerve cells, increase stress levels, and disrupt the body’s hormonal axis. Huberman examines the process by which alcohol is converted to the toxin acetaldehyde, and explains its destructive effect on the gut microbiome and increased risk of cancer, especially breast cancer. He also offers scientific solutions to reduce the effects of a hangover, such as using neurofeedback, cryotherapy, and consuming fermented foods. The goal of this training is to empower people to make informed decisions about reducing or quitting alcohol consumption to improve nervous system function and overall health.
This is an MRI of an alcoholics brain. This person has severe alcohol use disorder. Healthy brain tissue is the gray and white matter and you want it to be plump and take up as much space in your head as possible. When people get really old and have dementia, what we see is more and more of the black spaces, which is essentially water. The brain is shrinking and shrinking; there is more water and less active healthy brain tissue. That process is accelerated with heavy alcohol use. A form of dementia is associated with alcohol use.
The next thing that is affected is your mouth and gut; acid reflux and heart burn is a prime example.
Motor nerves: Muscle weakness, cramping, loss of balance, and difficulty walking or gripping objects.
Autonomic nerves: Issues with involuntary functions, such as dizziness upon standing, digestive problems, and abnormal sweating
More than 200 causes exist, but the most common triggers include:
Diabetes: Unmanaged high blood sugar is the leading cause in the US.
Nutrient Deficiencies: Especially a lack of vitamin B12.
Toxins and Alcohol: Alcohol use disorder and certain medications (such as chemotherapy drugs).
Trauma or Compression: Physical injury or conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome
In this video Doctor Andrea Furlan explains that alcohol can cause chronic pain. Alcohol can lead to vitamin B1 deficiency. Pain from peripheral neuropathy caused by alcohol is irreversible.
What Alcohol is Really Doing to Your Body After 50
If you're over 50 and having a drink or two most evenings this video is specifically for you. Not to tell you to quit — but to tell you what's actually happening inside your body every time you drink. Testosterone suppression, stolen sleep, muscle loss, brain health risks, and the resveratrol myth that the wine industry spent decades promoting. I also share the personal decision I made about my own drinking after my 30-day carnivore experiment — and why I haven't gone back to my nightly wine.
Topics covered:
What alcohol does to testosterone after 50
How alcohol steals your REM sleep and recovery
Alcohol and anabolic resistance — the muscle building killer
Brain health, cognitive decline, and the neurotoxin truth
The resveratrol red wine myth completely dismantled
The Lancet study — what the latest research actually says
My personal decision about alcohol after 50
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In the next video, you’ll discover what happens to your body when you quit alcohol for 30 days — starting in the first 24 hours, then after a few days, two weeks, and finally at the 30-day mark. We break down the real science behind alcohol withdrawal and recovery:
*What happens to your brain chemistry and dopamine
*How your liver, kidneys, heart, and gut begin healing
*Why sleep improves, inflammation drops, and energy increases
*How hormones rebalance and fat loss becomes easier
*Why even one alcohol-free month can dramatically improve long-term health
This isn’t about fear or extremes. It’s about understanding how your body actually works — and how powerful even a short break from alcohol can be. If you’re curious about health, fasting, nutrition, and how the body heals itself, this video is for you.
Why it Affects the Body: When the liver metabolizes ethanol (alcohol), it produces acetaldehyde. Normally, an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks down acetaldehyde into harmless acetate. If this process is disrupted—often due to genetic factors—acetaldehyde accumulates, leading to significant toxic effects.
It's not just your entire body that recovers from no alcohol, the kidneys recover along with your body's abstinence as well:
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What is the #1 WORST drink for your liver! Did you guess it? It's hard liquor. Why? Just two shots can damage your liver because your liver is overwhelmed trying to break down the toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde -- which is pure poison. What does acetaldehyde do to the body? The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies acetaldehyde as a Group 1 human carcinogen when generated endogenously from alcoholic beverages.
Acetaldehyde is a highly toxic, reactive byproduct of alcohol metabolism that causes significant harm, including liver cirrhosis, DNA damage, and cancer. It acts as an irritant throughout the body, causing symptoms like headaches, facial flushing, palpitations, nausea, and, in high amounts, can cause severe respiratory distress or liver failure.
Acetaldehyde is a highly toxic, reactive byproduct of alcohol metabolism that causes significant harm, including liver cirrhosis, DNA damage, and cancer. It acts as an irritant throughout the body, causing symptoms like headaches, facial flushing, palpitations, nausea, and, in high amounts, can cause severe respiratory distress or liver failure.
Alcohol is a toxin ~~
No matter what type of alcohol you drink — be it wine, beer, or liquor — it contains ethanol. When your body breaks down ethanol, it produces a carcinogen called acetaldehyde that damages DNA.
“DNA is a molecule needed by nearly every cell in our body for information on how to properly function, repair and regrow. If cells cannot properly repair themselves, cancer can grow.”
Karam-Hage adds that alcohol impacts all of our organs, but particularly the brain, liver, esophagus and stomach. “Alcohol has a toxic effect on many organs,” he says.
No matter what type of alcohol you drink — be it wine, beer, or liquor — it contains ethanol. When your body breaks down ethanol, it produces a carcinogen called acetaldehyde that damages DNA.
“DNA is a molecule needed by nearly every cell in our body for information on how to properly function, repair and regrow. If cells cannot properly repair themselves, cancer can grow.”
Karam-Hage adds that alcohol impacts all of our organs, but particularly the brain, liver, esophagus and stomach. “Alcohol has a toxic effect on many organs,” he says.
Eight Ways Alcohol is Killing You ~~ Leon Sylvester.
1) Destroys your liver ~~ alcohol is a toxic substance that provides energy but has no nutritional value. It interferes with the absorption of nutrients that we get from food. The body recognizes alcohol as a toxin and does not process it like regular food. Instead, it sends it to the liver and the liver converts it into a more toxic substance called acetaldehyde, which is up to 30 times for toxic than alcohol itself. You end up with fatty liver, then hepatitis, then cirrhosis, and ultimately death.
2) Cardiovascular health is compromised ~~ Alcohol also taxes your heart and raises your blood pressure, which is called alcohol induced hypertension. The end stage is called Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy where the heart muscle thins and stretches out of shape. Symptoms resemble heart failure, shortness of breath, fatigue and swelling in the legs. Drinking 5.7 drinks or more daily for at least 5 years can greatly increase your risk of developing Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy.
3) Your Immune System Cannot Cope ~~ drinking causes a gradual devestation of the immune system and makes you more suseptible to infectious diseases. Alcohol damages the mucosal barriers in the respiratory and gastrointestional tracts which allow pathogens to enter the body more easily. It damages the gut microbiome which then interfers with absorption of vitamins and nutrients.
4) Nutrient Absorption Suffers ~~ Since alcohol is devoid of nutrients, it actually interferes with the absorption of nutrients from food. The GI tract is one of the systems that suffers the most. Alcohol increases the risk of cancer and also disrupts the mucosal barrier that keeps toxins from circulation; this turns into leaky gut syndrome.
5) Chronically Inflamed ~~ Alcohol affects the liver and pancreas as well as brain cells. The gastrointentional tract is the first line of contact with alcohol in the body.
6) Permanent State of Oxidative Stress ~~ Our body is constantly producing a special class of harmful molecules called free radicals. A free radical is a molecule that has an unpaired electron making it unstable and highly reactive. Alcohol raises oxidative stress by increasing the production of free radicals. When there is an imbalance between the antioxidants and free radicals in our system, we are said to be in a state of oxidative stress, which causes premature aging, neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
7) Chronic Diseases are Exaccerbated ~~ It is an extensive list, but here are some of them:
HypertensionCoronary Artery DiseasePeripheral Artery DiseaseDiabetesInsomniaOsteoporosisTBKidney diseasePancreatitisObesityGoutRheumatoid ArthritisInflammatory Bowel DiseasePsoriasisEczema & RosaceaMigranesSexual DysfunctionPeripheral Neuropathy
Excessive alcohol use is responsible for more than 93,00 deaths annally.
8) Cancer Risk Explodes ~~ These are some of the cancers that alcohol causes:
MouthThroatVoice BoxEsophagusColon & RectumLiverBreast
Jeffrey Peng, MD Sports Medicine talks about the relationship between alcohol and arthritis and it's effect on the gut:
I was reading a post on Twitter by Chace Chambers, a personal trainer, and this is his take on alcohol:
Limit alcohol, it’s a fat loss killer. It throws off fullness signaling by wrecking your sleep & leptin sensitivity. This leads to more cravings & overeating making it hard to lose fat. It also shuts down fat loss as described here:
Leptin sensitivity is the ability of the body to respond to leptin, a hormone that helps regulate body weight and energy homeostasis. Leptin resistance is a condition where the body becomes less sensitive to leptin, which can lead to obesity and other metabolic disorders.
Leptin is your fat burning hormone; it allows your body to burn calories efficiently. What lowers the leptin in your body, thus stopping your ability to lose fat?
Consuming hard liquor can contribute to visceral fat accumulation, particularly around the abdomen. Alcohol, especially when consumed in excess, can lead to increased visceral fat due to factors like extra calories, impaired fat burning, and increased appetite, potentially leading to weight gain and abdominal fat.
Prioritized Breakdown of Alcohol: When you drink, your liver prioritizes breaking down alcohol before other nutrients. This can lead to a slower breakdown of fats and carbohydrates, potentially resulting in their storage as fat.
Increased Appetite and Impaired Judgment: Alcohol can stimulate appetite and impair judgment, leading to overeating, which can further contribute to weight gain and abdominal fat.
Stress Hormone Release: Alcohol can cause the release of stress hormones, which have been linked to weight gain, particularly in the stomach area.
Alcohol and Fat Distribution: Research suggests that alcohol consumption, even in moderate amounts, can be associated with increased visceral fat and changes in body fat distribution.
You may already be aware of some of the more unsavory side effects of alcohol, especially when you overdo it. It can increase anxiety, heighten your blood pressure and even affect your brain. But there are a few specific ways it can affect your weight, too.
Alcohol can affect your weight by:
Slowing your metabolism. When you consume alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing it over other nutrients. This can slow down the fat-burning process, as your body focuses on processing the alcohol first.
Causing food cravings. As Dr. Heinberg notes, alcohol also impairs judgment. That means we may go out to eat with the best intentions for making healthy choices. But once we’ve had a cocktail, we might be inclined to go for a deep-fried appetizer instead of vegetables.
“Often, any beverages are a big source of empty calories — whether it’s soda, juice, sweet tea, beer, wine or cocktails,” she clarifies. “Any of those things add calories, but really, without nutrition and without the sense of feeling full.”
To give you an idea, here’s about how many calories are in common alcoholic drinks:
Wine: 100 calories in a 5-ounce glass.
Distilled alcohol (gin, rum and vodka): About 100 calories in a 1.5-ounce serving.
And when it comes to sweeter drinks like pina coladas, those can get you up to 500 calories for a 7-ounce glass (or more!). Let's look at the calories a bit further.
There are a few ways you can measure your body fat:
Waist measurement: Wrap a tape measure around your waist just above your hip bones. Basically, it's the halfway point between the lowest rib & the top of your hip bone -- just above the belly button. For women, 35 inches or more means you’re at risk for health problems stemming from visceral fat. For men, the number is 40 inches or more.
Waist-to-hip ratio: Measure your waist size and your hip size (wrap a tape measure around the widest part of your hips). Divide your waist size by your hip size. A waist-to-hip ratio higher than 0.85 in women and 0.90 in men indicates abdominal obesity.
Body mass index (BMI): BMI measures your body fat based on your height and weight. A BMI of 30 or more (in men and women) indicates you may be overweight and could have a higher level of visceral fat.
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What are the health risks associated with visceral fat?
Having visceral fat in the belly is a sign of metabolic syndrome, a collection of disorders that include high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. Together, these increase the risk of stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Having too much visceral fat in the belly is also linked to a higher risk of:
Alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of arthritis treatment by impairing the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize medications. This disruption may reduce responsiveness to anti-inflammatory agents and pain relievers, complicating symptom management.
Chronic alcohol use negatively affects liver function, limiting safe medication options for arthritis care. Consequently, healthcare providers may be forced to prescribe less effective alternatives, hindering optimal disease control.
Regular alcohol intake may accelerate joint degeneration, contributing to faster arthritis progression and reduced mobility. Prolonged inflammation can damage cartilage and connective tissues, increasing pain and impairing daily functioning.
Understanding the connection between alcohol and joint pain is crucial for managing further damage. Entering recovery will help protect the body from further damage.
Alcohol and Heart Health: Separating Fact from Fiction
Some studies have shown an association between moderate alcohol intake and a lower risk of dying from heart disease.
But it’s hard to determine cause and effect from those studies. Perhaps people who sip red wine have higher incomes, which tend to be associated with more education and greater access to healthier foods. Similarly, red wine drinkers might be more likely to eat a heart-healthy diet.
There is some evidence that moderate amounts of alcohol might help to slightly raise levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. Researchers have also suggested that red wine, in particular, might protect the heart, thanks to the antioxidants it contains.
But you don’t have to pop a cork to reap those benefits. Exercise can also boost HDL cholesterol levels, and antioxidants can be found in other foods, such as fruits, vegetables and grape juice.
How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?
Whether or not moderate drinking is good for your heart is open to debate. However, for most people, it doesn’t appear to be harmful to the heart — but the key word is “moderate.”
Moderate drinking is defined as an average of one drink per day for women and one or two for men. A drink might be less than you think: 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits.
Some people should avoid even that much and not drink at all if they have certain heart rhythm abnormalities or have heart failure.
Does Excessive Drinking Contribute to Heart Disease?
Heavy drinking, on the other hand, is linked to a number of poor health outcomes, including heart conditions. Excessive alcohol intake can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure or stroke. Excessive drinking can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects the heart muscle.
What’s more, alcohol can contribute to obesity and the long list of health problems that can go along with it. Alcohol is a source of excess calories and a cause of weight gain that can be harmful in the long term.
The takeaway is what you probably already knew: If you choose to drink alcohol, stick to moderate levels of drinking, and don’t overdo it.
Triglycerides are the form of fat in your body. When you eat, the extra calories, sugar, and alcohol that your body doesn’t need right away are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells. Your body stores and uses this type of fat for energy between meals.
Your body needs some triglycerides to remain healthy. However, triglycerides can rise to an unhealthy level if you:
High Blood Pressure is far too common, and a risk factor for terrible things like Heart Attack, Stroke, and Kidney Failure. We've been trained to think Hypertension is a chronic, progressive disease that can only be treated with a handful of pills, and never reversed. What if this weren't true? How to lower your blood pressure naturally is a question you have every right to ask.
Heavy alcohol use is linked to resistant hypertension, requiring more intensive medical intervention. Alcohol-induced hypertension is often overlooked but should be considered in patients with difficult-to-control blood pressure, especially when accompanied by signs of heavy alcohol use.
Ethanol can damage the intestinal lining, leading to a "leaky gut" where harmful substances can enter the bloodstream. It can also disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut (dysbiosis), potentially increasing inflammation and impacting digestion.
The liver plays a primary role in breaking down ethanol, but some metabolism also occurs in the gut, where it can contribute to inflammation and other issues.
The digestive system is made up of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder along with the entire gastrointestinal tract (aka GI tract and digestive tract). The GI tract comprises a series of hollow organs starting at the mouth and leading through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine to the anus.
When someone drinks alcohol, it enters the blood stream via the stomach and small intestine, where it is distributed throughout the body and is drained into the liver. Furthermore, when it comes to alcohol and the digestive system, many people are familiar with conditions related to the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder—such as cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and more. However, alcohol can affect myriad organs and functions in the digestion system from the point it enters the body until it is metabolized or excreted.
For example, chronic, heavy alcohol use can damage saliva glands and lead to inflammation in the mouth and tongue. A single episode of heavy drinking can weaken the function of the esophageal sphincter, which may lead to acid reflux and heartburn. Alcohol can also impede the muscles around the stomach and small intestines, interfering with gastric and intestinal motility. And alcohol misuse is associated with colon and rectum tumors.
Fibrosis is the buildup of scar tissue resulting from chronic liver damage/inflammation. While steatosis is an early, often reversible stage of fatty liver disease, fibrosis indicates more advanced damage that can lead to cirrhosis or liver failure if left untreated. Steatosis is "fat accumulation," while fibrosis is "liver scarring."
What are the symptoms of hepatitis?
Hepatitis can be sneaky. You may not notice changes in your body right away. When you do, you may notice symptoms like:
Imaging tests to visualize your liver and look for signs of inflammation and damage, such as an ultrasound, FibroScan® (where available), CT scan or MRI. (Jim got a PET/CT exam which did indicate that he has an enlarged liver and an enlarged spleen.)
An enlarged liver and spleen, known medically as hepatosplenomegaly, means both organs have swollen beyond their normal size, usually indicating an underlying disease rather than a disease itself. It often stems from infections, liver disease (cirrhosis, fatty liver), blood disorders (leukemia), or metabolic conditions, requiring prompt medical evaluation.
Alcoholic Hepatitis symptoms can be concerning and diagnosing the disease can be complicated. In this video, we discuss the symptoms of Alcoholic Hepatitis - fever, loss of appetite, abdominal swelling - ascites, right upper quadrant pain, and jaundice. Additionally, we discuss how Alcoholic Hepatitis is different from other conditions with similar symptoms. Lab tests, which help diagnose Alcoholic Hepatitis, are explained in detail. An abdominal ultrasound and an endoscopy can be very helping to evaluate Alcoholic Hepatitis. Finally, we explain why if someone stops drinking, their Alcoholic Hepatitis takes time to go away.
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Here are some things to know about leptin sensitivity:
- The amount of leptin in the blood is directly proportional to the amount of body fat. People with obesity have high levels of leptin, which can lead to leptin resistance
Leptin resistance can be caused by mutations in genes that encode leptin and its receptors. Other factors that can contribute to leptin resistance include chronic inflammation and high levels of triglycerides.
Leptin resensitization is when the body regains its sensitivity to leptin. This can be achieved through treatments that reduce body fat, or by taking certain pharmacological compounds
Dietary interventions like energy restriction and fasting can help restore leptin sensitivity.
Leptin works with insulin to regulate glucose homeostasis. Leptin can decrease glycemia, insulinemia, and insulin resistance.
As alcohol enters into digestion, it is split into 2 compounds: fat and acetate. The fat is taken through the bloodstream and stored where one tends to deposit fat (stomach). The acetate is taken into the bloodstream and used as a primary energy fuel.
This means that rather than burning carbs, protein or fat as a fuel, the body relies on the acetate for energy – it stops burning anything else. Now there is a surplus of carbs, protein and fat circulating in the body with nowhere to go. Where does it end up? It is converted into fat and deposited on the waistline. Drinking in the morning ruins your metabolism and liver and increases insulin level to get rid of the glucose, making you lethargic as well.
In addition to leptin sensitivity, you have the hormone ghrelin to deal with as well. Grehlin promotes fat storage. Ghrelin, often called the "hunger hormone," is produced in the stomach and plays a crucial role in regulating appetite and food intake. Too much ghrelin and not enough leptin slows the metabolism and causes fat storage.
The #1 Thing that STOPS You From Losing Belly Fat:
Not Sugar or Carbs
How Alcohol Affects the Body:
Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It slows down brain activity and can impact mood, behavior, and self-control. Alcohol can also lead to problems with memory, thinking clearly, and coordination.
Short-Term Effects:
- Relaxation or drowsiness: Alcohol can initially cause a feeling of relaxation.
- Impaired judgment and coordination: As blood alcohol levels rise, speech may become slurred, balance and coordination can be impaired, and reflexes can be slowed.
- Mood changes: Alcohol can alter mood, sometimes leading to impulsive or risky behavior.
- Nausea and vomiting: Heavy alcohol consumption can irritate the stomach lining and cause nausea and vomiting.
- Memory impairment: High alcohol levels can affect the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory formation, potentially leading to blackouts.
Long-Term Effects:
- Damage to organs: Chronic heavy drinking can lead to serious health problems, including liver disease (cirrhosis), heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
- Weakened immune system: Excessive alcohol use can weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections like pneumonia and tuberculosis.
- Mental health issues: Alcohol can disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, potentially worsening symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Alcohol use disorder (AUD): Regular and heavy alcohol consumption can lead to dependence and addiction, also known as alcohol use disorder (AUD).
- Other health concerns: Alcohol can also impact bone density, muscle mass, sexual function, and fertility.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Extra Calories: Alcohol is calorie-dense, and these calories are not readily burned for energy. Instead, they can be stored as fat, especially in the abdominal area.
Prioritized Breakdown of Alcohol: When you drink, your liver prioritizes breaking down alcohol before other nutrients. This can lead to a slower breakdown of fats and carbohydrates, potentially resulting in their storage as fat.
Increased Appetite and Impaired Judgment: Alcohol can stimulate appetite and impair judgment, leading to overeating, which can further contribute to weight gain and abdominal fat.
Stress Hormone Release: Alcohol can cause the release of stress hormones, which have been linked to weight gain, particularly in the stomach area.
Alcohol and Fat Distribution: Research suggests that alcohol consumption, even in moderate amounts, can be associated with increased visceral fat and changes in body fat distribution.
You may already be aware of some of the more unsavory side effects of alcohol, especially when you overdo it. It can increase anxiety, heighten your blood pressure and even affect your brain. But there are a few specific ways it can affect your weight, too.
Alcohol can affect your weight by:
Providing empty calories. Alcoholic beverages are often high in calories. For instance, a standard drink (about 14 grams of pure alcohol) contains around 100 to 150 calories. Mixed drinks, beers and wines can have even more calories due to added sugars and other ingredients.
Slowing your metabolism. When you consume alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing it over other nutrients. This can slow down the fat-burning process, as your body focuses on processing the alcohol first.
Causing food cravings. As Dr. Heinberg notes, alcohol also impairs judgment. That means we may go out to eat with the best intentions for making healthy choices. But once we’ve had a cocktail, we might be inclined to go for a deep-fried appetizer instead of vegetables.
“Often, any beverages are a big source of empty calories — whether it’s soda, juice, sweet tea, beer, wine or cocktails,” she clarifies. “Any of those things add calories, but really, without nutrition and without the sense of feeling full.”
To give you an idea, here’s about how many calories are in common alcoholic drinks:
Beer: 150 calories in a 12-ounce glass.
Wine: 100 calories in a 5-ounce glass.
Distilled alcohol (gin, rum and vodka): About 100 calories in a 1.5-ounce serving.
And when it comes to sweeter drinks like pina coladas, those can get you up to 500 calories for a 7-ounce glass (or more!). Let's look at the calories a bit further.
Wine = 105 K in 5oz; 34 glasses in 5 liter box = 3,570 K
Beer = 140 K in 8oz x 7 = 980 K
Liquor = 110 K in 1.5oz = 17 in 750 ml = 1,650 K
99 mimi = 155K in 1.7oz x 7 = 1,085 K
7,285 K per week
÷ 7 = 1,040 K per day
How can you lose weight when you drink that many calories in one day??
Waist measurement: Wrap a tape measure around your waist just above your hip bones. Basically, it's the halfway point between the lowest rib & the top of your hip bone -- just above the belly button. For women, 35 inches or more means you’re at risk for health problems stemming from visceral fat. For men, the number is 40 inches or more.
Waist-to-hip ratio: Measure your waist size and your hip size (wrap a tape measure around the widest part of your hips). Divide your waist size by your hip size. A waist-to-hip ratio higher than 0.85 in women and 0.90 in men indicates abdominal obesity.
Body mass index (BMI): BMI measures your body fat based on your height and weight. A BMI of 30 or more (in men and women) indicates you may be overweight and could have a higher level of visceral fat.
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Waist-height ratio: Divide your waist size by your height. A healthy ratio is no greater than 0.5 (in men and women). Some healthcare providers prefer the waist-height ratio. Other methods aren’t as accurate at distinguishing between visceral and subcutaneous fat.
What are the health risks associated with visceral fat?
Having visceral fat in the belly is a sign of metabolic syndrome, a collection of disorders that include high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance. Together, these increase the risk of stroke, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Having too much visceral fat in the belly is also linked to a higher risk of:
dementia
cancer
asthma
liver disease, gall bladder disease and gout
fertility problems
lower back pain
osteoarthritis
cancer
asthma
liver disease, gall bladder disease and gout
fertility problems
lower back pain
osteoarthritis
What really happens to your body when you drink alcohol? In this candid conversation, Dr. Zalzal and Dr. Weening share their medical expertise on the effects of alcohol on your health. From the myths that surround drinking to the hard facts, they’ll break down everything you need to know to make informed decisions about alcohol. In this video, you’ll discover:
⭐The immediate and long-term effects of alcohol on the body
⭐The connection between alcohol and chronic diseases like heart disease and liver damage
⭐Mental health impacts of drinking and how it affects your mood and behavior
⭐Common misconceptions about alcohol, and what the science really says
A nybody becomes addicted to alcohol at any stage of their
life; then, one can easily predict where his life will end. Hence getting your
alcohol consumption under control, or stopping it completely, should be your
priority. Many health-related benefits are immediately apparent from the moment
you stop drinking alcohol. Your sleep will improve, your productivity will
increase, your energy levels will rise, and overall better health will begin.
What effect does alcohol have on joints and arthritis?
Recent research suggests that alcohol causes inflammation in the intestines and impairs the body’s ability to regulate that inflammation. In turn, inflammation worsens alcohol-related organ damage. Ultimately, excessive drinking can have serious implications for long-term health.
For those living with arthritis, alcohol complicates arthritis symptoms in several ways.
Alcohol consumption increases systemic inflammation, which can exacerbate joint swelling and stiffness. For individuals with arthritis, this often results in more frequent and severe pain flare-ups following alcohol use.
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Alcohol and Joint Pain
In this article, "Do you know alcohol is silently killing your bones?" “Alcohol consumption is the largest cause of avascular necrosis( AVN) or damage to the femoral head (hip joint)’’ - Dr. Ameet Pispati, Consultant Orthopedic surgeon, Jaslok hospital, Mumbai.
"Heavy alcohol intake over a long period leads to abnormal lipid metabolism, the leading risk factor of alcohol-induced avascular necrosis. Alcohol consumption can significantly increase serum triglyceride and cholesterol (lipid) levels and fat deposition into the bone marrow. It results in a lack of blood flow to bone cells, which leads to bone cell death/necrosis."
Alcohol also affects the muscles. Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to a loss of muscle mass. It increases lactic acid, which leads to muscle cramps, fatigue and muscle pain. As per a research article published in the journal of Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health, alcohol intake is the leading cause for the majority of the cases of osteonecrosis (also known as avascular necrosis or bone infarction, a chronic condition that occurs when a bone's blood supply is disrupted, causing bone tissue to die) of the femoral head (ONFH).
Alcoholic "myopathy" is a disease that causes increased muscle weakness and changes in muscle structure, making muscles smaller and less able to function. Symptoms of muscle myopathy are numbness or pain in arms and legs, pins and needles feeling, weakness, cramps, aches, contractions, spasms in muscles; difficulty urinating, constipation or diarrhea, trouble swallowing, nausea and/or vomiting, impotence, and damage to heart (cardiomyopathy).
Alcoholism and poor nutrition often go hand in hand. Heavy drinkers often replace food in the diet. Alcohol decreases the body's ability to absorb nutrients it needs from food, further affecting muscle health.
Alcohol disrupts the electrolyte balance in your body. Your muscles need electrolytes to function properly. Dehydration causes muscles to fatigue more quickly, which leads to pain and soreness.
How do I know if my hip pain is muscle or bone?
Problems within
the hip joint itself tend to result
in pain on the inside of the hip or the groin. Hip pain on the outside of the
hip, upper thigh or outer buttock is usually caused by problems with muscles,
ligaments, tendons and other soft tissues that surround the hip joint.
Alcohol's inflammatory effects can aggravate both degenerative joint pain from osteoarthritis and auto-immune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis may flare up in response to a particular type of whiskey or beer. Alcohol's effects on immune function can also inhibit normal joint healing.
If you suffer from the pain and stiffness of arthritis, you can benefit from an understanding of how your own daily habits and behaviors contribute to your condition.
Various research studies have
associated alcohol consumption with both positive and negative effects on many
kinds of ailments, including arthritis. For instance, one study discovered a
correlation between beer drinking and higher risks of knee and hip osteoarthritis,
while another found that red wine can actually ease symptoms.
Whatever the cocktail of
choice, too much alcohol can make some people’s arthritis worse. Too much of
any kind of alcoholic beverage can trigger flare-ups of gout, an agonizing form
of arthritis caused by the buildup of uric acid in the joints. In fact, even
moderate drinking can raise your gout recurrence risk by 41 percent.
Alcohol’s inflammatory effects
can aggravate both degenerative joint pain from osteoarthritis and auto-immune
conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis may flare up in
response to a particular type of whiskey or beer. Alcohol’s effects on immune
function can also inhibit normal joint healing.
In your arthritis
consultations, always discuss your alcohol intake honestly and accurately with
your doctor, who can tell you whether cutting down your intake might improve
your symptoms and overall wellness. If even moderate drinking seems to
aggravate your arthritis, you may need to give up the habit entirely.
Is walking good for hip pain?
Walking can help reduce stiffness, as the hip flexors are loosened up, which improves hip flexibility and range of motion. Reduce inflammation in the hips. Arthritis causes chronic inflammation, and walking as a form of exercise boosts blood flow to your hip joint cartilage, which helps decrease inflammation.
Alcohol can be a culprit in chronic inflammation due to the toxins released when it’s metabolized and its detrimental effects on gut health. However, if you enjoy having a drink from time to time, just be sure to limit it to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women, and try selecting drinks with less added sugars and a lower alcohol by volume.
Increased
Inflammation and Pain
Alcohol consumption has been found to contribute to
increased inflammation in the body, which can worsen arthritis symptoms.
Inflammation is a key driver of pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints for
individuals with arthritis. Moreover, alcohol can interfere with the body's
natural inflammatory response, leading to a heightened inflammatory state.
A study conducted on individuals with rheumatoid arthritis found that those who consumed alcohol regularly experienced higher levels of inflammatory markers in their blood compared to non-drinkers or those who consumed alcohol in moderation. This suggests a link between alcohol consumption and increased inflammation, which can intensify arthritis symptoms.
Potential Joint Damage
Excessive alcohol consumption may also contribute to potential joint damage in individuals with arthritis. Alcohol can interfere with the body's ability to absorb and utilize essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D, which are vital for maintaining healthy bones and joints. Over time, this nutrient deficiency can weaken the bones and increase the risk of joint damage and deterioration.
Furthermore, alcohol abuse can lead to a condition called alcoholic arthropathy (Alcohol arthropathy is a type of joint disease that can be caused by alcohol abuse and neuropathy. It's also known as Charcot foot or Charcot arthropathy. Symptoms are warmth, swelling, and redness in the foot, pain in the foot, difficulty walking, feet turning inward while walking). Characterized by
joint pain, swelling, and deformity. This condition primarily affects
weight-bearing joints such as the knees, hips, and ankles. The combination of
alcohol-induced inflammation and joint stress can accelerate joint damage and
worsen arthritis symptoms.
Why Alcohol Causes Muscle Pain
Several mechanisms contribute to body aches and muscle discomfort after heavy drinking:
- Alcoholic Myopathy: Chronic, excessive alcohol use or sudden binge drinking can damage skeletal muscles, leading to a condition known as alcoholic myopathy. It causes muscle tenderness, weakness, cramping, and a decrease in muscle mass, typically in the shoulders and pelvis.
- Acetaldehyde Toxicity: As your liver breaks down alcohol, it produces a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde. This compound causes oxidative damage to muscle fibers and inhibits normal muscle contraction, leading to widespread pain and exhaustion.
- Nutritional and Electrolyte Imbalances: Chronic alcohol abuse blocks the absorption of essential nutrients like protein, B vitamins, and Vitamin D. It also disrupts calcium and potassium levels, which are critical for proper muscle function.
- Dehydration: Alcohol is a diuretic that flushes water from your body, resulting in dehydration that triggers painful muscle spasms and cramps.
Frequent alcohol consumption is harmful to health, and it
has an undesirable impact on every system of the human body. When the body
contains more alcohol than the digestive system can digest, the excess alcohol
builds up in the bloodstream, leading to changes in normal body functions and
developing many chronic diseases. Excessive alcohol consumption is a
considerable risk factor for developing osteonecrosis/ avascular necrosis (AVN)
of the hip joint. (Necrosis = death of cells through disease or injury)
"As we know, the hip joint is a ball and socket joint. Too much alcohol can affect blood supply, and without blood, the bone tissues die. The patient can develop symptoms such as pain in front of the thigh, knee, lateral part of the hip or groin" - Dr. Deen Muhammad Ismail, head and director, institute of orthopedics and traumatology, Madras Medical College.
Now it's clear, the more alcohol consumption, the more
chances to develop osteonecrosis (death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood
supply). Avascular necrosis is
associated with long-term steroid use and drinking too much alcohol. It’s most
common in people between the ages of 30 and 60 and often affects the hip. Early
stages may be symptom-free. Eventually, the affected joint may hurt when weight
is put on it or when lying down. Treatment includes physical therapy, surgery
and medications.
Several treatment options are available for osteonecrosis,
which only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. OSSGROW® cell therapy offers curative (as it addresses the root cause), less invasive, and permanent
treatment for osteonecrosis. OSSGROW® cell therapy initiates new bone
formation in the affected area. It helps to stop disease progression
completely, and slowly, the joint regains its structure, strength, and
function; hence your natural hip joint gets preserved.
As scientists investigate the causes of dangerous and deadly diseases, they’ve found one factor common to almost all of them: chronic inflammation. Could alcohol be connected? Is alcohol inflammatory? Chronic inflammation plays a role in cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and possibly depression. It’s also been linked to alcohol-related medical conditions, like liver disease.
Recent research suggests that alcohol causes inflammation in the intestines and impairs the body’s ability to regulate that inflammation. In turn, inflammation worsens alcohol-related organ damage. Ultimately, excessive drinking can have serious implications for long-term health.
Alcohol can take a serious toll on the joints, but how does this happen? Long-term heavy drinking triggers complex changes inside the body that lead to joint discomfort and damage.
Joint pain is not an isolated symptom, and it often signals systemic effects of alcohol on the body. Recognizing this connection is a crucial step toward recovery and improved health. For many, pain arises soon after drinking, reflecting the body’s immediate inflammatory response.
Alcohol consumption increases systemic inflammation, which can exacerbate joint swelling and stiffness. For individuals with arthritis, this often results in more frequent and severe pain flare-ups following alcohol use.
Alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of arthritis treatment by impairing the body’s ability to absorb and metabolize medications. This disruption may reduce responsiveness to anti-inflammatory agents and pain relievers, complicating symptom management.
Chronic alcohol use negatively affects liver function, limiting safe medication options for arthritis care. Consequently, healthcare providers may be forced to prescribe less effective alternatives, hindering optimal disease control.
Regular alcohol intake may accelerate joint degeneration, contributing to faster arthritis progression and reduced mobility. Prolonged inflammation can damage cartilage and connective tissues, increasing pain and impairing daily functioning.
Understanding the connection between alcohol and joint pain is crucial for managing further damage. Entering recovery will help protect the body from further damage.
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ALCOHOL AND HEART DISEASE
But it’s hard to determine cause and effect from those studies. Perhaps people who sip red wine have higher incomes, which tend to be associated with more education and greater access to healthier foods. Similarly, red wine drinkers might be more likely to eat a heart-healthy diet.
There is some evidence that moderate amounts of alcohol might help to slightly raise levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. Researchers have also suggested that red wine, in particular, might protect the heart, thanks to the antioxidants it contains.
But you don’t have to pop a cork to reap those benefits. Exercise can also boost HDL cholesterol levels, and antioxidants can be found in other foods, such as fruits, vegetables and grape juice.
How Much Alcohol Is Too Much?
Whether or not moderate drinking is good for your heart is open to debate. However, for most people, it doesn’t appear to be harmful to the heart — but the key word is “moderate.”
Moderate drinking is defined as an average of one drink per day for women and one or two for men. A drink might be less than you think: 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits.
Some people should avoid even that much and not drink at all if they have certain heart rhythm abnormalities or have heart failure.
Does Excessive Drinking Contribute to Heart Disease?
Heavy drinking, on the other hand, is linked to a number of poor health outcomes, including heart conditions. Excessive alcohol intake can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure or stroke. Excessive drinking can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects the heart muscle.
What’s more, alcohol can contribute to obesity and the long list of health problems that can go along with it. Alcohol is a source of excess calories and a cause of weight gain that can be harmful in the long term.
The takeaway is what you probably already knew: If you choose to drink alcohol, stick to moderate levels of drinking, and don’t overdo it.
Drinking alcohol — even in moderate amounts — can increase your triglyceride levels. And high triglyceride levels can raise your risk of certain health conditions, including stroke, heart attack, and liver disease. What is the normal range for triglycerides? It should be below 100.
Moderate drinking is defined as, at most, one standard drink per day for women and two for men. Heavy drinking is defined as more than four drinks per day for women and five or more for men.
Moderate drinking is defined as, at most, one standard drink per day for women and two for men. Heavy drinking is defined as more than four drinks per day for women and five or more for men.
Triglycerides are the form of fat in your body. When you eat, the extra calories, sugar, and alcohol that your body doesn’t need right away are converted into triglycerides and stored in fat cells. Your body stores and uses this type of fat for energy between meals.
Your body needs some triglycerides to remain healthy. However, triglycerides can rise to an unhealthy level if you:
frequently eat foods that are high in fat and sugar
frequently eat more than your body uses
don’t exercise regularly
drink too much alcohol
frequently eat more than your body uses
don’t exercise regularly
drink too much alcohol
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ALCOHOL AND HYPERTENSION
High blood pressure in most people is caused by a known set of causes, and removing these causes brings your blood pressure down. Do you take 1-3 pills each day for your high blood pressure? Reversing your high blood pressure enough to stop even one daily pill will be a victory you can accomplish. If in the process of reversing your high blood pressure you also lose some weight and decrease your aches and pains, please don't be upset.
Many other problems can be corrected with these same 9 easy steps. Just don't fall for the 3 myths you might have heard...
Alcohol-induced hypertension is a form of secondary hypertension where excessive, habitual, or binge drinking raises blood pressure, often creating resistance to antihypertensive medication. Even one drink daily can elevate blood pressure, with risks significantly increasing for those consuming more than three drinks per session or chronic heavy drinkers.
- Alcohol raises blood pressure through sympathetic nervous system stimulation, increased renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activity, cortisol elevation, and reduced baroreceptor sensitivity.
- Impact on Pressure: Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure rise with alcohol consumption. Chronic, heavy drinking is strongly linked to sustained hypertension, whereas moderate consumption may have a lesser impact, though no amount is considered entirely risk-free.
- Reversibility: Reducing or stopping alcohol consumption often leads to a significant decrease in blood pressure.
- Secondary Effects: Alcohol acts as a catalyst for other secondary causes of hypertension, such as promoting obesity and obstructive sleep apnea.
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Alcohol and stomach/digestive issues
When referring to alcohol's effect on the gut, the term "alcohol" specifically relates to ethanol, the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. This includes drinks like beer, wine, and spirits. Ethanol is a toxic substance that can damage the gut lining, disrupt the gut microbiome, and contribute to inflammation and other health issues.
Ethanol is a molecule produced when sugars ferment. Different types of alcoholic drinks contain varying amounts of ethanol: For example, beer generally has a lower alcohol content than wine, while spirits like vodka and whiskey have higher concentrations.
Ethanol can damage the intestinal lining, leading to a "leaky gut" where harmful substances can enter the bloodstream. It can also disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut (dysbiosis), potentially increasing inflammation and impacting digestion.
The liver plays a primary role in breaking down ethanol, but some metabolism also occurs in the gut, where it can contribute to inflammation and other issues.
Alcohol-induced digestive disorders and mucosal damage in the GI tract can cause a variety of medical problems. These include a loss of appetite and a multitude of abdominal complaints, such as nausea, vomiting, feelings of fullness, flatulence, and abdominal pain.
When alcohol is consumed, the alcoholic beverages first pass through the various segments of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Accordingly, alcohol may interfere with the structure as well as the function of GI-tract segments. For example, alcohol can impair the function of the muscles separating the esophagus from the stomach, thereby favoring the occurrence of heartburn.
Alcohol-induced damage to the mucosal lining of the esophagus also increases the risk of esophageal cancer. In the stomach, alcohol interferes with gastric acid secretion and with the activity of the muscles surrounding the stomach. Similarly, alcohol may impair the muscle movement in the small and large intestines, contributing to the diarrhea frequently observed in alcoholics. Moreover, alcohol inhibits the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine and increases the transport of toxins across the intestinal walls, effects that may contribute to the development of alcohol-related damage to the liver and other organs.
Given the multiple organs and components of the digestive system—and the fact that they’re involved in alcohol consumption, metabolism, and/or elimination—alcohol can have myriad effects on the digestive system. Here’s how that works.
The digestive system is made up of the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder along with the entire gastrointestinal tract (aka GI tract and digestive tract). The GI tract comprises a series of hollow organs starting at the mouth and leading through the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine to the anus.
When someone drinks alcohol, it enters the blood stream via the stomach and small intestine, where it is distributed throughout the body and is drained into the liver. Furthermore, when it comes to alcohol and the digestive system, many people are familiar with conditions related to the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder—such as cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and more. However, alcohol can affect myriad organs and functions in the digestion system from the point it enters the body until it is metabolized or excreted.
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What alcohol does to the body:
(1) It changes the way the body burns fat. When you drink, your body is more focused on breaking down alcohol rather than burning fat. Instead of burning fat, your body is burning the calories from the alcohol.
(2) It lowers testosterone levels. Testosterone is the hormone that affects weighty loss and the ability to gain lean muscle. Alcohol interferers with the messengers in the brain that tell the penis to fill with blood, thus lowering testosterone. My blog on Testosterone.
(3) The risk for long-term ED has been linked to chronic heavy use of alcohol. Men who are dependent on alcohol have a 60-70% chance of suffering from sexual problems.
(4) It causes arrhythmias, cirrhosis, risk of stroke, and it worsens health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and increases belly fat.
(5) Your body treats alcohol like a poison. It shuts down all other metabolic pathways to focus on metabolizing the alcohol.
(6) Alcohol also affects the muscles in your blood vessels, causing them to become narrower, causing high blood pressure.
(7) Alcohol irritates the digestive system and changes how the body absorbs fluids. It may change the regularity of a person's bowel movements, causing either diarrhea or constipation.
(8) Alcohol is a diuretic, which causes the body to make more urine than normal. This can lead to dehydration because a person is urinating more often but not taking in enough fluids.
How does alcohol affect the gut microbiome? Why do you need a healthy gut?
Alcohol consumption can significantly impact the gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that reside in the digestive tract. Here's how alcohol affects the gut microbiome:
Disruption of Bacterial Balance:
Alcohol can disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to a condition called dysbiosis. This imbalance can favor the growth of harmful bacteria, while reducing the abundance of beneficial bacteria.
Alcohol can disrupt the delicate balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to a condition called dysbiosis. This imbalance can favor the growth of harmful bacteria, while reducing the abundance of beneficial bacteria.
Increased Inflammation:
Alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation in the gut, which can further disrupt the microbiome. Inflammatory mediators released by the immune system can damage bacterial cells and alter their metabolic activities.
Alcohol consumption can trigger inflammation in the gut, which can further disrupt the microbiome. Inflammatory mediators released by the immune system can damage bacterial cells and alter their metabolic activities.
Reduced Beneficial Bacteria:
Alcohol can directly inhibit the growth of certain beneficial bacteria, such as butyrate-producing bacteria and Akkermansia muciniphila. These bacteria play crucial roles in maintaining gut health, producing nutrients, and protecting against inflammation.
Alcohol can directly inhibit the growth of certain beneficial bacteria, such as butyrate-producing bacteria and Akkermansia muciniphila. These bacteria play crucial roles in maintaining gut health, producing nutrients, and protecting against inflammation.
Increased Pathogenic Bacteria:
On the other hand, alcohol can promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile. These bacteria can cause gastrointestinal infections, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
On the other hand, alcohol can promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Clostridium difficile. These bacteria can cause gastrointestinal infections, such as diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Altered Liver Function:
Alcohol metabolism in the liver can generate toxic substances that can damage the gut microbiome. These substances can kill beneficial bacteria and alter the gut environment.
Alcohol metabolism in the liver can generate toxic substances that can damage the gut microbiome. These substances can kill beneficial bacteria and alter the gut environment.
Long-Term Effects:
Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to significant changes in the gut microbiome, which may contribute to the development of alcohol-related diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and gastrointestinal cancer.
Chronic alcohol consumption can lead to significant changes in the gut microbiome, which may contribute to the development of alcohol-related diseases, such as liver cirrhosis and gastrointestinal cancer.
Here are some interesting facts:
- Did you know that the bacteria in your gut help you metabolize alcohol?
- This is one of the many reasons why we all tolerate alcohol in different ways.
- If you have less of this helpful bacteria, it will affect how well your body can detoxify alcohol [1]
- In excess, alcohol can inhibit the production of digestive enzymes and juices, meaning it becomes more difficult for your body to breakdown, digest, and absorb nutrients from your food [2].
- Partially digested food can cause excessive fermentation in your gut (hello bloating, gas and loose stools).
- Excessive alcohol consumption can cause inflammation in your gut, which can result in the wall of your gut lining becoming more ‘permeable’.
- This means that whole food particles may cross the gut lining and enter your bloodstream, which you don’t want!
- This can set off a cascade of immune responses and you could find yourself unable to tolerate foods you once could without symptoms.
- Chronic alcohol consumption may result in bacterial overgrowth and dysbiosis and the overall composition of the gut microbiome.
- There is some research in rodents that might support the use of probiotics to reduce the effect of alcohol-induced changes to the gut bacteria.
- Excessive alcohol can increase your desire to consume processed foods (we’ve all been there chowing down on a late-night snack when maybe we aren’t actually hungry).
- Increased consumption of highly processed foods can wreak havoc on your gut microbiome.
- Obviously, once in a while isn’t going to do you harm but be mindful about how alcohol affects your consumption of other foods.
First, alcohol can change the composition, or balance, of the gut microbiome. This can cause the gut microbiome to go from a state of homeostasis where everything is happy and calm into a state of dysbiosis where things start to go out of whack.
The gut microbiome works to metabolize the different components of alcoholic drinks. In doing so, it creates products, called metabolites, that are used to signal between the gut microbiome, liver and blood. Some of the metabolites that are created when your body breaks down alcohol can be toxic.
There is a protective mucus layer on the intestinal lining of our gut. When our gut microbiome starts to get out of balance, it begins to eat at the protective layers between the gut, the rest of our body and our circulating blood. This causes a change in gut integrity, or a leaky gut.
Alcoholic drinks contain ethanol. Ethanol is considered a carcinogen. It's a toxin that causes DNA damage and ramps up reactive oxygen species, which are mechanisms associated with cancer.
If you have a leaky gut, toxins from metabolizing alcohol can get into the bloodstream and cause things to go awry beyond the gut microbiome, usually starting with the liver.
However, these toxins can also increase cancer risk outside the gastrointestinal system. Cancers that are linked to drinking alcohol include:
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ALCOHOL AND YOUR LIVER
It's all inter-related so some information here is about the gut and some about the liver.
The four stages of liver disease are: Hepatitis; Fibrosis; Cirrhosis; and Liver Failure.
Another doctor lists the stages of liver disease as follows:
(1) Steatosis -- aka "fatty liver." Steatosis is the accumulation of fat in liver cells, often caused by metabolic issues. 20-40% of people with steatosis will progress to the second stage. Caused by obesity, type 2 diabetes, poor diet, high cholesterol, or alcohol.
(2) Steatohepatitis (hepatitis) -- aka "inflamed liver." Inflammation results in actual damage. The liver cells swell and then die. Liver enzyme tests and imaging tests show the damage. Eventually the liver stops regenerating and develops scar tissue. Once the liver has developed scar tissue, the person begins to experience the symptoms of liver failure.
Steatohepatitis affects the muscles and joints due to underlying inflammation, muscle wasting and bone problems. Systemic inflammation can release inflammatory signals that affect joints, causing pain and stiffness.
MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associatd steatohpatitis) is linked to metabolic syndrome, obesity and diabetes, risk factors for arthritis and other inflammatory joint conditions.
What are the signs and symptoms of alcohol-induced hepatitis?
If you only have mild or early hepatitis, you might not have any symptoms. As the disease progresses, you may begin to notice: Tenderness or soreness in your upper right abdomen, where your liver is.
(3) Cirrhosis -- aka "liver failure." The symptoms include: jaundice, confusion, lack of body hair, muscle wasting, widened blood vessels, ascites (fluid build-up), red palms.
Alcohol-induced Hepatitis. Alcohol-induced hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by alcohol use. Too much alcohol overloads the liver with toxins that injure the tissues.
What are the signs and symptoms of alcohol-induced hepatitis?
If you only have mild or early hepatitis, you might not have any symptoms. As the disease progresses, you may begin to notice: Tenderness or soreness in your upper right abdomen, where your liver is.
Hepatitis can be sneaky. You may not notice changes in your body right away. When you do, you may notice symptoms like:
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Feeling weak or generally uncomfortable
Fever (if you have a viral infection)
Nausea or loss of appetite
Pain on the right side of your upper belly
How is alcohol-induced hepatitis diagnosed?
Your healthcare provider will begin by asking about your health history, including alcohol use. If they suspect an alcohol use disorder, they will examine you for signs of related organ damage. This may involve several tests, including:
Fatigue
Feeling weak or generally uncomfortable
Fever (if you have a viral infection)
Nausea or loss of appetite
Pain on the right side of your upper belly
Visibly swollen or enlarged liver.
A distended abdomen, or swelling with fluid in your abdomen.
Loss of appetite and weight loss.
Nausea.
Light-colored stools that float.
A distended abdomen, or swelling with fluid in your abdomen.
Loss of appetite and weight loss.
Nausea.
Light-colored stools that float.
Your healthcare provider will begin by asking about your health history, including alcohol use. If they suspect an alcohol use disorder, they will examine you for signs of related organ damage. This may involve several tests, including:
Blood tests. A complete blood count (CBC) screens for a variety of disorders, while liver function tests check specifically for elevated liver enzymes. Blood and urine (pee) alcohol screens, such as phosphatidyl ethanol and urine ethyl glucuronide, are becoming more common. The liver function tests are ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and PT. Jim's liver function tests are very high. His ALT, AST and ALP are way above the norm; the last GGT and PT test in Oct. 2024 but both above the norm.)
Imaging tests to visualize your liver and look for signs of inflammation and damage, such as an ultrasound, FibroScan® (where available), CT scan or MRI. (Jim got a PET/CT exam which did indicate that he has an enlarged liver and an enlarged spleen.)
Liver Disease: Cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, and congestion from heart failure. Because both organs play vital roles—the liver filters blood and processes nutrients, while the spleen removes old blood cells and fights infection—their enlargement suggests the body is struggling with a significant issue, such as inflammation, infection, or infiltration by cancer cells.
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When the spleen is also enlarged, this may be a sign of advanced liver disease. An enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and liver (hepatomegaly) are common findings in various liver diseases. An enlarged spleen and liver disease from alcohol are interconnected, often occurring in advanced stages like cirrhosis. Heavy alcohol consumption leads to liver damage, inflammation, and scarring (fibrosis), which causes portal hypertension, or high blood pressure in the vein that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver. This increased pressure can cause blood to back up, leading to an enlarged spleen.
[Jim's October 21, 2025 CT/PET exam: "Increased in size of the liver and spleen compared to prior CT/PET. Impression: Increase in size of the liver and spleen, now with hepatomegaly."] Hepatomegaly = abnormal enlargement of the liver, typically caused by underlying conditions like fatty liver disease, hepatitis, congestive heart failure, or cancer. Symptoms: right upper abdominal pain; fullness (bloating); fatigue; jaundice; itchy skin; enlarged spleen.
Recent research suggests that chronic, excessive alcohol use promotes inflammation and other forms of damage in the GI tract and organs of the digestive system. This includes:
- Chronic liver disease.
- Pancreatitis.
- Alcohol-involved gastritis (inflammation of the stomach and small intestine).
- Increased risk of GI cancers.
Heavy alcohol consumption can exacerbate certain GI conditions and can lead to damage within the GI tract. In large amounts, alcohol and its metabolites can overwhelm the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and liver and lead to damage both within the GI and in other organs. Specifically, alcohol and its metabolites promote intestinal inflammation through multiple pathways. That inflammatory response, in turn, exacerbates alcohol-induced organ damage, creating a vicious cycle and leading to additional deleterious effects of alcohol both locally and systemically.
This review summarizes the mechanisms by which chronic alcohol intake leads to intestinal inflammation, including altering intestinal microbiota composition and function, increasing the permeability of the intestinal lining, and affecting the intestinal immune homeostasis. Understanding the mechanisms of alcohol-induced intestinal inflammation can aid in the discovery of therapeutic approaches to mitigate alcohol-induced organ dysfunctions.1. Acid reflux.
Drinking alcohol relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally prevents acid in your stomach from backing up into your esophagus. The sphincter doesn’t work as well when it has been relaxed by alcohol, so you are more likely to experience acid reflux, commonly called heartburn, after drinking.
“Almost everyone experiences occasional acid reflux, and for most people it’s not a serious problem,” Dr. Haque says. “But for people who frequently drink too much, acid reflux can become a chronic and serious problem.” Over time, repeated acid reflux can lead to more serious conditions, such as Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal cancer. In some cases, people may need surgery.
2. Diarrhea.
Everyone has a mix of “good” and “bad” bacteria in their gut. Drinking too much alcohol disrupts the normal balance, increasing the bacteria that cause inflammation and irritation in the gut while decreasing the bacteria that aid in digestion. Excessive bad bacteria can lead to a “leaky gut,” in which gaps in the intestinal wall allow bacteria and other toxins into the bloodstream.
“To explain leaky gut, I tell patients to think of their intestinal lining as a brick wall. When there are cracks in the mortar between the bricks, water can leak through. In leaky gut, alcohol causes cracks in the ‘mortar’ of the intestinal wall.”
Excessive alcohol consumption leads to leaky gut, decreases gut absorption and increases the production of bile in the liver, all of which can lead to diarrhea, Dr. Haque says.
3. Gastritis.
Drinking too much alcohol disrupts the production of mucus that lines the stomach, which can cause the stomach lining to become inflamed. This condition is called gastritis. Symptoms of gastritis include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
“Repeated episodes of gastritis can lead to more serious conditions such as ulcers, anemia or stomach cancer,” Dr. Haque says.
“Almost everyone experiences occasional acid reflux, and for most people it’s not a serious problem,” Dr. Haque says. “But for people who frequently drink too much, acid reflux can become a chronic and serious problem.” Over time, repeated acid reflux can lead to more serious conditions, such as Barrett’s esophagus or esophageal cancer. In some cases, people may need surgery.
2. Diarrhea.
Everyone has a mix of “good” and “bad” bacteria in their gut. Drinking too much alcohol disrupts the normal balance, increasing the bacteria that cause inflammation and irritation in the gut while decreasing the bacteria that aid in digestion. Excessive bad bacteria can lead to a “leaky gut,” in which gaps in the intestinal wall allow bacteria and other toxins into the bloodstream.
“To explain leaky gut, I tell patients to think of their intestinal lining as a brick wall. When there are cracks in the mortar between the bricks, water can leak through. In leaky gut, alcohol causes cracks in the ‘mortar’ of the intestinal wall.”
Excessive alcohol consumption leads to leaky gut, decreases gut absorption and increases the production of bile in the liver, all of which can lead to diarrhea, Dr. Haque says.
3. Gastritis.
Drinking too much alcohol disrupts the production of mucus that lines the stomach, which can cause the stomach lining to become inflamed. This condition is called gastritis. Symptoms of gastritis include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
“Repeated episodes of gastritis can lead to more serious conditions such as ulcers, anemia or stomach cancer,” Dr. Haque says.
4. Bloating.
Alcohol consumption disrupts both the digestion of sugars and the balance of bacteria in the gut. It also leads to a shift in the gut’s normal fungal diversity, causing overgrowth of a type of yeast called candida. These shifts increase gas production in the gut, and that causes your abdomen to feel uncomfortably bloated.
Drinking any type of alcohol can lead to bloating, Dr. Haque says, but it is more commonly associated with beer than with wine or spirits.
Alcohol consumption disrupts both the digestion of sugars and the balance of bacteria in the gut. It also leads to a shift in the gut’s normal fungal diversity, causing overgrowth of a type of yeast called candida. These shifts increase gas production in the gut, and that causes your abdomen to feel uncomfortably bloated.
Drinking any type of alcohol can lead to bloating, Dr. Haque says, but it is more commonly associated with beer than with wine or spirits.
5. Damage to the liver.
Heavy alcohol use can cause fat to build up in your liver. This is called alcoholic fatty liver disease, or alcoholic steatohepatitis. As the liver breaks down alcohol, toxins are created that can damage liver cells and promote inflammation. “These toxins, which are byproducts of alcohol digestion, cause inflammation in the liver. Additionally, when alcohol gets metabolized in the liver, it gets converted to and stored as fat,” Dr. Haque says.
People with alcoholic fatty liver disease usually don’t have symptoms, but over time it can lead to liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis. All of these are serious illnesses that can be life-threatening. In the most severe cases, a person may need a lifesaving liver transplant.
“The good news is that alcoholic fatty liver disease can be reversed if you catch it early enough” with routine bloodwork, Dr. Haque says. Lifestyle modifications such as reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption, eating a healthy diet and increasing your physical activity will help reduce the amount of fat in your liver and improve your liver health.
Heavy alcohol use can cause fat to build up in your liver. This is called alcoholic fatty liver disease, or alcoholic steatohepatitis. As the liver breaks down alcohol, toxins are created that can damage liver cells and promote inflammation. “These toxins, which are byproducts of alcohol digestion, cause inflammation in the liver. Additionally, when alcohol gets metabolized in the liver, it gets converted to and stored as fat,” Dr. Haque says.
People with alcoholic fatty liver disease usually don’t have symptoms, but over time it can lead to liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis. All of these are serious illnesses that can be life-threatening. In the most severe cases, a person may need a lifesaving liver transplant.
“The good news is that alcoholic fatty liver disease can be reversed if you catch it early enough” with routine bloodwork, Dr. Haque says. Lifestyle modifications such as reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption, eating a healthy diet and increasing your physical activity will help reduce the amount of fat in your liver and improve your liver health.
6. Damage to the pancreas.
Heavy alcohol use can also damage the pancreas. The pancreas metabolizes alcohol into toxic byproducts that damage the pancreatic ducts. In addition, enzymes that normally would be released into the digestive tract build up inside the pancreas and can begin to digest the pancreas itself. This causes a very painful inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis.
Alcohol-induced pancreatitis is most commonly found in people who have four to five drinks a day over more than five years. People who drink heavily and are also smokers have an even higher risk; they are four times more likely to develop acute pancreatitis.
“When there is damage to the pancreas, it’s a really big deal. That can be life-threatening,” Dr. Haque says.
Treatment for most cases of alcohol-induced pancreatitis includes a combination of measures, such as IV fluids and electrolyte replacement, tube feeding and alcohol cessation counseling. In the most severe cases, patients may suffer organ failure in the pancreas and possibly other organs, such as the colon and kidneys.
Cases like these are likely to require surgery followed by months in recovery. Chronic abdominal pain, diabetes and pancreatic cancer can be long-term complications of pancreatitis.
Heavy alcohol use can also damage the pancreas. The pancreas metabolizes alcohol into toxic byproducts that damage the pancreatic ducts. In addition, enzymes that normally would be released into the digestive tract build up inside the pancreas and can begin to digest the pancreas itself. This causes a very painful inflammation of the pancreas called pancreatitis.
Alcohol-induced pancreatitis is most commonly found in people who have four to five drinks a day over more than five years. People who drink heavily and are also smokers have an even higher risk; they are four times more likely to develop acute pancreatitis.
“When there is damage to the pancreas, it’s a really big deal. That can be life-threatening,” Dr. Haque says.
Treatment for most cases of alcohol-induced pancreatitis includes a combination of measures, such as IV fluids and electrolyte replacement, tube feeding and alcohol cessation counseling. In the most severe cases, patients may suffer organ failure in the pancreas and possibly other organs, such as the colon and kidneys.
Cases like these are likely to require surgery followed by months in recovery. Chronic abdominal pain, diabetes and pancreatic cancer can be long-term complications of pancreatitis.
Alcohol and Your Brain
Evidently drinking affects your brain more than we thought: According to Coach Jacob, here is what happens:
How to fix your dopamine-fried brain permanently. Drinking today steals tomorrow’s happiness. Regular consumption leads to brain fog, lack of motivation, hyper ventilation and stress. Alcohol spikes your dopamine levels which results in craving the substance even more. What is dopamine and what does it do? ~~ Dopamine is a neurotransmitter made in your brain. It plays a role as a “reward center” and in many body functions, including memory, movement, motivation, mood, attention and more. High or low dopamine levels are associated with diseases including Parkinson’s disease, restless legs syndrome and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
More than 88,000 people die from alcohol-related deaths each year in the United States (CDC). 15 million people struggle with an alcohol use disorder in the United States, but less than 10% of them receive treatment.
Yes -- among other foods, alcohol rots your brain:
Alcohol dependence develops deep in the brain and determines your drinking – no longer is it your choice. It controls your life. It causes damage to your physical and mental health, work capacity, brain functioning, relationships. Alcohol becomes more important than other aspects of life.
Signs of alcohol dependence:
*arguments with family members about drinking
*continuing to drink even though you have health problems that are affected or caused by drinking (ED, HBP, nausea, acid reflux, bloating, fatty liver) People with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) are at increased risk for liver disease. Alcohol use disorder is a medical condition that in the past has been known as alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction, and alcoholism. AUD is now considered to be a brain disorder that can range from mild to severe
*focusing activities around obtaining alcohol (lunch, dinner)
*Drinking alone or in secret
*Passing out
*feeling physically unwell
Alcohol and Sleep
Do you ever pour a glass of wine, or pop open a beer, at the end of the day to “wind down?” Do you look forward to its relaxing effects and hope it might help you sleep?
If so, you’re certainly not alone. Nearly half of adults over age 65 report having consumed alcohol in the past year, according to NCOA guest author and alcohol use researcher Paul Sacco. And sometimes, they say they’re drinking to cope with a challenging symptom like insomnia.
They’re not alone, either. Among people of any age who suffer from persistent insomnia, 30% report using alcohol as a sleep aid. Further, 67% of those people say that it helps.
As research consistently shows, however, the opposite is actually true. Drinking alcohol might help you fall asleep—but it won’t keep you there. And the negative effects of interrupted sleep can add up over time, leading to other unwanted health concerns including chronic pain.
How does alcohol affect sleep?
It can be confusing: people with insomnia say that drinking alcohol helps them sleep. And yet, as many as 70% of people who use alcohol suffer from insomnia. So which comes first?
“It’s fairly clear that drinking alcohol isn’t good for sleep,” said Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director of NCOA’s Center for Healthy Aging. “If you only drink occasionally, this may not be a huge concern—but if you’re someone who reaches for your wine glass or mixes a cocktail every time you can’t sleep, you’re likely making things worse.”
That’s because alcohol interferes with the ability to stay asleep and to get high-quality, deep sleep. The effects both can happen right away and develop over the long-term.
Alcohol negatively affects sleep immediately in the following ways: It disrupts the sleep cycle.
First, it helps to understand the normal sleep cycle, which includes four distinct parts: Stage 1 (N1); Stage 2 (N2); Stage 3 (N3, or “delta sleep”); and Stage 4 (REM sleep).3
When you’re in the first two stages, you’re in “light sleep.” When you’re in the third stage, you’re in “deep sleep.” And the fourth stage is your “vivid,” or dream, stage. While every person’s individual sleep cycle varies, it’s generally true that each of us goes through four to six rounds of it. Each cycle lasts around 90 minutes total, which adds up to between six and nine hours of sleep.
Of the four stages, REM is the one when our brains do some “heavy lifting:” processing emotions; combining and making sense of memories and knowledge; strengthening neural connections, and more. Getting enough REM sleep is associated with increased creativity, emotional well-being, and even longevity.
That’s why it’s important to understand how alcohol affects your sleep cycle. Unlike gin and tonic, alcohol and REM don’t mix. In fact, research shows that drinking before bedtime can delay REM sleep. Alcohol may even shorten the time you’re in it, or prevent you from entering REM sleep at all.
Alcohol can disturb other sleep stages, too. It’s a sedative, so it can send you into a deep sleep quickly—but that’s not what’s supposed to happen. In other words, it throws off the first two stages of light sleep, and it can be difficult for your body to readjust during the remainder of the night. It leads to fragmented sleep.
As the alcohol in your system begins to wear off, something called “homeostatic recovery” can occur.
“Simply put, this term describes the body’s natural urge to make up for a disrupted sleep cycle,” Cameron explained. “For example, because alcohol causes you to get too much deep sleep too soon, your body will re-set by extending how long you’re in Stage 1 and Stage 2 sleep for the rest of the night.”
However, homeostatic recovery has negative consequences. Because you’re more likely to wake up in those early stages of light sleep, you’re also more likely to experience a restless night’s sleep after drinking alcohol. This robs you of the full healthful benefits that come from a complete sleep cycle.
Further, alcohol acts as a diuretic—meaning it makes you need to pee. This, too, can wake you up in the middle of the night, sometimes more than once. And the more water your kidneys release, the higher the chances you’ll get dehydrated. Dehydration can give you a headache; and pain itself can cause poor sleep. Also, getting up multiple times at night puts you at increased risk for falling.
“It’s truly a vicious cycle,” Cameron said. It causes breathing problems.
Have you ever woken yourself up snoring after an evening cocktail or two? As it turns out, alcohol might be to blame. That’s because alcohol and sleep apnea often go hand-in-hand—even in people who don’t otherwise have the condition.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)—when the soft tissues in the throat collapse and block the airway—especially correlates to drinking because of alcohol’s relaxing effects. Research shows that people who consume alcohol have a 25% higher risk of having obstructive sleep apnea. This risk increases in people who already snore.
Alcohol also can make central sleep apnea worse. Central sleep apnea happens when the central nervous system fails to tell your respiratory system what to do. Because alcohol slows brain activity, drinking can temporarily short-circuit the signals your brain is trying to send to your lungs. It might interfere with circadian rhythms.
Our circadian rhythm is sometimes called our “biological clock”—the process that regulates the way our bodies function during each 24-hour daily cycle.
Researchers continue to investigate the complex relationships between alcohol and circadian rhythms. There are many things they don’t know; at the very least, there appears to be a strong link between alcohol consumption and the body’s ability to produce melatonin—the hormone that induces sleep. It creates an unhealthy cycle.
People who wake up tired every morning may be more likely to lean back in to drinking to help them sleep better. But this can create a negative pattern that leads to more serious, long-term effects of alcohol on sleep.
What are the long-term effects of alcohol on sleep?
Regularly drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol can have multiple negative effects: not only on your sleep, but on your physical and mental health over the long term. It can turn sleep disruptions into a chronic issue.
Long-term alcohol use can create tolerance—meaning that you need to drink more to experience alcohol’s effects. If you use alcohol to fall asleep, this not only can alter the brain chemicals that regulate your sleep cycle and circadian rhythms—sometimes permanently—but also it can pave the way to abusive drinking overall. It can lead to more serious sleep disorders.
Ironically, people who rely on alcohol for sleep often complain of sleep deprivation, poor sleep quality, waking often during the night, and feeling sleepy during the day. Each of these complaints is characteristic of insomnia—a condition that, when chronic, can impact your ability to focus on important tasks; dampen your mood; and increase your risk for falls.
And if you already live with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), alcohol can cause further complications including potentially fatal levels of carbon dioxide in your blood. It can cause additional serious health problems.
Among other things, chronic sleep deprivation is linked to stroke, obesity, depression, and kidney and heart disease. Sleep problems may play a direct role in increasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
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FATTY LIVER DISEASE
Alcohol is broken down and rebuilt into triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver. If your triglycerides become too high, they can build up in the liver, causing fatty liver disease. How to recover from fatty liver:
The biggest thing drinking does is cause fatty liver disease, which leads to cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis refers to scarring of the liver that occurs as a response to the damage of this organ. The liver is the only visceral organ that can regenerate itself, which means that every time it is damaged, it attempts to repair itself. During the regeneration process, scar tissue forms. The more scar tissue present, the great the risk of cirrhosis. Eventually, too much scar tissue prevents the liver from functioning properly. You cannot live without your liver. Too much fat in your liver is associated with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and shortened life span. Liver damage caused by cirrhosis cannot be undone.
Initially people may experience fatigue, weakness and weight loss. During later stages, people may develop jaundice, gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal swelling and confusion.
Drinking alcohol gets turned to fat in the bloodstream; it is not used as fuel but stored as fat on the waistline. Alcohol increases cortisol (which breaks down muscles) and lowers testosterone, so you are less likely to build lean muscle, cannot burn fat as fuel, and you get a big belly, skinny legs and arms. It also acts as a diuretic, causing you to pee a lot, which leads to dehydration. A diuretic increases the amount of urine your body produces. This causes your body to lose fluids and electrolytes faster than other liquids.
When your liver breaks down alcohol it creates nasty chemicals like acetaldehyde (which is one chemical bond away from formaldehyde, which is embalming fluid). Heavy drinkers are literally embalming themselves alive. At this stage the liver not only begins to become clogged with fat, it loses its function, leading to Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. When this happens, fat accumulation goes into overdrive and the belly starts to bulge and protrude. The result is swollen, inflamed intestines pushing out, intertwined with thick white visceral fat.
Fatty Liver Disease causes fatigue, dulled senses, joint pain, and body aches. It contributes to alcohol-related brain damage. Alcohol contains ethanol, which is a known carcinogen. The body then starts to produce Acetaldehyde, which causes DNA damage and cell damage.
Alcohol overworks the liver; goes through liver by oxidation. 10% eliminated by breathing or through urine. 90% broken down through the liver and turned into acetic acid.
While the liver is busy getting rid of the alcohol, it neglects the production of renin and angiotensin, two hormones that are essential to keeping your blood pressure within normal ranges.
Alcohol adds extra calories, leads to weight gain. Being overweight can raise your LDL and lower your HDL. Too much alcohol can increase your risk of heart diseases; raises blood pressure and triglyceride level.
Signs of liver damage:
>Abdominal swelling (ascites) -- liver malfunction leads to an imbalance of proteins and other compounds, and fluid builds up in the tissues. The main symptom of ascites is a pronounced pot belly, which often signals cirrhosis. Sometimes swelling occurs in the hands, feet and ankles.
Symptoms of ascites include sudden weight gain, distended abdomen, difficulty breathing when lying down, diminished appetite, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea and vomiting, and heartburn.
>Fatigue and weakness. Severe exhaustion could point to low blood oxygen levels and waste accumulation.
>Loss of appetite. Nausea, a disinterest in food and weight loss are some early symptoms of liver problems. Initial stages of hepatis often bring flu-like symptoms, including digestive discomfort.
As liver damage progresses, more pronounced symptoms may appear. You may start to feel pain in certain areas and see some startling changes in appearance.
>Jaundice. Your skin and eyes take on a yellowish color, urine will appear darker, and stools will appear lighter.
>Abdominal pain. Cirrhosis causes pain in the upper right abdomen, or just under the lower right ribs. Pain may be throbbing or stabbing and it may come and go.
>Personality changes. Confusion and problems with concentration are often the first signs of toxin overload, but they can lead to forgetfulness, changes in sleeping habits and unresponsiveness.
>Persistent vomiting. Nausea and upset stomach, but the livers ability to eliminate toxins decreases digestive distress increases. Ongoing nausea is a reaction to excess waste products in the body; unexplained vomiting is often linked to liver problems.
People with liver disease may experience different amounts of fluid buildup – a little buildup of fluid may not cause any symptoms but as the amount of fluid increases it can cause waist size to expand and weight gain. When large amounts of fluid gather in the belly it can lead to swelling and pain and be very uncomfortable. The belly becomes hard from the fluid buildup, may resemble a pregnancy belly and the belly button can become pushed out. Some people with ascites may develop swollen legs and ankles, called edema.
Ascites can become infected for no reason which is called spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. This infection needs to be treated early with the right antibiotics. If left untreated the infection can be fatal. This infection can also greatly impact the function of your kidney. Someone with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis will usually feel even more uncomfortable and experience tenderness in their abdomen and may develop a fever.
In Aging Cell, researchers have described the chemical ways in which excessive visceral fat causes oxidative stress and cellular senescence.
Metabolic syndrome, a host of intertwined disorders that include obesity and cholesterol imbalance, is known to have multiple harmful effects that lead to decreased lifespan. These include a propensity towards Type 2 diabetes along with the accumulation of fat around the organs (visceral fat), which is distinct from the fat under the skin (subcutaneous fat).
Visceral fat cells becoming senescent is a driver of metabolic syndrome, and removing those cells was found to alleviate some of the associated problems in a murine model. Further work has found that these senescent fat cells lead to an increase in insulin resistance, the core driver of type 2 diabetes. Targeting these cells was found to alleviate insulin resistance in mice as well.
This research makes it clear that visceral fat is extremely dangerous over the long term, as it is a driver of multiple hallmarks of aging: genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cellular senescence. While therapies might be developed to blunt its effects, it is clearly best never to accumulate it.
This doctor talks about non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. But regardless if it's caused by alcohol or sugar, the outcome and treatment is still the same.
The various blood tests to determine the health of the liver include:
ALT - A very high level is often seen with acute hepatitis. Moderate increases are chronic hepatitis. People with blocked bile ducts, cirrhosis, and liver cancer may have ALT levels that are moderately raised or close to normal. Enzyme used by the body to metabolize protein. If the liver is damaged or not functioning properly, ALT is released into the blood, causing levels to rise. A high result can be a sign of liver damage. (Normal range is 7-56)
AST - A very high level is seen with acute hepatitis. When liver damage is due to alcohol, AST often increases much more than ALT. AST is also increased after heart attacks and with muscle injury. (Normal range is 10-40)
ALP - May be significantly increased with obstructed bile ducts, liver cancer, and bone disease. Raised levels of both ALP and GGT indicates that liver disease is present rather than bone disease. (Normal range is 39-117)
GGT - Increased levels are seen with alcohol consumption. Enzyme found in the liver and bile ducts. Elevated in 75% of cases of liver damage. (Normal range is 65 or less)
Symptoms: chills, loss of appetite, swelling of spleen, bone, muscle and joint pain, swollen feet and ankles, build up of fluid in the abdomen, fatty deposits on the skin, osteoporosis, diarrhea > greasy stools.
Blocked bile ducts -- bile cannot flow properly from the liver to the small intestine.
PT - Prothrombin is a protein made by the liver. Tests how long it takes for a blood to clot. Increased PT can be seen with liver disease, Vit K deficiency, and with coagulation factor deficiencies. (Normal range is 9.1-12.0)
CA19-9 - High levels are indicative of non-cancerous cirrhosis of liver. (Normal range is 0-35)
Bilirubin - waste product processed by the liver. A damaged liver cannot process bilirubin. (Normal range is 0-1.2)
Albumin - Main protein made by the liver. Measures how well your liver is making this particular protein. Low result indicates that the liver is not functioning properly. (Normal range is 3.4-5.4)
Potassium - High levels of 5.5 is critical and over 6.0 can be life threatening. Symptoms include: fatigue, weakness, numbness or tingling, nausea/vomiting, chest pain, irregular pulse, erratic or low heart beat. Causes of high potassium include heavy alcohol use, drug use (Quinipril), dehydration, diabetes (A1C). (Normal range is 3.5-5.2)
hs-CRP (C-Reactive Protein) - substance produced by the liver that increases in the presence of inflammation. Higher numbers = greater risk of developing heart disease. (Normal range is less than 1.0; average risk is 1.0-3.0; high risk is greater than 3.0)
Early Symptoms of Fatty Liver ~~
Mild Abdominal Discomfort. Some people with fatty liver might experience mild discomfort or a dull ache in the upper right side of the abdomen, where the liver is located. This discomfort is often vague and might come and go.
Confusion and Trouble Concentrating. The liver helps detoxify the blood and metabolize substances, and when it's compromised, it can accumulate toxins in the bloodstream. This can result in cognitive issues like confusion and trouble concentrating.
Dark Urine. Fatty liver can sometimes cause changes in urine color, making it appear darker than usual. This can be due to the liver's impaired ability to process bilirubin, a waste product.
Edema. Mild swelling in the legs and ankles, known as edema, might occur due to fluid retention, which can be associated with liver dysfunction.
Fatigue and Weakness. Individuals with fatty liver may experience persistent fatigue and weakness. This can be attributed to the liver's reduced ability to function optimally due to fat accumulation in its cells. When the liver is compromised, it can result in fatigue and sluggishness because it is crucial for metabolizing nutrients and generating energy.
Unexplained Weight Loss or Weight Gain. Fatty liver can sometimes lead to unexplained weight loss or weight gain. In the early stages, weight loss may occur due to decreased appetite or nausea, which can be associated with liver dysfunction. On the other hand, as the condition progresses and liver function declines, weight gain can occur due to changes in metabolism and hormonal imbalances.
Elevated Liver Enzymes. Fatty liver can increase liver enzymes, such as alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), in blood tests. Elevated enzyme levels can indicate liver inflammation or damage before noticeable symptoms appear.
Redness of Palms. Some individuals might notice a reddish or blotchy appearance on the palms of their hands. This can be related to altered blood flow and circulation due to liver dysfunction.
Pain. Joint pain and discomfort, and pain especially in the upper right abdomen area, could be an early sign of fatty liver. This can be due to inflammation in the liver affecting nearby structures.
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Alcohol and Sex
Alcohol also contributes to erectile dysfunction and high blood pressure (which also contributes to ED). Other causes of ED are diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high cholesterol, sleep disorders, alcohol, and smoking. So alcohol consumption goes hand in hand with many issues in the body. Quitting alcohol will normalize many of these symptoms.
Chronic heavy use of alcohol; long-term erectile dysfunction – 60% to 70% chance of suffering from sexual problems.
Diseases that affect ED:
*Heart disease (smoking, HBP)
*Diabetes
*Obesity (linked to low levels of testosterone)
*Inflammation
*Depression
*Gum disease – men with poor dental health don’t take good care of themselves generally. 80% of men studied with severe ED had chronic gum disease
*Restless leg syndrome = related to brain chemical dopamine which is typically low in both conditions. Low dopamine, lack of sleep, low testosterone. Lifestyle choices recommended for restless legs is exercise, limit use of alcohol, which may boost sex life.
*Sleep apnea – men with severe ED have a higher risk for sleep apnea
Over consumption eventually leads to a condition known as alcohol impotence. Long term alcohol abuse affects the nervous system nd impairs the impulses between the brain’s pituitary gland and the genitals. Studies show prolongs abuse causes irreversible damage to the nerves in the penis, results in alcohol induced ED. Also disrupts testosterone and estrogen.
Long term alcohol abuse causes ED even when sober. If you have ED and are a heavy drinker, chances are the alcohol is a major contributor, if not the main cause.
In this video, you’ll learn what daily alcohol consumption starts inside your body before testosterone levels visibly decline — and why many people feel “fine” even as their hormonal environment gradually shifts. We break down the real biology behind alcohol and testosterone:
• What happens in the brain–testes signaling system when alcohol becomes daily
• How the liver influences testosterone balance and estrogen conversion
• Why sleep disruption plays a larger role than most people realize
• How cortisol, inflammation, and visceral fat affect hormone signaling
• Why lab numbers can stay “normal” while motivation and libido change
• What actually happens when daily alcohol is removed — and how recovery begins.
This isn’t about extremes or moral judgment. It’s about understanding how hormonal regulation works, why frequency matters more than most people think, and how small daily habits shape long-term biology. Your hormone system is adaptive. This video explains what it needs to stay resilient — before imbalance becomes your new normal.
Can you recover your sex hormones if you stop drinking? Yes, you can regain your sex hormones and improve sexual function after quitting drinking, as the body has a remarkable ability to heal. Testosterone levels in men can start to normalize within a few weeks, with significant improvements in sexual function, libido, and hormonal balance often seen within three months to a year.
Recovery Timeline and Key Improvements
- 1–3 Weeks: The liver begins to recover, and testosterone levels begin to rise, particularly after three weeks of sobriety.
- 1–3 Months: A study showed that nearly 90% of subjects regained significant erectile function within three months of quitting alcohol. Hormone levels begin to stabilize, improving libido and reducing symptoms of dysfunction.
- 3–12 Months: Continued abstinence allows for deep healing, including the normalization of reproductive hormones, increased fertility, and increased energy.
Impact on Specific Hormones
- Testosterone: Alcohol decreases testosterone by damaging Leydig cells in the testes, disrupting brain signaling, and hindering liver function. Abstinence allows these cells to heal and hormone signaling to rebuild.
- Cortisol: Alcohol causes high stress-related cortisol levels. Stopping drinking helps lower these levels, reducing anxiety and improving sleep.
- Estrogen: For men, alcohol can cause an abnormal rise in estrogen; quitting helps restore proper balance.
While some long-term damage (such as cirrhosis) may be permanent, stopping alcohol prevents further damage and allows the body to restore balance in most cases. For personalized advice, it is highly recommended to consult a doctor, especially if you have been a long-term, heavy drinker, as quitting cold turkey can be dangerous.
Can you regain your sex hormones after prostate cancer if you quit drinking?
Regaining Hormones and Sexual Function
- ADT Cessation: When hormone therapy (ADT) is stopped, testosterone levels often begin to recover. One study showed 76% of patients returned to a normal testosterone level (>300 ng/dL) within two years of stopping ADT.
- Time Factor: Recovery is a slow process that can take up to 18–24 months or longer, particularly if nerve tissue was damaged during surgery.
- Lifestyle Impact: Quitting alcohol and reducing smoking can help improve sexual function, boost energy, and help manage low libido.
- Treatment Factors: Younger men (under 65) and those who had shorter durations of ADT (less than six months) are more likely to see full recovery of testosterone levels.
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Alcohol and Prostate Health
The real cause of prostate enlargement:
Alcohol is the most common substance used among people 12 and older in the United States. Drinking alcohol in any amount carries a health risk. Research shows that excessive alcohol use— drinking patterns that negatively impact your health—is a leading preventable cause of death with over 178,000 deaths each year in the US. Drinking alcohol also raises your risk of getting seven different kinds of cancer, like breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Despite some false claims of health benefits, studies show that all alcoholic drinks, including red and white wine, beer, and liquor, are linked with cancer.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or prostate enlargement, is a common condition in aging men. Alcohol may influence the development or severity of BPH symptoms in several ways. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production. For men with an enlarged prostate, this can worsen urinary urgency, frequency, and nighttime urination. In addition, alcohol can irritate the bladder, making symptoms of incomplete emptying and weak stream more noticeable.
Some studies suggest that heavy alcohol consumption may contribute to inflammation in the prostate, further aggravating urinary difficulties. On the other hand, limited research indicates that light-to-moderate alcohol use might not directly cause prostate enlargement. Still, for men already managing BPH, reducing alcohol intake is often beneficial for symptom control.
Alcohol’s impact on sexual health also overlaps with prostate concerns. Excessive drinking can interfere with erectile function by reducing blood flow and lowering testosterone levels. For men already experiencing erectile dysfunction related to BPH or other conditions, alcohol can worsen the problem. Even moderate alcohol use may affect sexual performance if consumed close to intimacy.
From a urinary perspective, alcohol tends to increase urgency and frequency, which can be especially problematic at night. This not only disrupts sleep but also places additional strain on the bladder and prostate. Men who notice their urinary symptoms worsen after drinking should consider adjusting their intake to reduce discomfort and improve daily quality of life.
Alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing prostate cancer, and can also make the disease more aggressive and deadly:
Risk of developing prostate cancer ~~ Heavy drinking, defined as more than four drinks per day on at least five days per week, is associated with an increased risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer.
Risk of prostate cancer progression ~~ Alcohol can speed up the growth of prostate tumors and the spread of the disease to other parts of the body.
Risk of prostate cancer mortality ~~ Chronic alcohol consumption is linked to higher mortality rates for prostate cancer. A Canadian study found that men who drank more than two drinks per day after being diagnosed with prostate cancer had a lower survival rate.
DNA damage ~~ Alcohol breaks down into a chemical that damages DNA, which can lead to cells growing out of control and becoming cancerous.
If you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you should immediately stop drinking alcohol. If you drink often or heavily, you should do so gradually and under the care of your doctor.
Alcohol can also irritate the bladder after prostate surgery, which can increase the risk of urinary incontinence.
Alcohol and Prostate Cancer: Time to Draw Conclusions
Alcohol consumption is also directly linked to prostate cancer lethality as it may accelerate the growth of prostate tumors and significantly shorten the time for the progression to metastatic prostate cancer. Thus, we recommend immediately quitting alcohol for patients diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Early Drinking and Prostate Cancer Risk ~~ In a recent study, researchers found men who’d drunk heavily from their mid-teens to almost age 50 – at least seven drinks per week – were three times more likely to get high-grade prostate cancer than those who didn’t drink alcohol. “High-grade” refers to a scoring system of how cancer tissue appears under a microscope. Less healthy and more aggressive cells get higher numbers and indicate more intensive treatment is needed. Though researchers in this study didn’t find a link between current drinking patterns and high-grade prostate cancer, others have.
Early Drinking and Prostate Cancer Risk ~~ In a recent study, researchers found men who’d drunk heavily from their mid-teens to almost age 50 – at least seven drinks per week – were three times more likely to get high-grade prostate cancer than those who didn’t drink alcohol. “High-grade” refers to a scoring system of how cancer tissue appears under a microscope. Less healthy and more aggressive cells get higher numbers and indicate more intensive treatment is needed. Though researchers in this study didn’t find a link between current drinking patterns and high-grade prostate cancer, others have.
Current Drinking Habits Factor Big, Too ~~ A long-range Canadian study on people who’d been diagnosed with prostate cancer found men who drank more than eight alcoholic drinks a week had a higher mortality rate than non-drinkers.
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In the below video, Andrew Huberman discusses the physiological effects that drinking alcohol has on the brain and body at different levels of consumption and over time. I also describe genetic differences that predispose certain individuals to alcoholism, binge and habit-drinking. He explains alcohol metabolism in simple terms and how it effectively acts as a poison, leading to cellular stress and damage.
He then explains that it impacts neuronal function and changes our thinking and behavior – hallmarks of inebriation. I also discuss how alcohol consumption of different amounts impacts inflammation, stress, neurodegeneration, and cancer risk and negatively impacts the gut microbiome, brain thickness, hormone balance, mood and feelings of motivation. Additionally, he discusses the biology of hangovers and describe science-based strategies to mitigate the severity of a hangover.
Since alcohol is one of the most widely consumed recreational substances, this episode ought to be of relevance to everyone. Indeed, even low-to-moderate alcohol consumption negatively impacts the brain and body in direct ways. The goal of this episode is to help people make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption that are in keeping with their mental and physical health goals.
Timestamps
00:00:00 Effects of Alcohol Consumption
00:02:25 Momentous Supplements
00:03:19 Low to Moderate Alcohol Consumption & Neurodegeneration
00:06:52 Levels, Eight Sleep, ROKA
00:10:46 Historical Context & Uses of Alcohol
00:13:28 Alcohol Metabolism, “Empty Calories”
00:18:23 Inebriation: Top-Down Inhibition, Impulsivity & Memory Formation
00:24:23 Long-Lasting Effects & Impulsivity, Neuroplasticity & Reversibility
00:27:55 Food & Alcohol Absorption
00:30:07 Alcohol & Serotonin, SSRIs & Depression, Risk for Alcoholism, Blackouts
00:37:39 Predisposition for Alcoholism; Chronic Consumption, Cortisol & Stress
00:44:53 AG1 (Athletic Greens)
00:46:07 Genetic Predisposition for Alcoholism, Consuming Alcohol Too Young
00:52:27 Gut-Liver-Brain Axis: Alcohol, Gut Microbiome, Inflammation & Leaky Gut
00:59:46 Tool: Improving/Replenishing Gut Microbiome
01:02:44 Reducing Alcohol Consumption & Stress
01:04:25 Hangover: Alcohol & Sleep, Anxiety, Headache
01:12:11 Hangover Recovery, Adrenaline & Deliberate Cold Exposure
01:17:16 Hangover Recovery, Dehydration & Electrolytes
01:20:45 Types of Alcohol & Hangover Severity, Congeners
01:25:25 Alcohol Tolerance, Dopamine & Serotonin, Pleasure-Pain Balance
01:33:36 Are There Any Positive Effects of Alcohol?, Resveratrol
01:35:42 Alcohol & Brain Thickness
01:37:11 Alcohol & Cancer Risk: DNA Methylation, Breast Cancer Risk
01:44:31 Mitigating Cancer Risk, Folate, B Vitamins
01:46:54 Alcohol & Pregnancy, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
01:50:58 Hormones: Testosterone & Estrogen Balance
01:55:09 Negative Effects of Alcohol Consumption
01:58:35 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous Supplements, Instagram, Twitter, Neural Network Newsletter, Huberman Lab Clips
Dr. Sara Wakeman is a specialist in addiction. In this video, she discusses addition, especially alcohol and what it does to your body.
00:00 Intro
02:13 Sarah's Mission
02:42 Sarah's Education and Experience
03:29 Issues With Addiction Treatment in the Modern World
04:20 What Is Addiction?
05:37 What Things Are Capable of Being Addictive?
06:36 Physiological Dependence vs. Addiction
07:15 Scale of the Problem: Why Should People Care?
08:49 Is Society Getting Better or More Addicted?
09:22 Substance-Related Deaths During the Pandemic
10:11 What Drives People to Use Substances?
12:13 Substances' Effects on the Brain
14:19 Does Trauma at a Young Age Increase Addiction Risk?
16:26 The Opposite of Addiction Is Connection
18:01 Why Addiction Matters to Sarah
18:51 Living With a Family Member Struggling With Addiction
20:33 Who Is Sarah Trying to Save?
22:47 Change Happens When the Pain of Staying the Same Is Greater Than the Pain of Change
25:42 Misconceptions About Alcohol
28:05 Is There a Healthy Level of Alcohol Consumption?
28:40 Is One Drink a Day Safe for Health?
30:28 Link Between Moderate Drinking and Cancer
33:13 Types of Cancer Linked to Alcohol Consumption
34:41 Cancer Risk Among Heavy Drinkers
35:21 Heavy Drinking and Comorbidities as Cancer Risk Factors
36:10 How Alcohol Drives Cancer Mechanisms
37:49 Alcohol and Weight Gain
38:43 The Role of the Liver
41:57 Liver's Ability to Regenerate
43:42 What Else Damages the Liver Besides Alcohol?
44:21 How Much Alcohol Causes Liver Damage?
45:17 Alcohol's Impact on the Brain
46:27 How Alcohol Causes Brain Deterioration
47:13 Other Organs Affected by Alcohol
47:50 Alcohol's Impact on the Heart
48:57 Body Fat Percentage and Alcohol Tolerance
49:55 Does High Alcohol Tolerance Prevent Organ Damage?
50:36 What Is a Hangover?
52:03 Balancing the Risks and Benefits of Alcohol
53:36 Is Rehab Effective for Addiction?
56:40 Psychedelic Therapy for Addiction
57:26 GLP-1 Medications for Addiction Treatment
58:52 Ads
59:49 Sarah's Reaction to Celebrity Addictions
1:02:14 Stigma Around Addiction
1:04:30 Addiction Cases That Broke Sarah's Heart
1:06:16 How Society Should Change to Reduce Addiction
1:07:30 What Is Rat Park?
1:12:32 Is Empathy Positive Reinforcement for Addicted Individuals?
1:15:24 Setting Boundaries With an Addicted Person
1:18:46 Motivational Interviewing to Support Recovery
1:22:08 Finding Motivation for Positive Change
1:25:52 Habits to Support Addiction Recovery
1:29:02 Ads
1:30:07 Can the Brain Recover From Addiction?
1:33:59 Non-Substance Addictions
1:34:45 Unexpected Sources of Addictive Behavior
1:35:24 How Sarah Copes With Difficult Addiction Cases
1:37:00 Importance of Language Around Addiction
1:41:30 How Labels Limit People's Potential
1:43:47 Question From the Previous Guest
You’ve been told a glass of wine is good for your heart, but Dr. Sarah Wakeman says the science tells a very different story.
Harvard Medical School professor and addiction specialist Dr. Wakeman breaks down what alcohol really does to your brain, your liver, and your long-term cancer risk. From brain shrinkage to liver failure and accelerated aging, the facts are more shocking than most people realise.
If you drink regularly, even socially, this is a conversation you need to see.
Discover:
• The truth about alcohol and brain damage
• Why “moderate drinking” may be more dangerous than you think
• How alcohol increases your risk of cancer, even in small amounts (especially breast cancer)
• What alcohol does to your liver and why some damage is irreversible
• The silent health consequences of casual drinking
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Peripheral Neuropathy
What is peripheral neuropathy? Peripheral neuropathy is a condition involving damage to the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, typically affecting the hands and feet. It causes numbness, tingling, weakness, and burning or sharp pain. Common causes include diabetes, vitamin deficiencies, and autoimmune diseases.
The specific symptoms depend on which nerves (sensory, motor, or autonomic) are damaged:
Sensory nerves: Numbness, tingling ("pins and needles"), extreme sensitivity to touch, and a feeling of wearing invisible gloves or socks.
The specific symptoms depend on which nerves (sensory, motor, or autonomic) are damaged:
Sensory nerves: Numbness, tingling ("pins and needles"), extreme sensitivity to touch, and a feeling of wearing invisible gloves or socks.
Motor nerves: Muscle weakness, cramping, loss of balance, and difficulty walking or gripping objects.
Autonomic nerves: Issues with involuntary functions, such as dizziness upon standing, digestive problems, and abnormal sweating
More than 200 causes exist, but the most common triggers include:
Diabetes: Unmanaged high blood sugar is the leading cause in the US.
Nutrient Deficiencies: Especially a lack of vitamin B12.
Toxins and Alcohol: Alcohol use disorder and certain medications (such as chemotherapy drugs).
Trauma or Compression: Physical injury or conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome
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What happens to your body
when you quit Alcohol
After learning how alcohol harms your body, now you can learn what happens to your body when you quit drinking. Listen to these videos explain what happens. First, you have to stop and want to stop.
How to stop drinking alcohol:
Here's what happens when you quit drinking for 30 days:
What Happens to Your Liver If You Quit Alcohol for 30 Days | Science Explained.
In this Science Explained video, we examine what happens to your liver when you quit alcohol for 30 days and how alcohol cessation affects liver function, inflammation, and recovery. This video explains the science behind alcohol metabolism and why reducing alcohol intake can lead to measurable liver improvements. Alcohol is processed in the liver and produces toxic byproducts that contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, fat accumulation, and long-term liver damage.
When alcohol intake stops, these processes begin to slow, allowing the liver to repair and restore normal metabolic function. We explain what changes occur during the first days without alcohol and how liver health can improve within weeks.
Discover:
• How alcohol is metabolized in the liver
• What happens in the first 72 hours without alcohol
• How inflammation and oxidative stress decrease
• Why liver fat and enzyme levels can improve
• What science says about liver recovery after 30 days.
.... A hormonal shift happens, one that particularly affects men. Alcohol stimulates an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen. This is why men who drink heavily often develop a "beer belly" and even breast tissue. Their bodies are literally being feminized by excess estrogen. Two weeks without alcohol the liver starts filtering out that excess estrogen.
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