What Happens to Your Body If You Drink Alcohol Everyday

For women, alcohol consumption can lead to menstrual irregularities and ovulatory dysfunction, which can impact fertility. Additionally, alcohol use during pregnancy can lead to a range of negative outcomes for the fetus, including FASD, preterm birth, low birth weight, and developmental delays 1. Alcohol consumption can have negative effects on both mental and emotional health. This section will discuss the impact of alcohol on brain function, mental health disorders, and behavioral changes. Long-term alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer, including liver cancer, throat cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer.

But prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to chronic Types of Drug Addictions (long-term) pancreatitis, which can be severe. Cirrhosis, on the other hand, is irreversible and can lead to liver failure and liver cancer, even if you abstain from alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal can be difficult and, in some cases, life threatening. Depending on how often you drink and how much, you may need support from a healthcare professional if you want to stop drinking. With these conditions, you’ll only notice symptoms during alcohol intoxication or withdrawal.

Additionally, bacteria that escape this area can change the immune system in the liver, leading to inflammation and potentially alcoholic liver disease. Alcohol consumption can also have an impact on hormone levels, specifically testosterone and estrogen. In men, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to decreased testosterone levels, which can lead to decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and infertility 3. Drinking alcohol can also affect blood sugar levels, which is a concern for individuals with diabetes. When alcohol is consumed, the liver prioritizes metabolizing the alcohol over regulating blood sugar levels.

Moderate and Excessive Drinking Defined

In the United States, moderate drinking for healthy adults is different for men and women. It means on days when a person does drink, women do not have more than one drink and men do not have more than two drinks. One night of binge drinking can jumble the electrical signals that keep your heart’s rhythm steady. If you do it for years, you can make those heart rhythm changes permanent and cause what’s called arrhythmia.

Dehydration-related effects, like nausea, headache, and dizziness, might not appear for a few hours, and they can also depend on what you drink, how much you drink, and if you also drink water. Even when we have the best of intentions, we can tend to overindulge in … well, everything. Whether it’s a second helping of dinner, snacking on sweets or a venti-sized coffee, we often go a little too far. Therefore, women may metabolize alcohol at a slower rate, making them more vulnerable to its effects. Alcohol dependence is a major risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease, especially in women (6).

And for more, don’t miss 6 Incredible Effects Of Giving Up Alcohol for One Month. But more recent research suggests there’s really no “safe” amount of alcohol since even moderate drinking can negatively impact brain health. Withdrawal from alcohol can be a dangerous and potentially life-threatening process. When an individual who has developed a physical dependence on alcohol suddenly stops drinking, they may experience a range of withdrawal symptoms, including tremors, anxiety, nausea, and seizures. In addition to the NIAAA, many other national and international organizations have established guidelines for safe and moderate drinking. Alcohol can also cause damage to the cells in the stomach and intestines, leading to bacteria leaking from the GI tract into the bloodstream.

Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits

If the liver is healthy, fatty liver disease can be reversed, and hepatocytes can start to regenerate themselves over a relatively short period. However, with ongoing use, these capabilities can be impaired, sometimes irreversibly. Most of the alcohol is broken down in the liver by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). ADH transforms ethanol, the type of alcohol in alcohol beverages, into acetaldehyde, a toxic, carcinogenic compound.

Long-term effects of alcohol

Your liver detoxifies and removes alcohol from your blood through a process known as oxidation. When your liver finishes that process, alcohol gets turned into water and carbon dioxide. Dr. Sengupta shares some of the not-so-obvious effects that alcohol has on your body. Seizures, hallucinations, and delirium may occur in severe cases of withdrawal. A weakened immune system has a harder time protecting you from germs and viruses.

Contributors to this article for the NIAAA Core Resource on Alcohol include the writers for the full article, content contributors to subsections, reviewers, and editorial staff. These contributors included both experts external to NIAAA as well as NIAAA staff. Acknowledging an alcohol dependency problem is the first step toward recovery. Treatment is available in many forms, including support groups and professional services. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in 2019, nearly 15 million people in the United States had an alcohol use problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, 3 million deaths every year result from the harmful use of alcohol.

1. Drinking alcohol every day can increase a person’s susceptibility to illnesses, such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.
2. Symptoms of alcohol use disorder can include drinking more or for longer than intended, unsuccessful attempts to cut down or stop drinking, and continuing to drink despite negative consequences.
3. The brain is highly vulnerable to the damaging effects of alcohol, which disrupts communication between brain cells.
4. Individuals who have been drinking heavily for a long period of time are at a higher risk of experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.

Normally, this organ makes insulin and other chemicals that help your intestines break down food. Along with toxins from alcohol, they can cause inflammation in the organ over time, which can lead to serious damage. After years, that means you won’t be able to make the insulin you need, which can lead to diabetes. Alcohol irritates the lining of your stomach and makes your digestive juices flow. If enough acid and alcohol build up, you get nauseated and you may throw up. It can also lead to irritation of the lining of the stomach, called gastritis.