Have a drink? Drown your worries with alcohol. That's how alcohol makes you old
2022-02-08
Wine has always played an indispensable role on the holiday table. However, I have to say a word of disappointment. Whether it's a small drink or a good drink, the world heart federation says any drinking is bad for health. The latest research found that with the growth of age, the impact of alcohol on human health is becoming more and more obvious. Chronic alcoholism can damage the liver and brain and leave obvious signs on the skin. Even mild and moderate drinkers will face the emotional consequences and greater health risks caused by alcohol with age. Today, the US News and world report website summarizes how alcohol affects the human body and makes it aging. Alcohol tolerance decreased gradually Tolerance to alcohol decreases over time due to changes in body composition. With age, changes in hormones, such as the reduction of some metabolism related hormones, increase people's sensitivity to alcohol. For older people, even if their weight remains stable, their proportion of fat to muscle is increasing. Therefore, even if you drink as much alcohol as before, the alcohol content in the blood will be higher, because fat absorbs less alcohol from the blood than muscle. Reaction time and exercise ability also slow down with age, and drinking further reduces these abilities. Drown your sorrow with wine It is undeniable that drinking in the short term can reduce some negative emotions. However, in the long run, the anxiety of drinkers will increase, especially habitual drinking. University of Michigan survey shows that elderly people who drink alcohol to cope with bad mood such as anxiety during COVID-19 are more likely to report that they drink more. Using alcohol as a coping mechanism can be counterproductive. In addition, when the elderly lose their relatives, they often experience deep sadness. It is a temptation for them to resolve their grief through drinking. Depression is already common among the elderly and can be exacerbated by drinking. Damage decision-making ability Drinking can lead to misjudgment, and there are many examples of drinking delaying things. The impact of alcohol on decision-making ability will intensify with age, leading drinkers to take risks, such as drunk driving or making unrealistic investment decisions. Accelerate skin aging Drinking alcohol accelerates the process of skin aging. Alcohol dehydrates the whole body, including the skin. Dehydration and tissue inflammation can affect skin health. Wrinkles, swelling, dryness, red cheeks and purple capillaries... Drinking can make people look old. In addition, jaundice (i.e. when the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow) may also be a sign of alcoholic liver disease. Increase the pressure on the liver Alcohol abuse is a risk factor for liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Even moderate drinking can affect liver function. The aging liver cannot quickly decompose or metabolize alcohol, which causes it to stay in the human system longer. Make existing diseases worse Chronic diseases that develop with age can be complicated by drinking. According to the American Diabetes Association, dangerous hypoglycemia occurs within 24 hours after drinking, which interferes with the efforts made by diabetes patients for dietary health. Drinking can raise blood pressure in the short term, while repeated drinking can lead to high blood pressure. Alcohol abuse also increases the risk of ulcers and prevents the healing of existing ulcers. React with drugs Older people may take a variety of drugs, so it is important to understand how alcohol interferes with prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Mixing alcohol with drugs can either reduce or enhance the expected effect of drugs. In addition, some drugs already contain alcohol. Liver function decreases with age, reducing the body's ability to break down and remove drugs. Drinking alcohol can also affect the liver and increase the risk of side effects of drugs. Alcohol interacts with drugs taken by the elderly in many ways. Drugs that treat blood pressure, depression and pain have their own sedative effects, and when combined with alcohol, they have synergistic or multiplier effects. This increased sedation makes older people more tired and increases their risk of falls and driving accidents. Brain volume reduction Alcoholism and a history of alcoholism increase the risk of dementia. Long term heavy drinking will accelerate brain atrophy. The loss of brain capacity is a key factor in the decline of memory and cognitive function, especially for the elderly. Alcoholic dementia occurs after years of excessive drinking, which can lead to insanity, anxiety and lack of muscle coordination. disturb sb. 's sleep Some people believe that moderate drinking contributes to sleep, but the opposite is true. The living habits of many elderly people (such as frequent napping during the day, less exercise and less outdoor time) will affect the sleep cycle. Drinking alcohol can make the elderly unable to sleep or stay asleep, which aggravates insomnia. Cause dehydration Alcohol is a diuretic, which is why drinking causes an increase in urination. Therefore, you need to drink more water to replenish the lost liquid. The problem is that the body's ability to sense thirst and preserve water decreases year by year, making it more prone to dehydration. With age, the body's ability to respond to weather changes will weaken. Signs of dehydration in the elderly include confusion, incoherent language, constipation and falls. Increased risk of falls Drunkenness increases the risk of accidents, including falls, fractures and car accidents. With age, balance and stability pose greater challenges. Older people are more likely to fall because of alcohol consumption, more serious injuries, such as hip fractures, and a longer recovery period. Alcohol also slows brain activity, and alertness, coordination and judgment decrease with the increase of alcohol consumption. Form alcohol dependence The more alcohol you drink, the more likely you are to become dependent. In the long run, due to various changes in the brain, this will lead to more anxiety, depression and stress. With the increase of alcohol dependence, people will become extremely anxious when drinking. They drink so much that they lose control of anxiety. When you don't drink alcohol, you will be in a state of over stimulation, which is manifested in increased mental tension and sweating. Withdrawal reaction People who drink for a long time will have a withdrawal reaction (similar to drug addiction attack) when they don't drink suddenly, which is manifested in excitement, insomnia and even epilepsy. The older the age, the higher the risk of withdrawal reaction. It's not good for the heart The American Heart Association website points out that although some studies have shown that a chemical in red wine (resveratrol) may have a protective effect on the heart, the causal relationship between drinking and heart health has not been determined. Excessive drinking increases the risk of arrhythmias and high blood pressure. If you don't drink, it's not worth starting drinking just for potential and unproven benefits. Increased risk of cancer According to the American Cancer Society, drinking is increasingly associated with certain types of cancer, including oral cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, colon cancer and breast cancer, accounting for 4% of all cancer deaths. To reduce the risk of cancer, it's best not to drink. Dominate social life There is more social time after retirement, and social life is often inseparable from drinking. Outdoor activities, hobbies, reading clubs and other interests are actually better choices. In addition, drinking is not a small expense. Switching to non-alcoholic drinks saves money and feels better. (outlook new era)
Edit：Yuanqi Tang Responsible editor：Xiao Yu
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