HSI Limiting Alcohol

Limiting Alcohol

“It’s always advised to drink in moderation or to not drink at all”

Too much of a good thing is considered a bad thing.

Most of us have some experience with alcohol. Ethanol is an alcohol found in most common drinks like beer and wine. It gets produced through fermentation of yeasts together with sugars and starches. Whenever alcohol gets consumed, the ethanol gets metabolized in the liver; however, once enzymes reach their limit, the excess drinking has to circulate throughout the body, which causes drunkenness in an individual.

According to the CDC, the recommended intake of alcohol is no more than 14.0 grams. Moreover, moderate consumption of alcohol is also encouraged as one drink/ day for women and two drinks/day for men. However, the Global Burden of Disease indicated that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption and while moderate drinking does protect against certain heart diseases, ischemic stroke and diabetes, it does cant protect against the risk of cancer and others. Furthermore, in the case wherein you are a heavy drinker, you are at risk of pancreatitis, sudden cardiovascular death, high blood pressure, suicide, liver diseases, alcohol withdrawal symptom, stroke, and certain cancers such as the mouth, throat, esophagus, and liver.

When you should not drink alcohol:

  • Age below 21
  • Pregnancy
  • Driving
  • Taking medication
  • Having a medical condition

FURTHER READING

https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#what

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-45283401

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551