In the past decade, alcohol has directly resulted in over 20,000 deaths per year from various health conditions. The vast majority of these were due to chronic diseases caused by alcohol. While the liver is one of the best-known organs affected by heavy or prolonged drinking, alcohol can also cause permanent damage to the heart, pancreas, digestive system, and nervous system. In the long term, binge drinking may result in any of the long-term effects of alcohol consumption, such as heart disease, cancer, liver cirrhosis and diabetes.
- Pacing yourself (aiming to drink one drink or less every hour), and drinking water between alcoholic drinks may reduce the severity of a hangover.
- That’s one major reason why you should never drive after drinking.
- Libido can return and can improve for people who have been drinking for a long time, but again, in the short term may actually be even worse.
If you already drink at low levels and continue to drink, risks for these issues appear to be low. Even moderate amounts of alcohol can significantly impair driving performance and your ability to operate other machinery, whether or not you feel the effects of alcohol. Blackouts are gaps in a person’s … Read the rest