Alcohol is consumed by many people, but its impact on health goes far beyond what we normally think about it. Drinking alcohol affects more than the liver or the stomach, it also damages the brain, the heart, and other important organs. Recent research has proven that drinking too much alcohol in the long term can cause serious memory and thinking issues, and increase the risk of neurological diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s. So, let’s find out more about this drink.
How alcohol affects our body
It can easily access our blood and reach every organ of our body, which can begin the most common effect that happen in:
- The liver: in charge of processing alcohol and can be damaged if it’s drunk too much.
- The stomach and digestion: alcohol can irritate the stomach and cause digestion issues.
- The heart and the kidneys: drinking it too much for years can affect their functioning.
- The brain: alcohol damages the small blood vessels that carry blood and oxygen to the brain, which affects memory and thinking capacity.
So, drinking great amounts of this drink for too long increases significantly the risk of serious health diseases and can even shorten your life.
Studies about the brain
A group of researchers in Brazil, led by Alberto Fernando Oliveira Justo (PhD), studied how this drink affects the brain in the long-term. They analyzed data of 1,781 people including:
- People who never drank alcohol.
- Moderate drinkers.
- Heavy drinkers (who consume 8 or more alcoholic drinks per week).
- Former heavy drinkers who no longer consume it.
The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) defines “hazardous drinking” as 15–34 units per week for women and 15–49 units per week for men.
How the brain can be damaged in the long-term
The study found that drinking too much alcohol, both now and in the past, increases the risk of lesions in the brain’s blood vessels, called hyaline arteriolosclerosis. This happens when the small blood vessels narrow and stiffen, which makes it difficult for the blood to properly flow. This can cause issues of memory, concentration and increase the risk of neurological diseases.
Even people who quit drinking too much alcohol still had more risks of brain damages. The results of the study were very clear:
- Never drank alcohol: 40% had vascular brain lesions
- Moderate drinkers: 45%
- Heavy drinkers: 44%
- Former heavy drinkers: 50%
Compared to those who never drank:
- Heavy drinkers had 133% higher odds of brain lesions
- Former heavy drinkers: 89% higher odds
- Moderate drinkers: 60% higher odds
The study also found that former heavy drinkers had 31% higher odds of developing “tau tangles,” a marker linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Life expectancy
Apart from the brain damage, the study found that people who drank a lot for their entire lives died, on average, 13 years earlier than people who never drank alcohol. This shows that this drink’s effects are not just on the mind and body, but also on the length of life.
To sum up
This drink can seriously affect both the body and brain, especially when consumed in large amounts over a long period. Even quitting heavy drinking does not completely remove these risks, which is why moderation is essential. This research reminds us that alcohol is more than just a social drink—it is a substance that can have long-lasting effects on physical and mental health. Paying attention to how much alcohol we consume can make a big difference in our well-being and longevity. So, you’d better be careful if you start drinking it, because it can be too dangerous if you can’t control yourself.