Beer Belly: Nightly Drinking And Your Health

Beer is a popular drink, but what happens to your body if you drink it every night? While some studies suggest that moderate consumption may have health benefits, such as improved heart health and essential nutrient provision, daily drinking can lead to various health issues. These include weight gain, liver problems, sleep disorders, dehydration, and even an increased risk of certain cancers. However, drinking beer in moderation may lower the risk of diabetes and improve bone density. So, what is the impact of cracking open a cold one every evening? Let's find out.

Weight gain

Drinking beer every night can have a significant impact on your weight. Beer is high in empty calories, which can quickly add up if consumed daily. An average 12-ounce beer contains around 150 calories, and the calorie count increases with the alcohol percentage. While drinking in moderation may not significantly affect your weight, consuming two or more beers can add over 300 calories to your diet, potentially leading to weight gain over time.

The excess calories from beer can hinder your weight loss efforts. When you consume alcohol, your liver prioritises breaking it down over burning fat. This means that if you're trying to lose weight, drinking beer can slow down your body's fat-burning process. Additionally, drinking alcohol may decrease your satiety, stimulate your appetite, and activate food reward centres in the brain, leading to increased food intake and subsequent weight gain.

The carbohydrates in beer also contribute to its calorie content. With about 13 grams of carbohydrates per can, the starch content can further boost your daily caloric intake, potentially resulting in weight gain. The excess calories from beer consumption can lead to obesity and its associated health complications.

However, it's important to note that moderate drinking as part of a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular physical activity, may not necessarily lead to weight gain. The key lies in moderation and ensuring that your beer consumption aligns with recommended guidelines.

Oral health issues

Drinking beer every night can have several impacts on your oral health. Here are some detailed paragraphs outlining these effects:

Enamel Erosion and Staining:

Beer, like any other alcoholic beverage, can contribute to enamel erosion. Enamel is the protective outer layer of your teeth, made from the hardest substance in your body. When you consume substances with a pH below 5.7, it can erode this protective structure. Beer, with its acidic nature, falls into this category. Dark-coloured stouts or IPAs can also cause staining, giving your smile an unhealthy appearance. To prevent this, it's advisable to drink beer through a straw or opt for lighter-coloured brews.

Dry Mouth and Tooth Decay:

Alcohol is a diuretic, causing increased urine production and leading to dehydration. This results in reduced saliva production, causing dry mouth. Alcohol also irritates the tissues in the mouth and throat, further decreasing saliva flow. This reduction in saliva allows more bacteria to remain on the enamel, contributing to tooth decay. Additionally, alcohol metabolises into sugar, which attracts cavity-causing bacteria. Beer, like wine, also contains acid that slowly dissolves enamel, leading to sensitivity and pain.

Gum Disease:

Heavy alcohol consumption weakens the immune system, making it challenging for your body to fight off infections like periodontitis or gum disease. Gum disease is characterised by bleeding gums, plaque, gum recession, infection, and pockets forming between the gums and teeth. A study published in the Journal of Periodontology in 2015 found that regular alcohol consumption was associated with increased gum bleeding, worsening of periodontitis, higher plaque levels, and larger pockets between the gums and teeth compared to non-drinkers.

Oral Cancer:

Alcohol abuse is the second most common risk factor for oral cancer. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol use is a risk factor for several types of cancer, including cancer of the oral cavity. While the risk of most alcohol-related cancers increases significantly with heavy drinking, even moderate alcohol consumption of around 10 drinks per week increases the risk of breast cancer disproportionately.

Preventative Measures:

To minimise the harmful effects of alcohol on oral health, it is recommended to drink in moderation, stay hydrated by drinking water between alcoholic beverages, and maintain good oral hygiene by brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash after drinking.

Sleep disruption

Drinking beer every night can have a detrimental effect on your sleep. While alcohol is known for making people feel relaxed and even euphoric, it can also slow down your reflexes and impair your balance, memory, and sleep.

Kimberly Gomer M.S., RD, LDN, says that "the alcohol in beer can affect the brain so that reflexes are slowed down, and [your] balance, memory and sleep may be impaired." She also notes that even light drinking can disrupt sleep, and that consuming alcohol can result in a fitful night of sleep as the liver works to metabolise it.

A 2018 study published in JMIR Mental Health found that even light drinkers (defined as drinking two or fewer servings for men, and one or fewer for women) experienced a 9.3% decrease in sleep quality. The National Sleep Foundation also notes that drinking beer nightly can suppress REM sleep cycles, which are crucial for memory, learning, and mood regulation.

Michael Masi, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews, explains that alcohol can disrupt your sleep patterns:

> "Alcohol has been shown to reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and increase the amount of deep sleep during the first half of the night. However, this effect reverses during the second half of the night. Alcohol consumption can lead to more frequent awakenings, reduced REM (rapid eye movement) sleep [...] and an overall lighter, more fragmented sleep. This disruption can result in waking up feeling unrefreshed and tired, regardless of sleep duration."

In summary, drinking beer every night can negatively impact your sleep by impairing your reflexes, balance, and memory. It can also disrupt your sleep patterns, reducing the amount of deep sleep and REM sleep you get, and increasing the number of awakenings during the night. This can leave you feeling tired and unrefreshed the next day.

Increased mortality risk

Drinking beer every night could increase your mortality risk. According to physician Sarah M. Hartz, who spoke to Medical News Today about a study she led, "it used to seem like having one or two drinks per day was no big deal, and there have even been some studies suggesting it can improve health. But now we know that even the lightest daily drinkers have an increased mortality risk."

The 2018 study, published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, examined the link between self-reported alcohol intake and mortality from people aged 18 to 85. The study found that individuals who drank one or two drinks consistently over four or more nights per week were 20% more at risk of early death, across all age groups, compared to participants who drank three times a week or less.

While moderate drinking has been linked to a decreased risk of "all-cause mortality", heavy drinking is certainly a risk factor for deaths from any cause. Heavy drinking has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and liver disease. Additionally, heavy drinking is the second most prevalent risk factor for oral cancer, with tobacco use being the highest.

It is important to note that the frequency of drinking also matters. Even if you are drinking within the recommended guidelines of no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women, drinking every night could still increase your mortality risk.

Furthermore, while moderate drinking has been linked to improved heart health, this may not be the best strategy for reducing heart failure or heart disease risk. As cardiologist Leslie Cho told the Cleveland Clinic, "it's better not to drink any alcohol at all" when it comes to heart health.

In conclusion, while the occasional beer is generally considered fine, drinking beer every night could increase your mortality risk due to the various health risks associated with regular alcohol consumption. It is important to consume alcohol in moderation and be mindful of the potential impact on your overall health.

Higher cancer risk

Drinking beer every night can increase your risk of developing cancer. Alcohol is the third-leading cause of death in the United States, and it has been linked to a higher risk of developing several types of cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, alcohol drinking can cause several types of cancer, and the more alcohol a person consumes, the higher their risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that "alcohol use is a risk factor for many cancer types, including cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colorectum, and breast."

The link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk is supported by strong scientific evidence. The National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services lists alcohol consumption as a known human carcinogen. The evidence shows that even moderate drinkers have significantly higher risks of oral cavity, pharynx (throat), and larynx (voice box) cancers compared to non-drinkers. Heavy drinkers have an even higher risk, with a fivefold increase in oral cavity and pharynx cancers and a 2.6-fold increase in larynx cancers.

Alcohol consumption at any level is associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer, with risks ranging from 1.3 times higher for light drinking to nearly five times higher for heavy drinking. Additionally, moderate to heavy alcohol consumption is associated with a 1.2 to 1.5-fold increase in the risk of colorectal cancer. Even light drinkers, consuming as little as one drink per day, have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer compared to non-drinkers. The risk increases further for moderate and heavy drinkers.

The mechanism by which alcohol increases cancer risk involves the metabolization of ethanol in alcoholic drinks into acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical and probable human carcinogen. Acetaldehyde can damage DNA and proteins, impairing the body's ability to repair DNA damage and allowing cancerous cells to grow. Alcohol consumption can also affect hormone levels, such as estrogen, which can promote cell growth and division, increasing the chances of cancer development.

While drinking beer or any alcoholic beverage in moderation may not significantly increase cancer risk, the evidence suggests that the safest option to minimize overall health risks is to abstain from alcohol consumption. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting consumption to two drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women.

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