Beatrix Montes
Drinking beer every weekend may seem harmless, but it can have negative consequences on your health, relationships, and career. Binge drinking, defined as consuming a certain number of drinks within a few hours, can lead to insomnia, liver problems, and even alcohol poisoning. Excessive drinking increases the risk of developing an alcohol dependency and can affect your personal and professional life. While moderate drinking is often associated with some health benefits, heavy drinking increases the risk of chronic diseases, cancer, and early death. It is important to understand the negative impacts of weekend drinking and to seek help if needed.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Increased risk of | Stroke, heart failure, cardiomyopathy, certain types of cancer, liver disease, early death, dementia, obesity, depression, anxiety, insomnia, gastrointestinal issues, etc. |
| Could lead to | Alcohol dependence, negative impact on personal and professional life, permanent liver damage, etc. |
| Could aid | Bone density, gut health, lower risk of diabetes, lower risk of heart disease, etc. |
What You'll Learn
Increased risk of chronic diseases
Drinking beer every weekend can increase your risk of developing chronic diseases. The amount of alcohol in beer is the determining factor in most cases, and drinking patterns, such as frequency and binge drinking, can also play a role.
Cancer
According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, ethanol in alcoholic beverages, as well as the acetaldehyde associated with alcohol consumption, are classified as "human carcinogens". Drinking alcohol has been identified as carcinogenic in a variety of cancers, including those of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT), liver, colorectum, and female breast. Heavy drinkers have a higher risk of total cancer compared to non-drinkers and occasional drinkers. Relative risks for heavy drinkers were 5.13 for oral and pharyngeal cancer, 4.95 for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 2.65 for laryngeal, 1.44 for colorectal, and 1.61 for breast cancer, all with a clear dose-risk relationship.
Cardiovascular Diseases
Most epidemiological studies have suggested an inverse association between regular light to moderate drinking and the risks of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. However, the increased risks of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM), hypertension, stroke, and myocardial infarction (MI) related to heavy drinking, either in the form of chronic alcoholism or occasional binge drinking, counteract these protections.
Diabetes Mellitus
There is a significant U-shaped association between alcohol consumption and diabetes risk. The nadir is located at 10-14 g of alcohol per day, which decreases diabetes risk by 18%, and the upper limit for protection is 63 g/day. Above this threshold, there is an approximately linear increase in diabetes risk with increasing alcohol consumption. Beverage type analysis of a prospective study in Greece indicated that these protective effects against long-term incidences of diabetes should be mainly attributed to wine and beer.
Obesity
Heavy drinking has been reported to provide additional risks of obesity, and alcohol-derived calories may play a role in these increased risks. According to a large-scale European study, lifetime heavy alcohol consumption (>90 g/day for men and >60 g/day for women) was positively associated with abdominal obesity in both male and female participants, whereas the association between lifetime drinking and general obesity was only observed in men. Beer was suggested to have an additional contribution to abdominal adiposity.
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Sleep disruption
Drinking beer every weekend can disrupt your sleep, even if you only consume a light amount of alcohol. According to Kimberly Gomer M.S., RD, LDN, "the alcohol in beer can affect the brain so that reflexes are slowed down, and [your] balance, memory and sleep may be impaired."
Alcohol affects your brain's communication pathway and its ability to process information. 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. When you consume alcohol, your liver metabolizes it, which can result in a fitful night of sleep.
Alcohol can also increase the risk of developing a dependency, and even a small amount can affect your sleep. While drinking beer may initially make you feel relaxed and euphoric, it can disrupt your sleep patterns and impair your brain's long-term health. This can lead to insomnia and affect your overall health and well-being.
Weekend drinking can be a sign of a bigger problem, such as alcohol abuse or alcoholism. It can be difficult to recognize a drinking problem when it's not a daily occurrence, but binge drinking on weekends can be just as harmful. Binge drinking is defined as men consuming more than four drinks in two to three hours and women consuming three drinks over the same time frame. This can lead to insomnia, liver problems, and trouble breathing.
Excessive drinking can also increase the risk of unintentional injuries, violence, risky sexual behaviors, memory problems, early and permanent dementia, chronic diseases, gastrointestinal issues, weakened immune system, and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. It's important to be aware of the negative consequences of drinking beer every weekend and to seek help if necessary.
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Weight-loss hindrance
Drinking beer every weekend can hinder weight loss in several ways. Firstly, beer is high in calories, with a standard 12-ounce (355 mL) glass of regular beer containing about 150 calories, and craft beers containing up to 350 calories. These calories are often referred to as "empty calories" because they provide no nutritional value and do not contribute to a feeling of fullness. Alcoholic drinks are typically consumed in addition to regular meals, leading to an increased overall calorie intake.
Secondly, alcohol interferes with the body's fat-burning mechanisms. When alcohol is consumed, the liver prioritises metabolising it over other nutrients, slowing down the breakdown of fats. This disruption in the body's ability to process nutrients can hinder weight loss.
Additionally, drinking alcohol can lead to poor food choices and increased cravings for high-calorie, fatty, and sugary foods. Alcohol impairs judgment, making it more difficult to stick to healthy eating plans. This can result in consuming more calories overall, hindering weight loss efforts.
Furthermore, excessive alcohol consumption can reduce motivation to exercise, which is an important component of weight loss. Drinking alcohol may also affect the body's ability to recover from workouts, further hindering weight loss efforts.
Finally, drinking beer or any alcoholic beverage in excess can lead to dehydration, which can negatively impact overall health and make it more challenging to maintain a calorie deficit, which is crucial for weight loss.
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Digestive issues
Drinking beer every weekend can have a range of effects on the digestive system. Alcohol can irritate the gut, including the stomach, and cause inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis). This can lead to a range of symptoms, including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of being uncomfortably full after eating. In more severe cases, gastritis can increase the risk of developing stomach ulcers, polyps, or even stomach tumours.
Alcohol can also affect the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally prevents acid in the stomach from backing up into the esophagus. When this sphincter is relaxed by alcohol, it becomes easier for acid to reflux into the gullet, causing heartburn. Over time, repeated acid reflux can lead to more serious conditions such as Barrett's esophagus or esophageal cancer.
In addition, alcohol can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, increasing the bacteria that cause inflammation and irritation, while decreasing the bacteria that aid in digestion. This can lead to a "leaky gut," where gaps in the intestinal wall allow bacteria and other toxins to enter the bloodstream. Alcohol can also decrease gut absorption and increase bile production in the liver, contributing to diarrhea.
Furthermore, alcohol consumption can affect the pancreas, which metabolizes alcohol into toxic byproducts that can damage the pancreatic ducts. Enzymes that normally aid in digestion can build up inside the pancreas and begin to digest it, leading to a painful inflammation called pancreatitis.
To minimize the impact of alcohol on the digestive system, it is recommended to drink in moderation, eat a meal before drinking, and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
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Addiction
Drinking beer every weekend can be a cause for concern if it turns into a drinking problem, dependency issue, or alcoholism. While it may start as casual drinking, it can develop into a more serious issue. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 47% of the 136 million alcohol users in the United States reported binge drinking in the last month. Binge drinking is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as consuming enough alcohol to raise your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08% or higher. For men, this translates to five or more "standard" drinks (14 grams of pure alcohol) in two hours, and for women, it's four or more "standard" drinks in the same time frame.
Signs that casual weekend drinking may be turning into an addiction include drinking alone, using alcohol as a coping mechanism, and drinking for the "buzz" or the mood-altering effects. If alcohol is used as a way to cope with stress, emotions, or problems, it can be a red flag for addictive behaviour. Additionally, if drinking causes you to do things you normally wouldn't do or makes you compromise your judgement, it may be a sign of a drinking problem.
Another indicator of a potential addiction is the inability to stop or limit your drinking. If the idea of stopping causes defensiveness or negative emotions, it may be a sign that your drinking has become a problem. Heavy drinking, even if it's limited to one or two nights a week, can have harmful consequences for your health, including liver damage, blood pressure issues, vomiting, and seizures.
It's important to note that the effects of drinking beer every weekend can vary depending on the amount consumed and individual factors. However, if drinking is impacting your life negatively or causing health issues, it may be time to seek help or make changes to your drinking habits.
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Frequently asked questions
Drinking beer every weekend can have both short-term and long-term effects on a person. While moderate drinking may be linked to certain benefits, such as improved heart health, excessive drinking can increase the risk of chronic diseases, including liver disease, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer. It can also lead to weight gain and digestive issues. Additionally, drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short period can trigger symptoms of alcohol poisoning or an alcohol-related coma.
Excessive drinking can be categorized into two types: binge drinking and heavy drinking. Binge drinking is typically defined as consuming a certain number of drinks in a short period, such as more than four drinks in two to three hours for men and three drinks in the same timeframe for women. Heavy drinking is defined as drinking at least 15 drinks per week for men and eight drinks or more per week for women.
Some signs that weekend drinking has become a problem include difficulty stopping after one or two drinks, using alcohol as a reward, feeling guilty after drinking, behaving differently when drunk, and becoming aggressive or violent. If drinking is interfering with your daily life, relationships, or work, it may be a sign of alcohol use disorder.
Alcohol can disrupt sleep, even if consumed in small amounts. It can affect the brain's communication pathways and impair balance, memory, and sleep. It can also disrupt the liver's ability to metabolize alcohol, resulting in a fitful night of sleep.
While weekend drinking does not always lead to alcoholism, it can increase the risk of developing a dependency on alcohol. It is important to be aware of the signs of alcohol use disorder and to seek help if drinking is interfering with your life.
