Is moderate drinking really linked to a longer life?

Causes of death were classified according to International Classification of Diseases, 9th version (ICD-9). Alcoholics often also experience diminished mental health, and this can have a negative effect on life expectancy as well. If you are an alcoholic or a person who regularly abuses alcohol it can severely decrease your life expectancy and longevity of living a healthy life. This is not only because of the short and long-term health consequences, but also due to the risky behavior that can cause mortality or dangerous events to occur. Alcohol is the ingredient found in beer, wine, and spirits that causes people to get drunk if certain amounts are consumed.

For women, these numbers were 8.0 (10.5) and 7.2 (9.0) g/day, respectively. Whether light-to-moderate alcohol intake is related to reduced mortality remains a subject of intense research and controversy. There are very few studies available on alcohol and reaching longevity. While cirrhosis scars from excessive drinking are irreversible, quitting alcohol and leading a healthier lifestyle can help your liver heal from alcohol-related liver disease. The primary way a person with early-stage alcoholism differs from someone in middle-stage alcoholism is that alcohol is no longer leveraged for a quick high. It may sound backward, but the person may feel that they function better when they are intoxicated.

Problems that Shorten the Life Expectancy of Those with Alcohol Use Disorder

People with alcohol use disorder have 24–28 years shorter life expectancy than the general population in the Nordic countries. A sample of residents aged 18 to 64 years had been drawn at random among the general population in northern Germany and a standardized interview conducted in the years 1996 to 1997. The baseline assessment included 4,093 persons (70.2% of those who had been eligible).

Moderate drinkers that consume a large amount of alcohol can cause serious damage to their mental and physical health. The risks are heightened if you suffer from mental health disorders such as depression or anxiety. The average lifespan of an alcoholic tends to be shorter than that of the general public because heavy drinking on a regular and long-term basis can increase the risk of developing several life-threatening diseases and conditions.

The Effects of Moderate Drinking on Life Expectancy

“Our findings add one piece to the growing evidence that low to moderate alcohol drinking should not be recommended for health reasons,” Dr. John said. However, the scientists found that both those who never drank alcohol and those who abstained in the 12 months prior to the study and had no previous risk factors did not have a higher rate of death than those who drank low to moderate amounts of alcohol. When examining the mortality rates of the study participants, the researchers observed that 119 (26.6%) of the 447 people abstaining from alcohol had passed away 20 years after the initial interview.

• We use The Keepers of The Wisdom Reflections from Lives Well Lived a daily meditation book by Karen Kasey.
• If you find that you are suffering from the effects of long-term alcohol use and are ready to get and stay sober, please contact Hemet Valley Recovery Center & Sage Retreat for help.
• Within her holistic practice of balance in mind, body, and spirit, she teaches the practice of meditation as a powerful way to discover, express, and heal the inner self.

Third, further studies are needed to assess the generalisability of our findings in countries with different drinking cultures, particularly low- and middle-income countries. We found no systematic differences in the associations between alcohol use and disease-free life years in relative terms, but our 3-level measurement of socioeconomic status was crude. To study disease-free years by single chronic conditions, we examined the associations of alcohol use separately for disease-free years from type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, asthma and COPD.

Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing

She also shares her 12 years of administrative & customer service experience as a member of the intake/admissions department. Jack considers facilitating The Keepers of the Wisdom group a privilege and an awesome responsibility to assist the 55 year old population discover that aging can be joyful, peaceful, and comfortable; with balance in living and learning. In aging gracefully, we rediscover our purpose and share it with others.” My greatest hope is that we learn to deposit happiness in our bank of memories, live in tranquility, and honor; and grow in the direction of personal peace. We use The Keepers of The Wisdom Reflections from Lives Well Lived a daily meditation book by Karen Kasey.

These effects can continue to harm your health over the course of your entire lifetime. We are dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life life expectancy of an alcoholic of confidence, self-respect and happiness. We want to give recovering addicts the tools to return to the outside world completely substance-free and successful.

How alcohol can shorten your life span by up to 28 years

We are here to help and support you during the grips of alcohol addiction. When you consume large amounts of alcohol, it causes disruptions in the brain specifically with the communication pathways, often resulting in changes in mood and behaviors. If you drink enough alcohol, it could affect your coordination and ability to think clearly. By submitting this form you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy of the website. Ark Behavioral Health offers 100% confidential substance abuse assessment and treatment placement tailored to your individual needs. As a toxic compound and known carcinogen, alcohol is known to significantly increase the likelihood of cancer of the liver, breast, mouth, throat, stomach, colon, and other bodily organs.

• The original interviews included questions from a standardized AUD identification test and took place between 1996 and 1997.
• His attention to detail ensures the valued healthcare delivered in his practice.
• The risk of death from liver disease skyrockets off the chart after only a couple of drinks a day.
• The criteria for excessive drinking is more strict for certain demographics.