Why is Binge Drinking Bad for You?

Drink to celebrate - in moderation

There is are many reasons to drink: parties, festive celebrations or watching a soccer game with your pals.

But when one drinks excessively, it is hardly a case for celebration.

Binge drinking refers to excessive consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. For a male adult, this is about five or more standard drinks, and for female, four or more standard drinks, in one drinking session. Binge drinking can bring with it both short-term and long-term harmful effects [1].

If you do drink, moderation is the key. Women should drink no more than one standard drink a day and men should limit themselves to two standard drinks a day. A standard alcoholic drink contains 10 grams of alcohol and this can be estimated to be:

• 1 can (330ml) of regular beer
• Half glass* (100ml) of wine
• 1 nip (30ml) of spirit

*glass height = 15cm

Women have a different fat to muscle ratio and a smaller blood volume as compared to men.

With the poor solubility of alcohol in fats, the blood and tissue concentrations of alcohol become higher in women, even when the amount of alcohol consumed is adjusted for the body size.

Women may also have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase in the stomach than men, and as a result, less alcohol is broken down before absorption.

Alcohol dependence

A person who drinks frequently, or drinks a lot may become addicted to alcohol. Some signs of alcohol dependency include a strong urge to drink; the ability to drink larger quantities of alcohol without appearing intoxicated; persistent drinking; and undergoing withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop drinking [2].

Studies have shown that the younger the age a person started to drink, the greater their likelihood of developing alcohol dependance [3].

Short-term harmful effects: Alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is the most life-threatening consequence of binge drinking. When a person drinks too much, his or her body reflexes are affected. These include breathing and the pharyngeal reflex. The pharyngeal reflex, also known as gag reflex, helps to prevent choking. If this reflex is not functioning well, one may die from choking on his or her vomit.

Some other signs of alcohol poisoning include:

• Lack of muscular coordination
• Blurred or double vision
• Drop in body temperature
• Low blood sugar concentration
• Low blood pressure
• Impaired judgement
• Coma

If a person shows signs of alcohol poisoning, lay him on his side and call for immediate medical attention. Alcohol poisoning can be deadly [4].

Long-term harmful effects

Drinking alcohol excessively and frequently for a long period of time can cause harm to several parts of the body.

Brain damage

• Adverse effects on memory function, concentration, reasoning, planning and visuo-spatial skills.
• Growth of the brain structure is affected.
• Abnormalities in some areas in the brain
• Stroke

Diseases in digestive system

• Peptic ulcer, an ulcer usually found in the small intestine
• Gastritis
• Stomach cancer

Heart problem

• Heart muscle disorders
• Heartbeat rhythm irregularities
• High blood pressure

Kidney damage

• Kidney's function in maintaining body fluids, leading to kidney enlargement

Liver disease

• Liver function is affected
• Development of fatty liver, which can lead to liver cirrhosis (scarring)
• Alcoholic hepatitis (signs include swollen liver, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, bleeding, jaundice)

Psychological problems

• Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and insomnia

Sexual and hormonal dysfunction

• Erectile dysfunction
• Lowering of testosterone concentrations
• Sperm growth is affected
• Lowered fertility in women
• Altered hormonal levels in premenopausal women, which increases the risk of osteoporosis

Breast Cancer

Latest available data indicate that half of all alcohol-attributable cancers in the WHO European Region are caused by “light” and “moderate” alcohol consumption – less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week. This drinking pattern is responsible for the majority of alcohol-attributable breast cancers in women, with the highest burden observed in countries of the European Union (EU).[5] 

Skeletal muscle damage

• Skeletal muscle myopathy (reduction of muscle weight and lean tissue wasting)

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024, Data on Excessive Alcohol Use. https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/excessive-drinking-data/. Accessed 1 Feb 2025

2. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2021, "Alcohol Use Disorder: A Comparison between DSM-4 and DSM-5", Accessed from: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/alcohol-use-disorder-comparison-between-dsm on 1 Feb 2022.

3. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, "Early Drinking Linked to Higher Lifetime Alcoholism", 2006. Accessed from: https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/early-drinking-linked-higher-lifetime-alcoholism-risk on 1 Feb 2022.

4. National Health Service, "Alcohol Poisoning", 2019. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-poisoning/ Accessed 1 Feb 2022.

5. World Health Organisation, 2023, "No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health", Accessed from: https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health. Accessed 8 May 2024.