Globally one in three people consume alcohol which is approximately 2.4 billion people of which 2.2% women and 2.8% men die due to the alcohol-related health issues every year, a study reveals.
The study, conducted recently by Global Burden of Disease, was published in The Lancet. In 2016, alcohol was ranked as the seventh leading risk factor for premature death and disability. People in the age group of 15-49 it was associated with tuberculosis, road injuries, and self-harm.
It was found that people aged 50 or more were affected with cancers due to use of alcohol, constituting 27.1% of deaths in women and 18.9% of deaths in men.
This is why it is so important to get help if you are struggling with alcohol addiction. There are steps you can take to go sober and get your life back on track. By telling a loved one that you need help then you won’t be alone and you can go somewhere like Abbeycare rehab clinic to help overcome your addiction.
According to the Global Burden of Disease, alcohol is a leading risk factor for death and disease worldwide and is associated with nearly one in 10 deaths in people aged 15-49 years old, it estimates levels of alcohol use and health effects in 195 countries between 1990 to 2016.
The analysis of the study reveals that there is NO SAFE LEVEL of alcohol as beneficial effects against ischemic heart disease and is outweighed by the adverse effects on other areas of health, particularly cancers.
They estimate that for one year, in people aged 15-95 years, drinking one alcoholic drink a day increases the risk of developing one of the 23 alcohol-related health problems by 0.5%, compared with not drinking at all (from 914 people in 100,000 for a year for non-drinkers aged 15-95 years, to 918 in 100,000 people a year for 15-95 years who consume one alcoholic drink a day).
Dr Max Griswold, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, USA, says, “Previous studies have found a protective effect of alcohol on some conditions, but we found that the combined health risks associated with alcohol increase with any amount of alcohol. In particular, the strong association between alcohol consumption and the risk of cancer, injuries, and infectious diseases offset the protective effects for ischemic heart disease in women in our study. Although the health risks associated with alcohol starts off being small with one drink a day, they then rise rapidly as people drink more. They can increase the chance of developing a hyperthyroid, sharing many symptoms with alcohol withdrawal. This can make it harder to diagnose and can lead to even more health issues.
“Policies focusing on reducing alcohol consumption to the lowest levels will be important to improve health. The widely held view of the health benefits of alcohol needs revising, particularly as improved methods and analyses continue to shed light on how much alcohol contributes to global death and disability,” he added.
Pune 365 spoke to Dr Roshan Palresha, Head of emergency medicines, in Columbia Asia Hospital.
“Moderate drinking means not more than 4 standard drinks for men and 3 standard drinks for women in a single episode or a day and not more than 14 drinks per week for men and 7 to 8 drinks per week for women. Moderate alcohol use has possible health benefits, but it’s not risk-free,” he says.
According to Dr Palresha, moderately drinking Alcohol can have some benefits like, Reduces your risk of developing and dying from heart disease, Possibly reducing your risk of ischemic stroke (when the arteries to your brain become narrowed or blocked, causing severely reduced blood flow), Also possibly reduce your risk of diabetes.
Even so, the evidence about the health benefits of alcohol isn’t certain, and alcohol may not benefit everyone who drinks. However It can increase your libido, It can decrease the chances of developing dementia and can reduce the risk of gallstones. Those who find themselves addicted to alcohol and want to recover from their addiction may find the help they need from visiting somewhere similar to West Coast Recovery Centers since the addiction can lead to several health issues.
Dr Palresha further added that “Excessive drinking can increase your risk of serious health problems, including certain cancers, like breast cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat and esophagus, pancreatitis, sudden death if you already have cardiovascular disease, heart muscle damage (alcoholic cardiomyopathy) leading to heart failure, stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease, suicide, accidental serious injury or death, brain damage and other problems in an unborn child and alcohol withdrawal syndrome
“Drink alcohol only in moderation – or not at all. I personally would not advise or encourage drinking. But if you’re consuming alcohol, limit yourself. Make it clear that no one should begin drinking or drink more frequently on the basis of potential health benefits. So don’t feel pressured to drink alcohol. However, if you do drink alcohol and you’re healthy, there’s probably no need to stop as long as you drink responsibly and in moderation,” he adds.
While speaking to the citizens, Sharad Bhagya, Software Professional, says, “My father was addicted to alcohol, drinking too much and smoking regularly. He started getting sick more often and when checked he was diagnosed with Cancer. Luckily as it is the first stage, we’re able to treat him.
“However, I don’t think that reports suggesting consumption of alcohol in moderation is valid. it is an addiction one can’t have self-control over it. It stimulates the nervous system, providing a temporary virtual pleasure and relaxation,” he adds.
Rehabilitation centres can be key to an addicts road to recovery. Additional support, meaning an addict is not alone, can make the world of difference. A place that can make a difference is somewhere like Pacific Ridge: Residential Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center.
Dhara Shah, Content Analyst says a new research also states that consumption of 14 glasses of alcohol for men and 7 for women over a week can actually have positive health effects.
Talking about addiction to alcohol, everything consumed in excess is going to harm your body. So drinking regularly within limits is more convincing to everyone and followed widely especially in our age group, she added.
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#All views are those of the respondents and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.
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