Previous research has shown that alcohol is bad for the human body no matter how much alcohol is consumed, and this new study has linked alcohol to an increased number of deaths.
Alcohol-related deaths nearly doubled in the 20-year period from 1999 to 2020, according to a study from the Schmidt School of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University (FAU).
Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Widespread Online Data for Epidemiological Research (WONDER) and found that the alcohol death rate has increased from 10.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 1999 to 10.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020. They found that it rose to 21.6 per person.
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The biggest jump, a four-fold increase, was seen in people aged 25 to 34.
The results were published in The American Journal of Medicine.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend no more than one drink per day for women and those over 65, and no more than two drinks per day for men. (St. Petersburg)
Study author Charles H. Hennekens said, “Health care professionals and their patients need to know that people who consume moderate to heavy amounts of alcohol are at increased risk of premature death and morbidity, not only in the United States but throughout much of the world’s population. We should recognize that it is the highest.” MD, a professor of medicine at FAU Schmidt School of Medicine, told FOX News Digital.
The main causes of alcohol-related deaths were cardiovascular disease, primarily heart attacks and strokes, as well as certain “common and serious cancers” and cirrhosis, Hennekens said.
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“Chronic heavy alcohol consumption is also a leading cause of admission to state facilities for a variety of adverse outcomes, including alcoholic cirrhosis and alcoholic dementia,” he added.
Obesity and diabetes also increase the risk of alcohol-related death, the study found.
How much is harmful?
Alcohol consumption can have a significant impact on mortality risk, Hennekens noted.
“The difference between consuming small amounts of alcohol and consuming moderate to large amounts of alcohol can mean a big difference between preventing and causing premature death,” the researchers said. Ta. “Liver damage is an immediate effect of alcohol consumption.”
According to the study, the number of alcohol-related deaths nearly doubled between 1999 and 2020. (St. Petersburg)
Dr. Ken Spielvogel, senior medical consultant at Carrara Treatment Wellness & Spa in Los Angeles, agreed that large amounts of alcohol increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, and other heart complications.
Exceeding one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men can have “dramatic negative effects,” especially when combined with obesity and other comorbidities, he said. Ta.
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend no more than one drink per day for women and those over 65, and no more than two drinks per day for men.
Alcohol deaths among women increase
The study found that while men had the highest death rates overall, women’s death rates “increased most proportionately”, with the number of deaths increasing from 4.8 per 100,000 in 1999 to 2020. In 2015, the number increased to 12.
Dr. Adam Scioli, chief medical officer at Caron Treatment Center in Pennsylvania, said he was not surprised by the study’s results.
“Women develop alcohol use disorders more rapidly and have associated health consequences.”
“These findings are consistent with what we have seen clinically over the past decade: an increase in serious illness and comorbidities associated with alcohol use,” said the researchers, who were involved in the study. No Scioli told FOX News Digital.
This is especially true among women, he noted.
“Liver damage is an immediate effect of alcohol consumption,” said one of the researchers. (St. Petersburg)
“There has been a significant increase in the number of women, especially those aged between 20 and 55, who have been treated with Karon for liver failure and are on the list for liver transplants,” the experts said.
Scioli said women’s alcohol consumption has “increased dramatically” since the 1990s, and accelerated during the pandemic.
He cited a number of potential factors for the increase, including the rise of “wine culture,” the marketing of alcohol to women, and the infiltration of alcohol into domestic spaces, all of which have put women at risk of “significant health consequences.” ”, which increases the risk of
Gender differences in the effects of alcohol
Scioli points out that women and men process alcohol differently due to their biology.
“Women have lower activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), an enzyme in the stomach and liver that helps break down alcohol, making women more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol on the liver, heart, and brain,” the doctor said. Ta.
Women are also more likely to experience the health effects of alcohol consumption earlier than men.
“We call this the ‘telescope effect,’ which means women develop alcohol use disorder and its associated health effects more rapidly,” Scioli said. .
Researchers have found that women are more likely to experience the health effects of alcohol consumption earlier than men. (St. Petersburg)
Specifically, she noted that alcohol consumption increases women’s risk of cirrhosis, alcohol-related liver disease, congestive heart failure, heart attack, and stroke.
“Chronic alcohol use can also increase the risk of breast cancer and cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon,” Scioli added.
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Spielvogel also noted that obesity is increasing in the United States across all age groups and all genders.
“The obesity epidemic, combined with increased alcohol consumption, is leading to higher rates of alcohol-related mortality in women,” he told Fox News Digital.
Potential limitations
Experts pointed to several potential limitations of the study.
“This is a cross-sectional data analysis,” Spielvogel said.
“Analyzing this population in a non-prospectively randomized fashion can be biased. Although this is the gold standard for scientific research, it is impossible to analyze this data,” he said. continued.
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“Analyzing different cultures and age groups can lead to bias and inaccurate conclusions.”
Scioli noted that the study’s main limitation is that it is based on public health data, “which means it may actually be an underestimate of the problem.” ” he said.
A call for change
Based on their findings, researchers are calling for “tailored interventions” to curb alcohol-related deaths.
They also recommend additional research to help shape public health policy.
Experts call for early intervention to identify people who need evaluation for potential substance use disorders. (St. Petersburg)
“Screening for alcohol use in primary care settings is essential to reducing these risks,” Hennekens said.
Scioli agreed, adding that early intervention by medical professionals to identify individuals, particularly women, who may be problem drinkers and refer them for evaluation for potential substance use disorders. asked for intervention.
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“We also need to make it easier and more accessible for individuals to get the help they need,” he added.
“Finally, we need to normalize abstinence and increase support for people who don’t drink alcohol.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the National Alcoholic Beverage Control Association for comment.
