What Is The Safe Limit To Drinking? Is There One? Find Out Here

Not even a single drink is healthy for your body

Red wine is believed to be good for health. It is believed that people on a weight loss regime can also include red wine in their diet. However, alcohol in no form is touted to be healthy now. According to a study published in the Lancet last week, there is no 'safest level' of drinking. The study has raised speculations about dangers of even very low levels of alcohol consumption. In the study, researchers were looking forward to estimate the health burden of alcohol-related diseases across 195 countries. Around 700 studies from across the world were taken into consideration. These studies were done involving millions of people.

The study was primarily conducted because alcohol is a major health and social problem across the world. Excessive drinking can play a serious toll on health and increase risks of liver damage, high blood pressure, mental health problems and memory. Along with highlighting the health burden, the study clearly states that no alcohol is safe, not even wine.

No alcohol, not even red wine is safe for human health: study
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Also read: Foods You Should Eat For Alcohol Detoxification

Even a single drink in a day is going to be harmful for your health. Consuming no alcohol in a day minimizes overall risk of health loss, the study stated. To be more specific, adults who consumed a single alcoholic beverage in a day increase their risk of around 23 health problems caused by alcohol. These can range from cancers to personal injuries and cardiovascular diseases. This increase was 0.5% more as compared to non-drinkers.

Here are some of the top risks caused by alcohol consumption:

1. Anemia: Heavy drinking can reduce oxygen-carrying red blood cells to abnormally low levels and cause anemia.

2. Cancer: Drinking alcohol regular can increase risks of liver, breast cancer and cancers of mouth, pharynx and esophagus. 

Also read: Top 4 Reasons For Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver In Children

Alcohol consumption is a major health burden across the world
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3. Cardiovascular risks: Binge drinking heavily can make platelets clump together to cause blood clots- which can further lead to heart attack or stroke.

4. Cirrhosis: Alcohol is toxic to liver cells and may increase risks of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a lethal condition which scars liver and reduces its efficiency.

5. Dementia: Heavy consumption of alcohol can speed up shrinkage of key regions in the brain, thus increasing risks of memory loss and dementia.

6. Depression: Regular consumption of alcohol and depression go hand in hand. Alcohol consumption and depression are risk factors of each other.

Regular alcohol consumption can increase risks of depression
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7. Seizures:Epilepsy can increase risks of seizures even in people who do not have epilepsy.

Also read: Here's Why Pregnant Women Shouldn't Drink Alcohol Or Smoke

8. Gout: Gout occurs as a result of formation of uric acid crystals in joints. Alcohol can aggravate already existing gout and may also increase risks of it.

9. High blood pressure: Alcohol can affect sympathetic nervous system - which is responsible for constriction and dilation of blood vessels. This is in turn can result in an increase in blood pressure in the body.

10. Pancreatitis: This is a condition which causes inflammation in pancreas, causing severe abdominal pain and even diarrhoea.