Weight Gain Due to Alcohol And its Health Implications
Alcohol is one of the most obvious dangers to human health that poses a variety of risks and increased susceptibility to diseases. It is quite the root of physical disorders like fatty liver, increased heart rate, palpitation, tremors, and sleeplessness.
Mental health issues like depression, lack of concentration and memory retention, indecisiveness, and insomnia often stem from alcohol abuse.
In addition to that, alcohol contributes heavily to weight gain in men and women alike. People who consume alcohol regularly in their younger youngers often report unhealthy weight gain in their older years.
How does alcohol lead to weight gain?
- Decreased metabolism:
Your body can’t store the calories and sugar from alcohol and needs to process it right away. This, in turn, slows down the digestive and metabolic processes in your system.
A decreased metabolism is the biggest culprit when it comes to piling up excess fat and hence, unwanted body weight in your system.
- Excess belly fat:
Beer belly is a real phenomenon. When the excess sugar consumption leads to fat accumulation in your liver, it leads to a bigger belly that only worsens with prolonged drinking activity.
Binge drinking also leads to inflammation of the organs of the digestive tract which, in turn, leads to excess weight gain in the body and the abdominal region.
- Negatively affects nutrient uptake:
In addition to decreasing metabolism, alcohol also negatively influences your nutrient uptake from the foods you eat. You could be eating a lot of fiber and protein. But if your body doesn’t absorb them, they’re as good as nothing.
And alcohol does that to your body. It limits the absorption of various nutrients and causes undue weight gain in the long run.
- Irregular blood sugar levels:
Alcohol found in beer, gin, and other such drinks is often loaded with sugar and empty calories. These sugar levels disrupt the smooth digestion and end up creating a surge of extra calories in the body.
These empty and extra calories get stored as excess fat in the system thereby contributing heavily to unwanted body weight in due course of time.
- Influences your eating habits:
Losing or gaining weight has more to do with your eating habits than lifestyle and exercising. Consuming alcohol regularly toys with your body’s perception of hunger. Your system fails to differentiate between being hungry, bored, or full.
As an addict or intoxicated individual, you’re more likely to binge eat on heavy calories or fried foods compared to a usual case scenario. Keep up this habit, and you’re sure o end up with unwanted fat and flab all over your body.
Why should women refrain from alcohol consumption?
Although alcohol is harmful to both men and women alike, women are at a greater risk owing to certain biological differences. Women’s bodies, generally, weigh lesser than men and also have a lesser pound for pound and water ratio due to the same reason.
This, in turn, causes quicker dehydration. In other words, a woman’s body will show increased blood alcohol concentration than a man’s body even if they have the same body weight and have consumed the same amount of alcohol.
Other valid reasons for women to refrain from alcohol consumption include:
Hormonal situations:
There is a surge of hormones in a female body during puberty, different cycles of menstruation, pregnancy, post-partum, and menopause.
Excess alcohol consumption can interfere with this system leading to an imbalance of hormones that can play out in a harmful manner in the long run.
Drinking during pregnancy is a strict health hazard that can cause serious implications for both the mother and the baby in due course of time. The same goes for other substance use as well.
Bone density:
Post 30 years of age, women’s bones start deteriorating. Add to it pregnancy and lactation, and you need a complete package to ensure overall good health. It is imperative to consume vitamin D and calcium supplements at this stage.
Alcohol prevents the smooth absorption and assimilation of nutrients from food which can get in the way of healthy bones for women.
Can interfere with medications:
Even occasional drinking can hinder the working of medications in a woman’s body. Birth control pills, sedative drugs, pain relievers, and anti-anxiety medications may not work to their true potential if interrupted by unwanted doses of alcohol.
Moreover, any supplements taken to improve physical health for women, expecting ladies, or lactating mothers can have little to no benefits if followed by alcohol over a period of time.
Increased susceptibility to breast cancer:
Studies have shown that women who consume at least 1 drink per day are at a 5-7% higher risk of developing breast cancer later in life than women who don’t drink at all. There is a well-established association between drinking and breast cancer cases and it only becomes stronger with time.
Summing it up:
Although women may be at a bigger risk for health hazards due to alcohol, men aren’t completely exempt either. All you need to do is keep a tab on your lifestyle, eating habits, and consciously make an effort to quit drinking.
Alcohol is quite the root of most physical and mental disorders alike in people who are regular drinkers. The best to quit alcohol consumption is to reduce it gradually. Bring it down daily or weekly until you no longer have to rely on alcohol for recreation.
