"I know that drinking moderately is a safe rule to follow in consuming

alcoholic beverages"

Drinking too much can raise the risk for serious conditions such as alcohol use disorder, liver disease,
heart disease, high blood pressure, 7 types of cancer, depression and anxiety, and stroke. Alcohol can
also change your behavior, putting you and others at risk for accidents, violence, injuries, unplanned
pregnancy, or STIs.

Alcohol use disorder (also called alcoholism) is a condition where you cannot control how much or how
often you drink, need to drink more to feel the effects, feel anxious or stressed, and think about when
you can drink next.

People should not drink at all if they are pregnant or might be pregnant, younger than 21 years, take
certain over-the-counter or prescription medicines, are recovering from alcohol use disorder, have a
health condition that can be worsened by drinking, or plan to drive or do activities that require skill,
coordination, and alertness

Alcohol consumption is linked to various health risks, including motor vehicle crashes, violence, sexual
risk behaviors, high blood pressure, and cancers. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
recommend that adults of legal drinking age choose not to drink or drink in moderation, limiting intake
to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women. They do not recommend
starting alcohol consumption for any reason and advise drinking less is better for health than drinking
more. Moderate alcohol consumption may have protective health benefits, but recent studies show it
may not be true. It is crucial to focus on the amount people drink on the days they drink, as binge
drinking increases the risk of short-term harm and long-term chronic health problems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the national public health agency of the United States.
It is a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is
headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Alcohol is both a tonic and a poison, with moderate drinking being beneficial for the heart and
circulatory system, potentially protecting against type 2 diabetes and gallstones. Heavy drinking is a
major cause of preventable death in most countries, and in the U.S., it is implicated in about

half of fatal traffic accidents. Heavy drinking can damage the liver, heart, and contribute to depression,
violence, and relationship interference. Alcohol's active ingredient, ethanol, affects the body in various
ways, including lipid levels, insulin, inflammation, and coordination. Moderate alcohol intake is typically
less than one drink per day, while a drink is usually 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of
spirits. Red wine may be better for cardiovascular benefits, but other research suggests that beverage
choice has little effect on cardiovascular benefit.
Heavy alcohol consumption can lead to various health issues, including liver inflammation, cirrhosis,
heart muscle damage, and cancers. The World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer
Research have linked alcohol to cancers in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, breast, liver, colon,
and rectum. The risk is multiplied for drinkers who also smoke tobacco or have a poor diet.

Problem drinking also affects drinkers' families, friends, and communities. In 2014, 61 million Americans
were classified as binge alcohol users and 16 million as heavy alcohol users. Alcohol abuse costs about
$249 billion a year. Even moderate drinking carries risks, such as disrupting sleep and judgment, and
potentially interacting with medications.

Alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing breast cancer, with the more alcohol consumed,
the greater the risk. A large prospective study found that even one drink a day increased the risk of
alcohol-related cancers in women, mainly breast cancer. Folate deficiency, caused by heavy alcohol use,
can cause gene changes that may lead to cancer. An adequate intake of folate, at least 400 micrograms
a day, when taking at least one drink of alcohol daily appears to lessen this increased risk.,

Moderate drinking has gained attention, but no universal definition exists. Current definitions are based
on specific number of drinks consumed, but defining a drink is challenging due to varying alcohol
content and international differences in definitions. Despite these challenges, definitions and guidelines
have been developed in the US and other countries.

Alcohol consumption is the drinking of beverages containing ethyl alcohol, which are consumed for their
physiological and psychological effects. It is often consumed within specific social contexts and may even
be part of religious practices. Governments often regulate its use due to its effects on the body and
behavior. Alcoholic beverages include wine, beer, and spirits, with alcohol content varying from 2% to
8%.

Alcohol is absorbed through the stomach and intestines, with up to half being degraded in the stomach
before it passes into the small intestine. Factors such as a strong alcoholic drink, food in the stomach,
naturally carbonated alcohol, and emotional state can affect the rate of absorption. Alcohol is diffused in
the body proportionally to the water content of various tissues and organs, appearing in greater
concentration in the blood and brain than in fat or muscle tissue.

The body begins to dispose of alcohol immediately after absorption, with only 2-10% of the alcohol
being eliminated by these means. The remainder, 90% or more, is disposed of by metabolic processes,
mainly in the liver.

Alcohol accumulates in the body when drinking proceeds at a faster rate than the alcohol is
metabolized. The graph of blood alcohol per size of drink shows a set of probable average curves of
blood alcohol concentrations in an average-size man after rapid absorption of various amounts of
alcohol. The graph also shows the average rate of decline of the blood alcohol concentration over time
as a result of the disposal of alcohol by the body through metabolism and excretion processes.
Sustained drinking over time at rates greater than the body's ability to process alcohol leads to greater
intoxication.

Alcohol, the main psychoactive ingredient in alcoholic beverages, can have significant effects on mood
and mental state. Consuming moderate amounts of alcohol may offer some health benefits, but heavy
drinking can negatively impact mood and bodily systems. Alcohol is produced by yeasts that digest sugar
in carb-rich foods like grapes or grains. Moderate amounts of alcohol may offer health benefits, but
heavy drinking can be addictive and highly toxic. The health effects of alcohol vary between individuals
and may depend on the amount and type of alcohol consumed. Alcohol can reduce self-consciousness
and shyness, encouraging people to act without inhibition, but it impairs judgment and may promote
regretful behavior. Some people drink small amounts at a time, while others tend to binge drink.
Overall, alcohol can have both positive and negative effects on mental health.

Alcohol consumption can lead to various liver diseases, including fatty liver, cirrhosis, and brain damage.
Alcohol is metabolized by the liver, and frequent intake can lead to increased fat inside liver cells.
Alcohol abuse can result in cirrhosis, a serious condition that requires a liver transplant.

Excessive alcohol consumption can also have adverse effects on the brain, such as reduced
communication between brain cells and memory loss. Chronic alcohol abuse can cause permanent
changes in brain function, increasing the risk of dementia and brain shrinkage in middle-aged and older
adults. Moderate drinking may have benefits for brain health, especially among older adults.

Depression is closely associated with alcohol intake, with alcohol abuse being a stronger causal factor.
Heavy drinking can worsen mental health and spark a vicious cycle, while moderate drinking may have
benefits for brain health.

Body weight is another concern, with alcohol being the second most calorie-rich nutrient after fat.
Studies on the link between alcohol and weight gain have provided inconsistent results, with light to
moderate drinking linked to reduced weight gain and heavy drinking linked to increased weight gain.

Heart health is another significant concern, with light to moderate drinking linked to a reduced risk of
heart disease.
SOURCE:

health.gov was indexed by Google more than 10 years ago,

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Government agency

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is the public health school of Harvard University, located
in the Longwood Medical Area of Boston, Massachusetts.

This is from a website Google has indexed.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Publishing company

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world's oldest continuously published encyclopaedia. The company also owns the American dictionary
publisher Merriam-Webster, and though historically British, is now based in Chicago, USA.

Healthline Media

Company

Healthline Media, Inc. is an American website and provider of health information headquartered in San
Francisco, California. It was founded in 1999, relaunched in 2006, and established as a standalone entity
in January 2016. Healthline has been ranked towards the middle of top-ranking health information
websites.