Can Drinking Even One Glass Of Alcohol A Day Be Harmful For Health?

Today, indulging in alcoholic beverages to unwind over the weekend or at social occasions is no longer a big taboo that it used to be. We can see people, as young as 16 enjoying alcoholic drinks, even though it is not legal, thinking that it is not unhealthy or dangerous if they drink occasionally.

However, as alcohol is a substance which has the ability to make a person dependent on it both psychologically and physiologically, what many of us do not realise is that, even small quantities of alcohol consumed on a regular basis can affect our health negatively, slowly but surely.

For instance, drinking just a glass or two of any type of alcohol every day, along with dinner or after a long day at work is a common practice. People feel that drinking just that one glass of beer, whisky or any other alcoholic beverage would have no impact on their health whatsoever, as the quantity is so less and they are not drinking until they get "high" or pass out.

However, the fact is even small quantities of things which are unhealthy for the body can create significant harm. A new global study conducted on how consuming even one glass of alcohol per day can harm your health has been explained below; have a look.

How Risky Is Drinking In Moderation Every Day?

A study, known as the 'Global Burden Of Disease', conducted in the United Kingdom, conducted a research to analyse the effects of alcohol on health. The study included about 100,000 people from 195 different countries around the globe, who were between the ages of 15 to 95, belonging to both genders.

This group of 100,000 was categorised into drinkers (people who drank at least one glass of alcohol per day) and non-drinkers (people who never consumed alcohol at all).

After analysis, which went on for many years, from 1990 to 2016, where the selected people were constantly being monitored for health conditions and also keeping their drinking habits noted, a conclusion was made.

The conclusion from the research study stated that people who consumed at least one drink on a daily basis were more at risk of developing alcohol-related health disorders, in comparison with non-drinkers.

And people who drank 4-5 glasses for alcohol a day or even a few days in a week, were at a higher risk of developing alcohol-related diseases, compared to non-drinkers and even people who drank just one glass of alcohol a day.

So, experts say that whether you drink one alcoholic drink per day or 5 drinks, you are at the risk of health problems.

What Are The Health Hazards Caused By Alcohol Consumption?

We learnt that consuming even small quantities of alcohol can harm our health significantly. So, now let us see how exactly alcohol can affect our health.

Some of the physiological health problems caused by alcohol abuse in the long run are:

• Shrinkage of the frontal lobes of the brain, causing memory and behavioural problems.
• Constant dizziness and blackouts, even when not under the influence of alcohol.
• Constant slurring of speech, due to the thickening of the tongue tissues.
• Chronic fatigue
• Mouth ulcers
• Heart damage
• Liver damage
• Pancreatitis
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Chronic acidity, stomach ulcers and intestinal inflammation
• Sexual dysfunction
• Infertility
• Birth defects in children born, if alcohol is consumed during pregnancy
• Weakening of bones
• Muscle cramps and numbness
• Cancer

Some of the psychological health effects of consuming alcohol in the excess are:

• Aggressive behaviour
• Impulsive, risk-taking behaviour
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Addiction or dependency
• Hallucinations, even when not under the influence of alcohol
• Suicidal tendencies

So, in conclusion, drinking even a glass of any type of alcohol a day can have a negative impact on your health in the long run.

If you feel like your drinking habit has been very hard to let go and you keep drinking alcohol on a regular basis, even after facing certain side effects, then immediate medical attention must be sought, so that professionals can help you get rid of the habit with the help of therapy and medications.