What is happening to your body when you have been drinking for over 20 years?

Long-term drinkers are often able to consume higher and higher doses of alcohol without experiencing the short term effects that may cause them to stop. This is known as 'tolerance' and can lead to a dependence on alcohol, addiction or alcoholism. As well as this, when alcohol is broken down by the body its produces toxic by-products which are then transported by the bloodstream to almost all your cells and tissues. Therefore, over-consumption of alcohol over a long period of time can lead to a huge range of different health issues and diseases affecting almost every part of your body.

Liver

Alcohol is one of the leading causes of liver disease in Australia. The build up of fat in the liver, known as fatty liver disease, can begin from a single drinking session. Long-term overconsumption of alcohol can also cause serious alcoholic liver diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) which can then also lead to alcoholic liver cirrhosis (permanent liver scarring). These diseases prevent the liver from functioning efficiently and could result in a liver transplant, coma or even death. In 2011, 532 citizens of Western Australia were hospitalised due to alcohol-related liver cirrhosis, and the total number of deaths was 59.

Cardiovascular illness:

Approximately 25% of long-term heavy drinkers will develop early onset cardiovascular disease (disease of the heart and blood vessels). Heavy alcohol drinking elevates blood pressure and increases the risk of strokes and heart attacks. Long-term alcohol use also elevates the levels of blood fat leading to coronary heart disease, and can cause cardiomyopathy where the heart gets bigger and loses its ability to contract. Another cause of death in people who are heavy alcohol drinkers is cardiac arrhythmia where the normal rhythm of the heart is disrupted.

Digestive system

Alcohol is toxic to all parts the digestive system. Long-term or heavy alcohol use is associated with higher rates of stomach ulcer disease and gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), pancreatitis (inflammation and scarring of the pancreas) which also impairs the production of enzymes and insulin, and the disruption of the small intestines ability to aid digestion efficiently. There is also evidence to suggest that alcohol can trigger bowel irritation conditions such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

Cancer

Long-term heavy alcohol consumption is a leading cause of cancers including mouth, throat, oesophageal, stomach, bowel, breast and liver cancer. The risk of cancer is directly related to the amount you drink, meaning the more alcohol you drink the greater the risk of developing cancer.

Kidneys

Alcohol acts as a diuretic, meaning it acts on the kidneys and increases urination. Over-drinking alcohol alters kidney function and requires the kidneys to work harder to remove toxins from the bloodstream.

Brain

Drinking alcohol heavily over a prolonged period of time can also cause the death of brain cells leading to brain disorders and decreased mental of physical function. In particular, drinking alcohol as a teenager can be very damaging to brain health as it undergoes a large amount of development during these years.

Musculoskeletal damage

Drinking heavily over a long period of time also affects bones, decreasing their mass and density. This makes them more fragile and more prone to breaks and fractures, as well as increasing the risk of osteoporosis where bones become brittle and cause back pain and even spinal deformation.

Approximately 40-60% of people who drink heavily also report a wasting or weakness of muscles.

Reproductive hormones

For both women and men, long term alcohol abuse can cause reproductive problems. In men alcohol can interfere with testosterone and cause the testes to shrink, and may result in a lower libido, decreased ejaculate volume, sperm count and mobility, impotence, a change in other physical characteristics (reduced cheat and/or facial hair, breast enlargement etc) and even infertility. Likewise, in women the abuse of alcohol can alter the levels of a number of female hormones causing irregularities in menstruation, a lower libido and an increased risk of miscarriage.

Reducing the risk

Thankfully, many of these health care issues can be reversed or prevented when alcohol consumption is stopped (always talk with a doctor before changing your alcohol consumption). If you do not wish to abstain from drinking completely the best way to reduce your risk of alcohol-related diseases is to reduce the amount you drink and adhere to the governmental guidelines.