December ushers in the holiday season with parties and celebrations straight through New Year’s Eve. All those festivities include lavish food and, quite often, alcohol. But before you pour yourself another cup of Grinch punch or indulge in a third cranberry cosmo, you might want to hit pause and consider your long-term health. Besides the obvious impacts alcohol can have, such as driving impaired, a hangover or alcohol poisoning, there are many reasons to forgo excessive drinking or limit even moderate alcohol use. 

The whole body is affected by drinking. Alcohol in general has several adverse effects on the body. Excess alcohol consumption over time can lead to certain cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease, digestive issues, depression, weakened immune system and sexual problems, not to mention an increased risk of injury from falls and auto accidents.

Research shows particularly strong links to colon, breast, liver, esophageal, stomach, throat and oral cancers. Even moderate drinking* (defined as up to two drinks a day) can raise your risk of developing cancer, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S. behind tobacco use and an unhealthy diet. Worse, cancer deaths attributable to alcohol consumption increased by nearly 50% from 1990 to 2021. This trend was true across all age groups and genders. Surveys show that two thirds of U.S. adults either do not know or do not believe that alcohol consumption increases their risk of cancer.  

When you drink alcohol, it passes quickly into your bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine. It travels to all parts of your body and affects all of your organs, including your brain. It reaches the brain in minutes and slows breathing, heart rate and your ability to think and process information. Your liver is responsible for processing alcohol, but it can only process about one drink per hour. The liver breaks down alcohol into a carcinogen called acetaldehyde, which can damage your DNA. Acetaldehyde causes oxidative stress, alters hormone levels like estrogen and makes it easier for other cancer-causing substances (like tobacco smoke) to be absorbed into the body. Chronic drinking can lead to fatty liver disease because of the body’s tendency to store fat rather than burn fat.

Alcohol reduces the body’s ability to absorb and use nutrients like the vitamins and minerals that keep us healthy and fight off cancers. The resulting damage can lead to cell mutations and inflammation throughout the body, making conditions ripe for cancers like those of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver and breast. The combination of drinking and smoking makes the risk of developing cancer even higher. 

It is important to know that men and women process alcohol differently. Women are usually smaller and process alcohol more slowly. They experience the effects of alcohol sooner than men and have a higher blood alcohol level even if they consume the same amount as men. Women are at a higher risk for alcohol’s long-term adverse health effects.

Alcohol use may contribute to the weight gain and decreased insulin sensitivity that leads to type 2 diabetes. Not only is alcohol high in calories, it has no nutritional value and contributes to poor decisions when making food choices. Those who already have diabetes may struggle to control their blood glucose levels adequately with any alcohol intake.

Alcohol contributes to gastroesophageal reflux disease and leaky gut syndrome, allowing toxins to enter the body through the intestines. It can cause your stomach to produce more acid, becoming inflamed or leading to diarrhea. While you may think alcohol helps you sleep, it disrupts normal sleep patterns, reducing REM sleep, worsening sleep apnea and snoring, leading to fatigue and an inability to focus the next day. Alcohol leads to dehydration and accelerates aging, especially of the skin. The sulfites in your drink may trigger your allergies and asthma. 

There is no type of alcohol that is better for you, including red wine. There are many better ways to improve heart health. To be honest, there is no safe amount of alcohol you can consume, just like there is no safe amount of cigarettes you can smoke. To lower your risk for developing cancer and other health problems, it’s best not to drink alcohol at all. 

But, if you choose to drink, try these tips to mitigate some of the damage:  Keep hydrated by drinking water or other non-alcoholic beverages between alcoholic drinks. Don’t let others top off your glass, as you may lose track of how much you’ve had. Eat some food before and during drinking to slow your drinking and slow the absorption of alcohol. Zinc, taurine, glutathione, NAC and B vitamins can help reduce some of the damage from drinking as long as you drink one drink per hour. Support your immune system by working out, making sure you get enough sleep, eating a balanced diet and getting an annual checkup. Drink mindfully, choosing when you drink and how much.

“It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how,” said the Cat in the Hat. So, if you choose to drink, be aware of the risks, drink less often and have fewer overall drinks.

*Note: One drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor.