A little alcohol now and then – most people would probably agree that it can’t do any harm. A group of scientists now wants to clear up such misconceptions.
It is best to stay away from alcohol completely, or at least that is the current assessment of the German Nutrition Society. The association – which claims to be an independent society of researchers – advises against drinking alcohol at all.
The Bonn-based association is thus changing its previous assessment. Even in moderation, alcohol is not healthy – there is no potentially health-promoting and safe amount of alcohol for safe consumption, writes the professional association in its new position paper. “Alcohol is a psychoactive drug” that has been identified as the cause of more than 200 negative health consequences such as illnesses and accidents. The paper replaces the previous reference value for recommended alcohol consumption.
“Psychoactive drug”: Large amounts of alcohol are always harmful
Anyone who still wants to drink alcohol should avoid large quantities, advises the professional association. This applies especially to young people. Children, adolescents, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should not drink alcohol at all.
This was also the result of an analysis of various studies on the connection between alcohol consumption and health. The reason why studies have found health benefits from moderate alcohol consumption is due to biases caused by deficiencies in the study design, as researchers at the University of Victoria in Canada found. They evaluated 107 long-term studies on the connection between alcohol consumption and mortality.
According to the German Nutrition Society, the relationship between alcohol consumption and health is complex. Risk-reducing associations with alcohol consumption have been observed for a few chronic diseases. Overall, the burden of illness and death caused by alcohol is considerable worldwide, and particularly in Europe. Average alcohol consumption in Germany in 2019 was more than twice as high as the global average.
Alcohol consumption is associated with, among other things, developmental disorders in unborn children, accidents, injuries, violence and “psychosocial impairments of people who drink alcohol and their social environment,” the society writes. The short-term consequences include impairments in coordination, attention and reaction time.
Cancer and Alzheimer’s are just some of the consequences
In the long term, alcohol not only poses a risk of addiction. According to experts, alcohol also causes diseases: cancer (especially breast and colon cancer), cardiovascular diseases, stomach and intestinal diseases, diabetes mellitus, as well as the decline in cognitive performance, Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Read in our archive: You’re at a party, you don’t want to drink alcohol, but after just five minutes you’re asked in disbelief why you’re not drinking anything? We explain why it’s so hard to say no and have some sayings for you that you can use to counter without alcohol.
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
