Why is alcohol at an older age not recommended? Our body has more and more problems to fight it.
We drink but do not do it well
Increasingly, we hear that alcohol does not have positive effects on our organism. Not in large or small quantities. Although it can be considered less harmful in a certain amount, it cannot be said that it has a demonstrably beneficial effect, although different types of alcohol contain vitamins or significant antioxidants.
Efforts to promote abstinence in a country that have been one of the top in alcohol consumption for decades can appear unnecessary or counterproductive. However, everyone is responsible for their health. If we do not decide for abstinence, we should at least know the risks.
Science and medicine have been bringing new recommendations in recent years concerning different age groups. Today we know much better how the human body works and how its reaction changes with age. It is also different when consuming alcohol.
Dr. Regina Koepp on your YouTube channel of the same name.
Age changes not only the digestion of alcohol but also the need for nutrients
The differences are not only between female and male organism, mainly due to the difference in the production of hormones, but also in how the body changes with increasing age. Today, for example, there is much talk about the importance of protein. Not only their origin, but also a suitable amount for different age groups is examined.
Take, for example, quite normal and common protein or protein that our body definitely needs. Nutritional experts recommend to include high -quality proteins of animal and plant origin in a relatively high amount of 50 years of age. After fifty, however, a large amount of the same protein may pose a risk of tumor growth. In 2014, a study called Low Protein Income came with a significant reduction in IGF-1, cancer and overall mortality at the age of 65 and younger, but not in the older population that was published in Cell Metabolism.
Protein example demonstrates that even the necessary and generally healthy substances are processed by our body differently in specific life stages.
In the case of alcohol, it cannot be said to testify to the body, but after 65. As a result, even less alcohol can cause disorientation, problems with balance and more drunkenness. This leads to more frequent injuries.
Moreover, people of this age also often use drugs and alcohol interactions with them can be not only unpredictable but also risky. These include opiates, antidepressants or epilepsy drugs. Combining can not only reduce, but also internal bleeding or other complications.
The study of the long -term effects of alcohol consumption on cognitive functions in seniors: cohort studies in China in BMC Geriatrics in 2021 have confirmed the impact of alcohol on cancer, even in the case of mild quantities. It was a work published in Jama Netw Open called Alcohol Consumption and Mortality in older adults with risk factors related to health or socio -economic factors.
So where is the border?
It is still said that slight consumption of alcohol promotes longevity, popular claims are especially in France or Italy. Today, while a small amount of alcohol is still tolerating, experts emphasize that it is not even healthy either. New studies show that even a small amount can contribute to high blood pressure, worsening of diabetes, accelerating cognitive problems, or depression or the risk of cancer.
In addition, alcohol has a negative impact on the quality of sleep, balance, immune system and overall body stability. Women often feel changes earlier than at the age of 65. They have less taste for alcohol, but also more pronounced consequences even in small quantities.
The impact of alcohol consumption on individuals and their families was dealt with, for example, by the US National Institute of Aging in the article “Facts on aging and alcohol” or the National Council of Aging in the text of alcohol consumption and healthy aging: know your limits.
Alcohol is deeply rooted not only in our culture, but also in the world in general. Nevertheless, medical professionals recall that the restriction or complete elimination of alcohol after 65 is reasonable, especially if you are taking medicines, suffering from chronic diseases, or notice memory and balance problems.
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