[Health Tip] Drink Plenty of Water and Drink Moderately... If Quitting Alcohol Is Difficult, Drink Wisely

As COVID-19 transitions into an endemic phase (periodic outbreaks of infectious diseases), the previously declining rate of high-risk drinking has begun to rise again. High-risk drinking refers to drinking alcohol at least twice a week, with men consuming 7 or more drinks at once (or about 5 cans of beer) and women consuming 5 or more drinks at once (or about 3 cans of beer).

[Image source=Himchan Hospital]

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's '2022 Regional Health Statistics at a Glance' released on the 2nd, the high-risk drinking rate was 14.1% in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. It dropped to 10.9% in 2020 during the pandemic and remained at a similar level of 11.0% the following year. However, last year it surged again to 12.6%. It is analyzed that drinking occasions, which had been restrained due to concerns about infectious diseases, increased again, and the culture of 'drinking alone' and 'home drinking' expanded, leading to an increase in both the frequency and intensity of alcohol consumption.

Yumi Kim, an internal medicine specialist at Incheon Himchan General Hospital, said, “High-risk drinking increases the risk of various diseases such as liver disease, heart disease, stroke, and hypertension, and can affect more than 200 physical and mental disorders including sleep disorders, depression, and anxiety. When alcohol dependence develops, it can cause not only personal health problems but also secondary social issues, so it is advisable to develop appropriate drinking habits.”

Specifically, repeated heavy drinking increases the likelihood of liver diseases such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. It can cause various diseases including gastrointestinal disorders of the esophagus, stomach, and colon, heart disease, brain and peripheral nerve disorders, and hematopoietic disorders accompanied by anemia. Gastritis and stomach ulcers may also occur, and vomiting after heavy drinking can tear the mucous membrane between the stomach and esophagus, causing injury.

High-risk drinking raises inflammatory responses and blood sugar levels in the body, increasing the risk of various metabolic syndromes including diabetes. The high-risk drinking group is known to have more than 1.5 times the risk of diabetes compared to the low-risk drinking group, where men drink about 3 shots of soju and women about 2 shots at a time. Chronic alcohol consumption can sensitively affect the brain’s reticular formation and cerebral cortex, causing impairments in cognitive functions such as memory, cognition, judgment, attention, and information processing. Furthermore, it can suppress the central nervous system’s control functions, leading to socially uncontrolled behaviors such as excitement, aggression, and impulsivity, which may cause social problems by harming others.

Therefore, for health reasons, it is best to avoid drinking alcohol whenever possible, but in reality, it is not easy to avoid drinking occasions in social life. If you must drink due to situations like company dinners, it is advisable to drink plenty of water during alcohol consumption to prevent dehydration and delay alcohol absorption in the body. Also, avoid drinking on an empty stomach as much as possible, and choose side dishes such as fish, seafood, and seaweed that help regenerate damaged liver cells and benefit brain nerve cells. Eating fruits and vegetables is also recommended because antioxidant vitamins and minerals aid in alcohol metabolism.

Yumi Kim, an internal medicine specialist at Incheon Himchan General Hospital, said, “If you are a high-risk drinker, it is essential to check your drinking habits regularly and make efforts to set and control the frequency and amount of alcohol consumption yourself. If you feel that your drinking is beyond self-control, the best way to protect your health is to actively seek treatment with the help of specialized centers or medical professionals.”