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One way that alcohol speeds aging is by causing therelease of stress hormonesin the body. Alcohol is known to increase the release of stress hormones. Therefore, doctors think that there is an excess amount of stress hormones that are released in people who struggle with alcohol use. If you or someone you love drinks alcohol heavily, you may start to notice some changes in how they look over time. Medically Reviewed By Dr. Jessica Pyhtila, PharmDA licensed behavioral health or medical professional on The Recovery Village Editorial Team has analyzed and confirmed every statistic, study and medical claim on this page.
Can you reverse the signs of aging from alcohol?
While you may not be able to reverse some of the damage that excessive alcohol use has already been done, there are certain things you can do in order to make sure the issues don't get worse. For example, you can exercise and adhere to a well-balanced diet.
During the pandemic, 14 percent of older adults reported drinking more, according to a national survey by University of Michigan researchers. (However, 27 percent drank less, possibly because work-related and social drinking became less frequent.) Of those ages 50 to 80 who do drink, 23 percent downed three or more drinks in a typical session. There is a need to develop services tailored to the needs of older substance misusers. Education of the workforce, including medical students and other health care professionals, is the key.
Alcohol, Aging, and Your Skin
The many challenges that can arise at this stage of life — reduced income, failing health, loneliness, and the loss of friends and loved ones — may cause some people to drink to escape their feelings. “Heavy alcohol drinking might change the aging clock before one develops medical disease. Some types of dementia and alcohol-related brain damage develop as your brain cells shrink. Over time, heavy drinking can lead to loss of judgment, focus, and memory. You may have more trouble regulating your emotions or managing your coordination. All observations per participant were included except those where there was no response at that wave.
Fortunately, there are those older people who are drinking in a risky or hazardous fashion and for whom brief interventions are effective. “The effects of alcohol and drug abuse on the skin.” Clinical Dermatology, August 2010. A second way that alcohol speeds aging is by harming different organs in the body, such as the liver. These damaged organs thenharm the chemical balance in the body, leading to early aging.
How to Cut Back on Your Drinking
Read more about the prevention of excessive alcohol use, including underage drinking. Underage alcohol consumption is common in the United States and can have harmful outcomes. A comprehensive approach that includes effective policy strategies can prevent underage drinking and related harms.
For example, if a alcohol and aging experiences hair loss for a thyroid problem caused by drinking, this issue may be resolved when alcohol abuse ends. Again, alcohol affects the skin and can cause negative deterioration of various internal systems. When a person becomes a chronic drinker, the habit takes a toll on multiple organs within the body.
