Alcohol and Aging

Alcohol abuse is a much bigger problem in older adults than many people realize. As you get older you may continue to drink heavily because you think alcohol does not affect you. You may also drink as a way to deal with grief over significant losses in your life. However, you may be destroying your health by the abuse of alcohol.

What physical problems can alcohol cause?

Alcohol can have many bad effects on the body. Abuse of alcohol may cause or contribute to:

• gastritis (inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the stomach)
• gout, which is the buildup of uric acid that can cause inflammation in your joints
• heart failure
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• increased acid in your stomach, which can damage your stomach lining
• increased blood sugar levels, which makes diabetes worse
• increased risk of cancer of the liver, pancreas, mouth, tongue, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus
• injuries from falls and other accidents
• interactions with medicines
• loss of protein, minerals, and vitamins, especially thiamine (vitamin B-1) and other B-complex vitamins
• pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• peptic ulcer (a raw area in the lining of the gastrointestinal tract)
• strokes
• insomnia
• worsening of most other medical problems such as heart disease, kidney disease, and circulation problems.

Keeping your balance while walking or standing becomes more difficult as you get older and alcohol makes the problem worse. Falls and other injuries are more common with alcohol use.

How much is too much?

Alcohol may start causing health problems if you are over 65 and have more than 1 beer or 1 drink containing more than 1 ounce of alcohol per day. It is dangerous to drink any alcohol with some medicines. Make sure you ask your healthcare provider if it is safe to drink alcohol with the medicines you are taking.

Why should older adults cut back on alcohol?

• Alcohol has a stronger effect in older people than it does in younger people.
• Reaction time slows down with age, and alcohol slows it even more.
• Mental confusion can occur from drinking too much.
• You may ignore important physical signs like pain when you are drinking.

If you take a lot of acetaminophen (Tylenol), drinking alcohol can damage your liver.

If an older person you care about has a drinking problem, do the same thing that you would do for someone younger. Get help and support from family, healthcare providers, or the local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous.