Does Drinking Alcohol Actually Make You Age Faster?

Many people suspect that alcohol can speed up aging, both biologically and physically.

To find out more, Health examined the latest research and maintained itself with medical experts to discover how alcohol has an impact on aging, from the health of your skin to cell health, hormonal function, sleep and the risk of chronic disease.

Alcohol can cause dehydration and a mulled barrier function. Alcohol is a diuretic, which increases water loss through urine, leaving your skin dehydrated and dull. Chronic dehydration can alter the skin barrier, leading to drought, floconneous and increased sensitivity.

“This can also lead people to have an inflated look and keep water, especially in areas like the sub-ystors,” said Anthony M. Rossi, MD, FAAD, founder of Dr Rossi Derm MD SKINCARE, said Health.

In addition, Alcohol causes skin inflammation, This can cause inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. Studies have also linked an increase in alcohol intake to rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness and bloody vessels visible on the face.

Alcohol also increases oxidative stress and the production of harmful free radicals, which can decompose collagen (the main structural protein of the skin) and cause loss of elasticity. A rupture of collagen and elasticity can make the skin more sagged over time and make fine lines and fine lines more visible.

Alcohol can help you fall asleep at the start, but He actually disrupts a deep and restful sleep. Do not sleep regularly can cause accelerated aging, as sleep disorders have been linked to the shortened length of the telomeres. Shortcut telomeres are associated with greater cellular aging and a shorter lifespan.

“Alcohol can harm the quality of sleep, in particular the sleep of rapid eye movements (REM),” said Alison A. Moore, MD, MPH, FACP, AGSF, Director of SAM and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging and the Center for Healthy Aging, says Health.

Lack of sleep can also have an impact on your hunger regulatory hormones. Sleep deprivation increases your level of ghrelin (the hormone that makes you hungry) and reduces your level of leptin (the hormone which regulates fullness).

Drinking alcohol also increases the production of free radicals and causes chronic inflammation—The two are linked to accelerated biological aging and an increased risk of chronic (long -term) diseases over time.

Moore says that there are robust data that show that telomeres are shorter in those who drink high quantities of alcohol (more than 17 drinks per week), an excessive drink (5 or more drinks by occasion) and among those with alcohol consumption disorders. Telomeres are markers of organic aging, and shorter telomeres are linked to a higher risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Excessive alcohol consumption can also cause hormone changes such as estrogen, testosterone and cortisol. Drinking any amount of alcohol regularly will increase estrogen levels in the body, which increases the risk of breast cancer. Among men, a strong consumption of alcohol reduces testosterone levels. Excessive alcohol consumption and excessive alcohol consumption can increase cortisol levels, the main body stress hormone.

In the long term, Drinking alcohol regularly (especially in higher quantities) is linked to the anterior beginning of the age -related cognitive declineThis gradually makes brain functions aggravate such as memory and thought.

Some studies suggest that any amount of alcohol has risks to accelerate aging, while other studies say that moderate consumption can have certain health benefits – but these The results require a more in -depth study.

“There is a clear scientific consensus on the fact that the high consumption of alcohol is harmful,” said Tianyuan Lu, PHD, deputy professor in the Department of Population Health and the Department of Biostatical and Medical IT at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said Health. “The debate is to know if an amount of alcohol is really sure. Certain observation studies have linked moderate contribution to better health results in relation to non-droops, but these results can be influenced by other factors, such as socioeconomic status, access to health care, diet or pre-existing health problems. ”

Alcohol can increase your risk of old.

High alcohol consumption can disrupt sleep, hormones and increase your risk of developing chronic diseases. Heavy quantities of alcohol can also affect the appearance of your skin, leading to redness, drought and loss of humidity.

While any amount of alcohol has proven to be harmful to certain markers of aging, long -term alcohol consumption and excessive alcohol consumption are more likely to age than you are faster than low to moderate doses. Additional research is necessary to study the exact effects of alcohol on aging.