Contents:
- Medical Video: The effects of alcohol & how much alcohol is safe to consume
- Can elderly people drink alcohol?
- The health risk of older people drinking alcohol is greater than that of young people
- How can the elderly still drink alcohol?
Medical Video: The effects of alcohol & how much alcohol is safe to consume
Liquor is synonymous with the lifestyle of young people. But if you are old, can you drink alcoholic beverages? It's a shame to leave your favorite liquor when you were young. After all, liquor and alcohol are proven to provide health benefits - if taken naturally.
Can elderly people drink alcohol?
Basically, anyone can drink liquor to be able to enjoy the benefits. Yes, it's okay for the elderly to drink alcohol. What needs to be understood, the body continues to experience changes as we age. This aging naturally causes the body's ability to break down alcohol to drop dramatically. In comparison, the liver generally processes 30 ml of liquor within one hour.
The longer the alcohol is in the body, the more damage it will cause. Even the least amount of alcohol can have serious consequences. As a result, alcohol consumption during old age can trigger short-term and long-term side effects.
The influence of alcohol in the body of young people and the elderly can be different forms. Due to this aging, some parents can quickly feel drunk without increasing the portion of alcohol they drink. For example, when you were young you could drink three to four large beers without feeling drunk. But at the age of 65 and above, you might have been drunk first even though you only spent half a glass.
The health risk of older people drinking alcohol is greater than that of young people
Drinking alcohol slows down the reaction time and body coordination, and interferes with eye movement and information processing. Young people who drink only a small portion of alcohol already have a high risk of traffic accidents. The risk of car accidents due to the influence of alcohol will also increase with age. Older drivers tend to be more prone to serious injuries in accidents than younger people. Even without alcohol, the risk of car crashes generally increases from the age of 55.
In older adults, too much alcohol can further aggravate balance problems and increase the risk of falls, which can cause hip or arm fractures and other injuries. Older people have thinner bones than younger people, so their bones can be broken more easily. Well, alcohol consumption can add to this age-related risk. Studies show that hip fracture rates in older adults increase with alcohol use.
One of the biggest health risks among seniors is mixing drugs and alcohol. Older adults usually use certain drugs to treat the disease, both prescription and over-the-counter. Some drugs can have a negative impact when mixed with alcohol. For example, pain relievers can cause injury to the stomach, severe heart palpitations, bleeding, convulsions, shortness of breath, and loss of body motor function if taken after or with alcohol. Medications for heart disease can cause drastic changes in blood pressure, headaches, palpitations, or loss of consciousness or fainting.
In addition, excessive alcohol consumption in the elderly can further aggravate chronic diseases that may have been suffered for a long time. Elderly drinking alcohol excessively in the long term can increase the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Alcohol also makes some medical problems difficult to find and treat by a doctor. For example, alcohol causes changes in the heart and blood vessels. This change can blunt pain which may be a warning sign of a heart attack.
How can the elderly still drink alcohol?
It's okay for the elderly to drink alcohol. But there are many things you need to pay attention to before pouring your favorite liquor. According to a number of studies and health agencies around the world, it is better for adult men and women do not consume more than fourteen units of alcohol in a week. However, fourteen of these units may not be taken at once in one day. Give a break of two to three days where you don't consume alcohol at all.
One unit of alcohol itself is roughly equivalent to the following dose.
- 240 - 280 ml (one glass of star fruit or a large half glass) beer with an alcohol content of 3-4 percent.
- 50 mlwineor sake with alcohol content of 12-20 percent.
- 25 ml of liquor like whiskey,Scotch,gin, vodka, and tequila with 40 percent alcohol content.
Remember, each product contains different levels of alcohol. Always pay attention and calculate the alcohol level you will order. Because, two large glasses of beer alone is equivalent to drinking four units of alcohol a day.
Also to remember, the safe rule of drinking alcohol above is a guide for healthy adults. You need to consider your body condition and the risk of illness that you might have before drinking alcohol. It's best to discuss with your doctor first about this decision.
