According to recent research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, around 1 in 10 older adults has a dangerous habit that puts them at greater risk for falls and other serious medical problems. When researchers analyzed date on 10,927 people over the age of 65 who participated in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2015 and 2017, they found an estimated 10.6% reported binge drinking.
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Binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks at a time for men, and four or more drinks at a time for women, makes you more susceptible to alcohol poisoning. Alcohol poisoning impairs the body and eventually shuts down the areas of the brain that control basic life-support functions, such as breathing, heart rate and temperature control. In addition to a greater risk of alcohol poisoning, binge drinking can have serious health consequences at any age, but it carries an additional set of risks for older adults.
Lead study author Dr. Benjamin Han explained, “A lot of patients don't realize that as they get older, their body becomes more sensitive to alcohol. They still think they can drink the same way, but the risks increase quite a bit."
The National Council on Aging reports that 80% of older adults suffer from at least one chronic condition. When suffering from heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes or other chronic illnesses, binge drinking can worsen the problem. Alcohol can also have severe interactions with medications that older adults may be taking, and binge drinking may also cause adults to forget to take their medications, which can have dangerous consequences as well.
According to the National Council on Aging, falls rank as the leading cause of broken bones, trauma and death among older adults. Add alcohol to the mix and there’s an even greater chance for a fall.
If the likelihood of an accident doesn’t deter you from having one too many, just think of what all that alcohol is doing to your body. Alcohol consumption, even when moderate, has been linked to increased liver stiffness, systemic inflammation, leaky gut, memory loss and brain shrinkage, increased risk of mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon and breast cancer, obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and DNA damage.
You may think alcohol abuse isn’t something you need to talk to your grandparents about, but the evidence says otherwise.