What are the effects of excessive alcohol consumption, specifically Binge Drinking (BD)?

From the Guidelines

Binge drinking is a highly hazardous pattern of alcohol consumption that should be completely avoided due to its severe health risks, and individuals who engage in it should seek professional help to reduce their alcohol intake. The effects of excessive alcohol consumption, specifically binge drinking (BD), are multifaceted and far-reaching, impacting not only the individual's physical health but also their mental wellbeing and social relationships. Binge drinking is typically defined as consuming five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women within about two hours, leading to a rapid elevation of blood alcohol concentration 1. This pattern of drinking is associated with an increased risk of accidents, violence, and risky behaviors, as well as long-term consequences such as liver disease, cardiovascular problems, neurological damage, increased cancer risk, and the development of alcohol use disorder 1.

Key Findings

• Binge drinking is linked to a higher risk of developing chronic liver disease with liver decompensation, especially when the frequency of binge drinking episodes increases over the previous year 1.
• Episodic drinking, such as binge drinking, is associated with a lower risk than daily alcohol consumption in males but not in females 1.
• Daily drinkers have a greater risk of cirrhosis compared to less frequent drinkers, with the risk increasing as the frequency of drinking days per week increases 1.
• Continued binge drinking into young adulthood, especially when initiated during adolescence, is associated with a significantly increased relative risk of mortality and liver impairment in both males and females 1.

Recommendations

• Individuals should avoid binge drinking altogether due to its serious health risks.
• For those who currently engage in binge drinking, limiting alcohol consumption to no more than 1-2 standard drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women, with several alcohol-free days each week, is recommended.
• Seeking professional help through a primary care provider is crucial for those struggling to control their drinking, as they may benefit from counseling, support groups, or medications to reduce cravings or create aversion to alcohol 1.
• Early detection and treatment of binge drinking are recommended to mitigate its negative effects on survival and liver impairment 1.

From the Research

Effects of Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Binge Drinking

The effects of binge drinking (BD) are numerous and can have severe consequences on an individual's health. Some of the key effects include:

• Increased risk of acute conditions such as injuries and violence 2
• Increased risk of adverse health conditions, including some chronic diseases (e.g., breast cancer) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders 2
• Increased risk of alcohol-impaired driving, with binge drinkers being 14 times more likely to drive while impaired by alcohol compared to non-binge drinkers 3
• Increased risk of suboptimal self-rated health, with frequent binge drinkers or binge drinkers who consume alcohol heavily being especially at risk 4

Prevalence of Binge Drinking

Binge drinking is a common problem among US adults, with:

• An estimated 34.7 million adult drinkers in the United States engaging in binge drinking in 2008 4
• 42.2% of binge drinkers reporting either heavy drinking or at least 4 binge-drinking episodes in a 30-day period 4
• Men accounting for 81% of binge-drinking episodes, although rates of binge-drinking episodes are highest among those aged 18 to 25 years 3
• 69% of binge-drinking episodes occurring among those aged 26 years or older 3

Health Impact of Binge Drinking

The health impact of binge drinking can be severe, with:

• Binge drinking increasing the risk of both acute (e.g., injuries) and long-term negative consequences (e.g., alcohol disorders) 5
• Binge drinking being associated with attentional impairments, including impairments for the executive control of attention and its alerting network 6
• Binge drinking being linked to stress, anxiety, traumatic events, and depression, as well as parenting styles and social environment 5

Interventions for Binge Drinking

Interventions for binge drinking can be effective, with:

• Brief interventions, personalized normative feedback, and protective behavioral strategies showing small-sized effects across approaches and populations 5
• Emergency departments, birthday parties, fraternities, and the workplace serving as settings for interventions, which are increasingly delivered via digital and mobile technology 5
• Screening for and brief interventions to address alcohol misuse being important in health care settings, as well as the implementation of effective population-based prevention strategies to reduce alcohol-related morbidity and mortality 2, 4