Health Advice

  • Pace yourself, with water or a soft drink after every alcoholic drink
  • Drinking plenty of water between alcoholic drinks will help you avoid dehydration and a hangover
  • Eat before you start drinking, or at least enjoy snacks or a meal with your drink
  • If you plan to do more than kiss under the mistletoe, carry a condom and practise safe sex
  • Too much Christmas spirit isn't always a good thing. Take plenty of booze breaks to help keep the peace
  • Alcohol lowers blood sugar levels, so eat as soon as you can - bananas, cereal or egg on toast are all good morning-after snacks

Health Issues

There's no getting away from it - heavy drinking, especially on a regular basis, can lead to serious health problems, including:

  • Alcohol dependence or alcoholism
  • Sexual difficulties, including impotence
  • Cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer
  • Pancreatitis
  • Stomach disorders, such as ulcers
  • Mood changes
  • Brain damage including memory loss or dementia
  • Certain types of cancer, especially breast cancer
  • Anxiety, stress, depression, poor concentration
  • Increased risk of heart disease and certain types of stroke
  • Potentially fatal alcohol poisoning

Even getting drunk occasionally can have serious consequences. It impairs your judgement and can increase risky behaviour, which could result in:

  • Injuries and accidents
  • Unsafe sex, which could result in sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies
  • Fights, arguments and relationship problems
  • Getting into trouble with the police
  • Alcohol is linked to nine different types of cancer, including: mouth, liver, stomach and colon

Are there any health benefits to moderate drinking?

Lots of people associate drinking with relaxation, socialising and having a good time. And if you're an adult in good health and with a good diet, drinking within the sensible drinking guidelines probably won't harm you.

Many experts now agree that light drinking - one or two units a day - can also have certain health benefits. There's evidence that drinking at that level may help with your cholesterol and may help reduce development of coronary heart disease in men over 40 and in post-menopausal women.

Hey, good looking!

Drinking a lot may make you feel incredibly attractive - unfortunately, it has just the opposite effect. Here are some of the physical changes heavy drinkers can look forward to:

Weight gain

Alcohol is high in calories (a pint of beer or a couple of glasses of wine are about the same as a bar of chocolate.) The ‘beer belly’ look doesn’t just apply to men, women can develop a belly too.

Too much alcohol can cause ‘moobs’ (man boobs) and penis shrinkage!

Dry skin

Alcohol dehydrates your body and skin, because it blocks the release of anti-diuretic hormones, so the kidneys get rid of too much water.

Broken veins

Alcohol dilates blood vessels near the surface of the skin, causing ugly red capillaries or veins, especially around the nose and cheeks.

Bloodshot eyes

Alcohol can inflame and enlarge the small blood vessels on the surface of the eyes.

Bad smell

The liver metabolises most alcohol, but 5-10% is excreted straight through the urine, breath and sweat.

Bruises and scarring

Serious drinkers are more likely to have accidents or fights, leading to cuts, bruises and broken bones.

What is a hangover?

A horrible reminder of the night before. Typical symptoms include a pounding headache, raging thirst, depression, and feeling sick. You can also be more sensitive to noise and bright lights.

So what causes a hangover? It's partly alcohol's diuretic effect, which makes the body lose too much water and causes dehydration. It can also be the effect of congeners - naturally occurring substances in alcoholic drinks, some of which are toxic. Generally, clear or lighter coloured drinks like vodka contain fewer congeners than darker coloured drinks like red wine or port.

A hangover is simply nature's way of telling you that you've overdone it, and if you have, we've some tips for the morning after.

What is tolerance?

People who drink regularly become less affected by alcohol as their bodies get used to it. They then need to drink more for it to have the same effect. This is called developing a tolerance to alcohol.

Although people who've developed high tolerance may not feel drunk, they still run a serious risk of damaging their health.

If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline, in complete confidence. They can put you in touch with your local alcohol advice centre for help and advice. Call Drinkline on 0800 917 8282 (open 24 hours)