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A new review has found that alcohol is a major cause of a wide range of diseases and injuries. According to the researchers, more than 60 medical conditions and injuries are entirely attributable to alcohol consumption. The study concluded that the harmful effects of drinking outweigh any potential health benefits, although some damage may be mitigated if people reduce or stop drinking.
The review comprehensively analyzed the relationship between alcohol consumption and disease burden using the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Researchers reassessed the risks associated with alcohol-related diseases and injuries.
The analysis found that WHO’s ICD currently lists more than 60 diseases and injuries as being 100 percent caused by alcohol. These include alcoholic cardiomyopathy, liver cirrhosis and other alcohol-related liver diseases, as well as fetal alcohol syndrome. Researchers explained that most of these conditions are the result of long-term heavy drinking.
Alcohol was also linked to a higher risk of infectious diseases. According to the review, drinking increases the likelihood of tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS and various sexually transmitted infections. Researchers said alcohol weakens liver function and suppresses immune responses, reducing the body’s resistance to infection.
The effects of alcohol were also found across a broad range of noncommunicable diseases. Researchers highlighted five major categories associated with drinking:
– Cancer, including cancers of the mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, colon, rectum, liver, breast and cervix
– Cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation and stroke
– Neurological and psychiatric disorders including dementia and epilepsy
– Digestive diseases such as liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis
Source: Korea Times News
