How does alcohol affect us as we age?

As you get older it’s important to understand how alcohol can affect you and your health.

Problems with alcohol can happen at any age, but alcohol may affect your body differently as you get older. These effects, including worsened hangovers and other, more serious symptoms, can be stronger if you have health problems or take certain medications.

Coping with some changes in your life can make drinking alcohol seem appealing. These include:

• Changes in your work, including retirement
• Losses of important life relationships
• Increased isolation

Drinking may have once been a social outlet, but it can quickly become your primary way of managing stress. It’s important to be aware of the risks associated with this.

Effects of alcohol with age

As we age, body changes affect the way we metabolize alcohol. After the age of 65, alcohol stays in the body longer and causes increased levels of blood alcohol content. So, one drink has a greater effect on the body and tends to linger longer. This is due to changes in body composition (the amount of fat and water in your body) as well as your body’s ability to break down alcohol and remove it.

Higher levels of alcohol in the body can cause serious health problems.

Alcohol can make existing health issues worse

If you already experience these, alcohol can worsen the problem:

• Poor balance
• Hearing loss
• Vision problems
• Decreased strength

Together, these factors can increase your risk of accidents, including serious falls.

Drinking alcohol can also impact mental health

The mental health effects of alcohol use include:

• Higher levels of anxiety
• Impaired sleep
• Changes in appetite and mood

Cognitive effects of alcohol

As you age, you’re more likely to experience a decline in brain function, so adding alcohol can worsen or speed up that decline. Alcohol can exacerbate the following areas of the brain:

• Memory
• Staying focused
• Thinking things through
• Solving problems
• Dealing with stress (without reacting quickly or emotionally)

Alcohol, aging and medications

Many medications can have serious negative interactions with alcohol. These effects can occur even if you’re not drinking at the same time as taking medicine.

Medications, along with alcohol, can lead to a higher risk of:

• Bleeding
• Tiredness
• Slowed breathing
• Falls
• Organ damage

Is alcohol a problem for you?

Not all alcohol use is a problem. Some individuals can drink alcohol in a safe and controlled way that continues to align with their goals and beliefs. But when that stops being the case, it’s time to start to evaluate the need to seek care.

The following could be signs that alcohol is a problem for you:

• Needing to drink more alcohol to experience the effect you want on your body
• Negative effects on relationships, responsibilities or activities
• Difficulty cutting down on alcohol consumption, even when you recognize there are associated negative consequences
• Withdrawal symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms can include symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irritability, fatigue, nightmares and trouble thinking clearly. The symptoms can also be more physical, such as headaches, sweating, dilated pupils, nausea/vomiting, rapid heart rate and difficulty sleeping.

A “safe” amount of alcohol depends on the person. Physical and mental health, health history or other social factors including social support and living environment all influence how much is safe for you to drink. Your healthcare provider can help you determine how much alcohol is OK for you.

It’s important to engage in regular honest conversations with your healthcare providers about your drinking. This helps ensure they’re providing the most up-to-date advice based on your health issues and medications.