Drinking a small amount of alcohol can have a positive effect on your health. In fact, many of the oldest people in the world drink red wine on a regular basis! However, while small or moderate amounts of alcohol can be harmless to most people, drinking still has side effects as you get older to pay attention.
To find out more about this, we talked to a few professional dietitians to understand the potential negative side effects of drinking after age 50. Then check out the 25 worst beers in the world for healthier drinking tips.
A common side effect of drinking excessive alcohol after age 50 is the possibility of weight gain.
“Unfortunately, when your metabolism slows down, you don’t need that many calories to maintain your weight. Alcohol contains calories, so if you continue to drink what you drank when you were young, you will actually gain weight. It’s possible. Extra calories. If you like a glass of wine or a drink at dinner, make sure you calculate those calories in your diet plan. ” Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD He is the author of the Sports Nutrition Playbook and a member of our Professional Medical Committee.
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Drinking large amounts of alcohol not only increases your chances of gaining weight, but can also affect your heart health.
“Moderate drinking (1 drink a day for women, 2 drinks a day for men) may actually help your heart health by increasing HDL or good cholesterol, but drinking more can have the opposite effect. Yes, there can be an increase in triglycerides, “says Goodson.
One side effect of drinking that many may not be aware of is that it can interfere with your exercise goals and recovery process.
“Alcohol can slow down the process of repairing exercise-induced muscle damage by blocking the function of hormones that normally help this process, such as testosterone. That is, it can slow down recovery and you are strongly Now we are ready for the next training, “says Goodson.
Another way alcohol can affect your health and recovery time in training is by dehydration.
“Diuretic-type beverages such as alcohol can promote increased water loss, which leads to dehydration, especially after training, and can hinder muscle recovery,” said Rachel Fine, RDN of To The Pointe Nutrition. increase.
The intestines can be adversely affected by drinking alcohol, especially if taken in large quantities on a regular basis.
“Some studies have shown that low to moderate intake of red wine promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, but it is also clear that excess alcohol adversely affects gut health,” said Eternal Wellness RD. Katelin Maidment says. Articles published in Alcohol research “Large amounts of alcohol and its metabolites can overwhelm the gastrointestinal tract (GI) and liver and damage both within the GI and other organs.” Alcohol promotes inflammation in the intestines, causing overgrowth of pathogens and increased intestinal permeability. This is also known as “leaky gut”. This allows toxins and foreign invaders to leak into the bloodstream, causing further inflammation and other health problems. “
Drinking large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can adversely affect digestion.
“Alcohol impairs the body’s ability to properly break down food by reducing the secretion of digestive enzymes from the pancreas,” says Maidment. “If food is not digested by smaller, absorbable molecules, the body cannot absorb nutrients from these foods, which can result in nutrient deficiency and low energy. Alcohol digestion. Not only is it deficient in nutrients, but important vitamins and minerals are excreted from the urine, causing further nutrient deficiencies. “
And finally, excessive drinking can deprive you of your energy immediately after drinking or over time.
“According to the article published in Alcohol research and healthAlcohol promotes the production of inflammatory free radicals that damage intracellular energy-producing organelles called mitochondria. Because ATP is a form of energy in the body, it reduces ATP production and ultimately lowers energy levels. In addition, the body needs extra oxygen and energy to metabolize alcohol. This is one of the reasons why energy levels are depleted and you feel very tired after drinking alcohol. “
