Adolescents and young adults between the ages of 12 and 20 consume more than 90% of their alcohol by binge drinking. More than half of the alcohol consumed by adults in the U.S. is in the form of binge drinks. Along with short-term side effects, frequent binge drinking can lead to a host of long-term complications.
Excessive drinking, including binge drinking, costs the U.S. about $249 billion per year. These costs are a result of motor vehicle accidents, criminal offenses, healthcare costs and lost productivity in workplaces. Alcohol is a legal drug which has many short and long term side effects. Read about the effects of binge drinking, alcohol withdrawal symptoms and more. Short of killing you, binge drinking can have more subtle effects, including blunted emotional perception.
Binge Drinking, Gut Microbiota, and Cognition
But people of any age group can engage in binge drinking. Some research even shows that the habit is increasing among older adults. The chances are especially https://ecosoberhouse.com/ high for people who drink heavily during their teen years. Teenage binge drinkers are about three times more likely to develop alcohol use disorder.
Drinking also adds calories that can contribute to weight gain. And drinking raises the risk of problems in the digestive system. Drinking alcohol is a health risk regardless of the amount.
What is binge drinking?
A blackout has happened when a person cannot remember what happened or what they said when they were drinking. Continual blackouts can also impact your memory later in life, especially if you start drinking when your brain is still developing. Excessive binge drinking effects drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21. Binge drinking on its own can be dangerous or even deadly; it also increases a person’s risk of developing alcohol use disorder.