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EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL USE AND RISKS TO MEN’S HEALTH

Men are more likely than women to drink excessively. Excessive drinking is associated with significant increases in short-term risks to health and safety, and the risk increases as the amount of drinking increases. Men are also more likely than women to take other risks (e.g., drive fast or without a safety belt), when combined with excessive drinking, further increasing their risk of injury or death.

DRINKING LEVELS FOR MEN:

INJURIES AND DEATHS AS A RESULT OF EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL USE:

It is important to keep in mind that not all men drink. In 2007,

1 IN 5 MALE MISSOURI COLLEGE STUDENTS REPORTED NOT DRINKING ALCOHOL AT ALL.

(Data taken from the 2007 MCHBS)

ALCOHOL AND FITNESS

Alcohol cancels out gains from your workout. Consuming alcohol after a workout inhibits protein synthesis, or in other words, prevents muscle growth.

ALCOHOL ADVERSELY AFFECTS SLEEP CYCLES

It is popularly believed that a drink before bedtime can help a person fall asleep. However, alcohol’s effect on sleep patterns results in increased fatigue and physical stress to the body. This disruption negatively affects the secretion of HGH (human growth hormone), which is essential to muscle growth and repair.

Alcohol also reduces testosterone levels in the blood while increasing the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, causing increased fluid retention and fat deposits.

ALCOHOL CONSTRICTS METABOLISM AND ENDURANCE

No matter how much you exercise, alcohol constricts your aerobic metabolism and endurance. This is because alcohol prevents the production of ATP, the necessary fuel for muscle contraction. This causes loss of energy and endurance.

ALCOHOL PREVENTS ABSORPTION OF VITAMINS

Regular drinking can lead to vitamin deficiency and actually acts to prevent vitamins from being absorbed in the bloodstream. Alcohol prevents the absorption of thiamin, folacin and B12, decreases the efficiency of vitamin D and forces kidneys to excrete more calcium, magnesium, zinc and potassium.

ALCOHOL AND FLUID REPLACEMENT

Alcohol is a diuretic, a substance that causes greater loss of fluids (and minerals and electrolytes) than it contains. Alcohol decreases production of antidiuretic hormone (ADH), the brain hormone that regulates fluid balance. This causes increased urination, water loss, dehydration and the loss of the essential minerals mentioned above.

BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL

Blood alcohol level depends on the amount of alcohol consumed in relationship with body size, proportion of body fat, the amount of food in the stomach, and what is mixed with the alcohol. Alcohol is absorbed quicker for those drinking on an empty stomach. Fruit juices and water slow the absorption process while carbon dioxide speeds it up. BAL also rises quicker in females than in males.

Body Weight

Drinks

100

120

140

160

180

200

220

240

1

.02 .02 .01 .01 .00 .00 .00 .00

2

.06 .05 .04 .03 .03 .02 .02 .02

3

.10 .08 .06 .05 .05 .04 .04 .03

4

.13 .11 .09 .08 .07 .06 .05 .05

5

.17 .14 .12 .10 .09 .08 .07 .06

6

.21 .17 .14 .12 .11 .10 .09 .08

7

.25 .20 .17 .15 .13 .12 .10 .09

8

.28 .23 .20 .17 .15 .13 .12 .11

9

.32 .27 .23 .19 .17 .15 .14 .12

10

.36 .30 .25 .22 .19 .17 .15 .14

EFFECTS AT SPECIFIC B.A.C. LEVELS

ALCOHOL AND MALE SEXUAL FUNCTION

The sexual effects of alcohol on men and women are different; however both men and women both are more likely to engage in casual sexual behavior when there is alcohol involved. Alcohol decreases inhibitions concerning sexual behavior meanwhile increasing the likelihood of risky behavior.

ALCOHOL’S NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON MEN

STIS AND ALCOHOL

SEXUAL ASSUALT


1. CDC. (2008, Spring.) Sexual violence data sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved on September 9, 2009, from http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/SV-DataSheet-a.pdf.
2. Kahn, A., Jackson, J., Kully, C., Badger, & K., Halvorsen, J. (2003) Calling it rape: Differences in experiences of women who do or do not label their sexual assault as rape. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 27(3), 233-242.