In fact, the more we drink, the greater our chance of damaging cells at a biological level, causing them to age prematurely. Perhaps unsurprisingly, alcohol can also accelerate the aging process — even at the cellular level. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also suggests keeping track of how much you’re drinking, which you can do on a piece of paper in your wallet or an app on your phone. Miami real estate agent Alina Freyre said she and her husband, Andy Freyre, stopped drinking two years ago.
Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today! The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
Soon after giving up alcohol, Manning said her skin seemed softer and more glowing. She said she just celebrated her 600th day of not drinking. “We are different people inside and out, and we feel we are in a new relationship with each other and our kids,” Alina said.
Weight loss is one of many reasons to consume alcohol more mindfully or stop altogether. We can help you with alcohol addiction, so contact us to learn more about our therapy services. Alcohol can lead to damaged hair, although it doesn’t directly cause hair loss. That’s why you begin to lose elasticity and develop wrinkly skin, especially on your face. Many people like to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or have a beer when out socializing. Contact us to find out how we can help you navigate the path to recovery and optimize your physical and mental health.
While heavy drinkers are more likely to have cirrhosis (permanent damage to your liver), even moderate drinking can lead to problems like fatty liver disease. Heavy drinking can have a direct effect on certain parts of your body and on your mental health as you get older. Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually, with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Reframe has helped millions of people around the world cut back on their alcohol consumption — and helped put them on track to lead healthier, longer lives. Heavy alcohol consumption not only causes visible changes to our body that make us look older — it actually accelerates our aging at a cellular level.
Conditions & Services
What's in this article...
Even one night of drinking can lead to changes in smell, but the more we drink, the more likely we’re to emit an unpleasant odor that is not typical for a young and healthy person. Drinking alcohol on a regular basis leads to enlarged blood vessels in the face. Furthermore, alcohol is a vasodilator; it expands blood vessels. The drinking woman can appear 10 years older than the non-drinking woman. This is because alcohol dehydrates our body, including the skin. In fact, drinking excessively is known to cause redness and dry, wrinkly skin.
Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. One study found that men who consumed more than 35 drinks a week were 35% more likely to display “arcus corneae” — a gray ring in the eye that often pops up in old age. Excessive alcohol consumption can even cause us to look older.
Alcohol Can Make You Feel Older, Too
“Try to find some fun, nonalcoholic beverages that taste good,” she said. Instead, Manning encouraged people to go out with their friends, even if they’re all going to a bar. If you’re questioning your relationship with alcohol, Manning suggested that you first try to go 30 days without it and see how you feel. So not only are more of us drinking, but we’re drinking more. Being alcohol-free really laid the foundation of a supportive lifestyle for being what I want my body to be.”
“Alcohol also causes blood vessels at the skin’s surface to dilate,” Goodman said. Just one night out drinking can dehydrate your skin to a point where wrinkles and fine lines become temporarily more noticeable, according to Carol Ann Goodman, a board-certified physician at Bella Vi Spa & Aesthetics in Indiana. Below is a breakdown of just how alcohol takes a toll on your body and mind, making you look and feel older than you should ― plus some advice on how to cut back but still cut loose.
Does Drinking Alcohol Make You Look Older?
People older than 65 who don’t take any medications should average no more than one drink a day (seven per week) and have no more than three at one sitting. Instead of lulling you into a restful night, alcohol can actually keep you from getting to sleep and lead to restless slumber. The idea of having a drink to relax before bedtime may not be a good one, especially as you get older. Over time, it also can damage the cerebellum, the area in your brain that handles balance and coordination. It’s because alcohol can affect your balance and sense of judgment. Heavy drinking can make them even more likely.
Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, but it actually disrupts deep and restorative sleep. “It can also cause people to have a bloated look and retain water, especially in areas like the under eyes,” Anthony M. Rossi, MD, FAAD, FACMS, founder of Dr. Rossi Derm MD Skincare, told Health. Chronic dehydration can impair the skin barrier, leading to dryness, flakiness, and increased sensitivity.
Protect Your Health and Longevity With Reframe
And it can have some unhealthy indirect effects, as well. You have to be old enough to drink it legally, and once you are, it can age you faster than normal. Reframe supports you in reducing alcohol consumption and enhancing your well-being. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
One of the most visible impacts alcohol can have is on our complexion, as drinking excessively is known to cause redness and dry, wrinkly skin. Recent research indicates that excessive alcohol consumption can indeed speed up the aging process at a biological level. Additionally, high-risk drinking — which is considered four or more drinks for women and five or more for men on a single occasion — went up 30 percent in the same time frame. “I am huge on taking care of my skin and not only did drinking affect that, but it also affects how you mesclun vs mesculin everything you need to know the art science and culture of food care about how you present yourself. Heavy amounts of alcohol can also affect the appearance of your skin, leading to redness, dryness, and moisture loss. Alcohol can increase your risk of aging faster, but its overall impact on your health depends on how much and how often you choose to drink.
It Can Affect Your Heart
- You no longer need to disrupt your life in order to start drinking less.
- The longer the booze stays in your system, the more alcohol builds up in your bloodstream, which puts you at greater risk for damaging effects.
- As you grow older, you start to metabolize alcohol at a slower rate, according to Elizabeth Trattner, a Miami-based acupuncture physician and nutritionist.
- Damage occurs particularly in the retina and optic nerves in the eye, where it’s usually age-related rather than alcohol-related.
- Joy Manning, a Philadelphia-based freelance writer and creator of the Instagram account Better Without Booze, can also attest to the life-changing effects of sobriety.
- In addition to alcohol dependency, being a heavy drinker and bingeing can have negative effects on your body over time.
Both heavy drinking and binge drinking can increase levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. Drinking alcohol also increases the production of free radicals and causes chronic inflammation—both are linked to accelerated biological aging and an increased risk of chronic (long-term) diseases over time. Studies have also linked increased alcohol intake to rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness and visible blood vessels on the face.
Treatment Process
While chronological age is how old you are (measured by the time that’s passed since you were born and today), biological age is how old your cells are. Among men, heavy alcohol intake has been found to reduce testosterone levels. Heavy drinking can also lead to shifts in hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and cortisol.
Since alcohol causes dehydration, it can also dry out our skin and make wrinkles form faster. As we age, our telomeres get shorter and shorter until all the DNA in the telomere is lost and cells can no longer replicate. The first time might feel weird but the more you do it, the less weird it is.” (Try one of these satisfying mocktails instead.)
- Because you need water for almost every bodily function, including blood circulation and lubricating joints, you may feel the effects of aging more intensely if you drink regularly.
- Women who had 28 drinks or more per week had a 33% higher chance of developing the same syndrome.
- Some studies suggest any amount of alcohol has risks for accelerating aging, while other studies say moderate drinking may have some health benefits–but these findings need further study.
- These serious symptoms are believed to be related to alcohol being a neurotoxin, which can cause tissue damage.
Some factors, like stress, can make your cells age faster. Everyone ages differently so your chronological age and biological age may be the same or they can be different. It is also widely known that alcohol can be harmful to your brain, heart and liver. “The debate lies in whether any amount of alcohol is truly safe.
How Alcohol Affects Your Eyes
The internet is full of articles encouraging you to cut back on alcohol to protect your skin, and for good reason. Of course, rapid aging affects your physical appearance. Alcohol causes your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up the aging process.