Experts have identified a form of alcohol abuse more dangerous than binge drinking as Christmas approaches, and it is particularly common among middle-aged people.
Doctors have long warned patients about binge drinking, defined as consuming more than five drinks in two hours, because it increases the risk of life-threatening alcohol problems.
But research suggests that women who have eight drinks or men who have ten in one night are doing more damage to their bodies than drunks on alcohol.
Those who drink so much (known as high-intensity drinking) are more likely to pass out, be hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, and develop an addiction.
And people over 30 are more likely to drink heavily compared to younger generations.
Experts say the dangerous pattern of drinking is most common over the Christmas period and are urging Brits to limit alcohol consumption on one night as the festive season approaches.
“We know that the run-up to Christmas is a time when people tend to drink more,” says Dr Richard Piper, chief executive of Alcohol Change UK. “And whatever arbitrary limits we set, the simple truth is that the less you drink, the healthier you will be.”
The NHS recommends that men and women consume no more than 14 units of alcohol per week. That amount is equivalent to six pints of medium-proof beer or ten small glasses of low-proof wine.
Experts have identified a form of alcohol abuse more dangerous than binge drinking as Christmas approaches, and it is particularly common among middle-aged people.
Research suggests that women who have eight drinks or men who have ten in one night are causing more damage to their bodies than those who drink alcohol.
It also suggests that those who regularly consume up to 14 units spread their alcohol consumption over three or more days to reduce the impact on the body.
Consuming more than this can increase the risk of long-term health problems such as cancer, heart disease and dementia.
Experts have long argued that regular heavy drinking significantly increases the chances of developing immediate health problems, including alcohol poisoning and liver disease.
Around 16 per cent of British adults reported binge drinking at least once a week, with the highest percentage among those aged 55 to 64.
However, scientists at the University of Michigan maintain that high-intensity alcohol consumption is a more accurate indicator of those who are most at risk for alcohol-related problems.
Drinking eight or more alcoholic drinks in one night is equivalent to consuming more than the NHS weekly recommendation in one go.
It takes the body, on average, one hour to process one unit of alcohol. Therefore, drinking eight units or more in one night means that the body does not have enough time to filter the alcohol. This leads to dangerously high levels of alcohol in the body.
Heavy drinking can lead to a blood alcohol concentration of around 0.08 percent, while heavy drinking increases this concentration to 0.2 percent, research suggests.
Even if heavy drinkers avoid short-term problems such as blackouts and alcohol poisoning, they risk developing deadly diseases later in life.
Even if heavy drinkers avoid short-term problems such as blackouts and alcohol poisoning, they risk developing deadly diseases later in life.
“There are almost 200 medical conditions caused directly by alcohol, compared to 40 caused by cigarettes,” says Dr. Piper. “And the risks of developing some of these diseases, such as breast cancer, have been shown to increase with every drink you drink.”
However, experts say the research does not mean that heavy drinking is safe at all.
“Having five alcoholic drinks in one sitting is already dangerous,” adds Dr. Piper, “but having eight is even worse.”
Experts say it’s not surprising that people over 30 are more likely to engage in high-intensity drinking. Research suggests that Generation
Lockdowns during the pandemic also caused an increase in alcohol consumption in this age group.
A 2020 study by addiction charity We Are With You suggested that almost a quarter of people over 50 were dependent on alcohol.
Meanwhile, Generation Z, aged 18 to 27, are the least likely to drink more than the number of units recommended by the NHS.
A survey found that almost half of adults under 28 plan not to drink alcohol this Christmas.
“The vast majority (around 80 per cent) of the alcoholics we treat in our rehab centers are Generation X,” said Lee Fernandes, senior therapist at UK Addiction Treatment Centres.
‘When they were children, alcohol was more prevalent among them, whereas today there is a much more open conversation about sobriety than ever before.
“This (change) will hopefully lead to a reduction in heavy drinking among today’s college students.”