Drinking small amounts of alcohol can sometimes cause positive health effects. In fact, many of the oldest people in the world drink red wine regularly! But while small to moderate amounts of alcohol may be harmless to most, there are still side effects of drinking as you age that you should be aware of.
To find out more about this, we spoke to some expert dietitians to get their thoughts on the potential negative side effects of drinking after age 50. Then, for more tips on healthy drinking, check out The 25 worst beers in the world.
A common side effect of drinking too much alcohol after age 50 is possible weight gain.
“As we age, our metabolism unfortunately slows down. That means we don’t need as many calories to maintain our weight. Because alcohol contains calories, continuing to drink the amount you once drank when you were younger could cause an increase weight because of extra calories. If you like a glass of wine or a drink with dinner, be sure to factor those calories into your meal plan,” says Amy Goodson, MS, DR, CSSD, LD author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook and member of our expert medical board.
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drinking higher amounts of alcohol not only can it increase your chances of gaining weight, but it can also affect your heart health.
“While drinking in moderation — one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men — may actually have a heart health benefit by raising HDL, or the good cholesterol, drinking more may actually have the opposite effect and cause an increase in triglycerides,” says Goodson.
One side effect of drinking What many people may not realize is that it can get in the way of your exercise goals and recovery process.
“Alcohol can slow down the process of repairing exercise-induced muscle damage by inhibiting the functions of hormones that normally help in this process, like testosterone. That means it can delay recovery and keep you strong and ready for the next training,” says Goodson.
Otherwise alcohol can affect your health and the recovery time from training is through dehydration.
“Diuretic-type beverages, such as alcohol, can promote increased water loss that leads to dehydration and prevents muscle recovery in active adults, especially after workouts,” says Rachel Fine, RDN with To the Pointe Nutrition.
Your gut can be negatively affected by drinking alcoholespecially when consumed in large quantities on a regular basis.
“While some studies show Although low to moderate consumption of red wine promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria, it is also clear that excess alcohol negatively affects gut health,” says Katelin Maidment, RD with eternal well-being. “An article published in alcohol research reported that “in large amounts, alcohol and its metabolites can overload the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and liver and cause damage both within the GI and other organs.” Alcohol promotes inflammation in the gut, leading to an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria and increases intestinal permeability, also known as “leaky gut.” This allows toxins and foreign invaders to seep into the bloodstream, causing more inflammation and other health problems.”
Drinking alcohol regularly in large amounts can impacts your digestion in negative ways.
“Alcohol impairs the body’s ability to break down food properly by decreasing the secretion of digestive enzymes of the pancreas,” Maidment says. “When foods aren’t digested into smaller, more absorbable molecules, the body can’t absorb the nutrients from these foods, and as a consequence, this can lead to nutrient deficiencies and low energy. Alcohol not only affects digestion and nutrient absorption, but also causes important vitamins and minerals to be excreted through the urine, contributing to further nutrient deficiency.”
And lastly, excessive drinking can rob you your energy immediately after drinking and also over time.
“According to an article published in Alcohol Research and Health, alcohol promotes the production of inflammatory free radicals, which damage energy-producing organelles in our cells called mitochondria,” says Maidment. “This results in less ATP production and, ultimately, decreased levels of energy because ATP is the body’s form of energy. Also, the body requires additional oxygen and energy to metabolize alcohol, which lowers energy levels and is one of the reasons you may feel so tired after drinking.”
