Gerrard Kaonga
You might want to consider cutting down on how much you drink once you realize how much it could potentially shorten your lifespan.
Drinking is pretty ingrained in many cultures around the world, you drink as a way to celebrate, as a way to deal with hard times or simply to bring an end to boredom.
However, you might not be thinking how this affects your body... beyond the crippling hangovers, that is.
I mean, it is important to note that alcohol technically is poison, despite how fun the effects may be.
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But beyond the short term issues too much alcohol consumption can bring, a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research has revealed just how much alcohol can shave off your life.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Dr. Tim Stockwell said just one alcoholic beverage per day - we are talking a glass of wine, a beer and even a shot - can cut your life by a surprising amount.
He said it can shave off approximately two-and-a-half months.
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But for those that drink significantly more alcohol than that, about 35 beverages a week, could slash a staggering two years off their lifespan.
So yeah.. Might be worth cutting down if you're partial to a drink after a hard day in the office.
While Stockwell has previously been in favor of alcohol in moderation, following research over the last five years, as well as his own, he now says no amount is good for you.
Stockwell said: “Alcohol is our favorite recreational drug. We use it for pleasure and relaxation, and the last thing we want to hear is that it causes any harm."
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“It’s comforting to think that drinking is good for our health, but unfortunately, it’s based on poor science.”
Recent research has indicated that any alcohol consumption can increase the risk of certain health conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, liver disease and more, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People seem to be taking a greater interest in their health when it comes to alcohol consumption and its impacts. Over the last decade more people have started taking part in Dry January, a commitment to not consume any alcohol for the month. According to the company's website, more than 175,000 people took part in 2023, in comparison to 4,000 people in 2013.
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Data is also suggesting that people’s awareness of alcohol impacts is making a noticeable difference as less deaths are being attributed to alcohol consumption. The World Health Organization’s global report from June 2024 shows there has been a decrease of 20.2 percent in the number of deaths attributable to alcohol, per 100,000 people, from 2010 to 2019.
As well as this, there is a ‘decreasing trend in the prevalence of alcohol use disorders worldwide since 2010.’