Health of Old Alcohol Drinkers

[marcus]

From https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0741832922000660
Title : Alcohol and aging – An area of increasing concern , March 2023
By Aaron M. White, Andras Orosz, Patricia A. Powell, George F. Koob
...
Sex differences in frailty among older adults
2023, Experimental Gerontology
Citation Excerpt :
Also, alcohol consumption, especially in older people, can negatively affect the immune system function and jeopardize its ability to fight infections, and therefore can increase the risk of disease (Boule and Kovacs, 2017). Studies have proven that alcohol abuse can introduce a health deficit, exacerbate age-associated frailties, accelerate aging, and decrease longevity (Ortolá et al., 2022; White et al., 2023). Furthermore, alcohol metabolism and pharmacokinetics can be negatively affected by age, and therefore even lower amounts of consumed alcohol might lead to significantly more bioavailable alcohol in older adults leading to both acute and chronic alcohol intoxication (Ferreira and Weems, 2008) ...

Alcohol and stress exposure across the lifespan are key risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease and cognitive decline
2024, Neurobiology of Stress
Citation Excerpt :
... Older drinkers may have a set of age-related characteristics that can interact negatively with alcohol consumption such as chronic disease, daily medication, and decrease in overall quantity and quality of sleep (White et al., 2023) which ultimately can increase the risk of cognitive decline and neurodegeneration ...

Alcohol-related medical emergencies and deaths
Alcohol-related emergency department (ED) visits are more common for older than younger drinkers, and the rate of such visits increased more for adults aged 55 to 64 than those in other age groups between 2006 and 2014 (White, Slater, Ng, Hingson, & Breslow, 2018). Similarly, increases in alcohol-related inpatient hospitalizations between 2000 and 2015 were larger for people aged 45 to 64 and 65+ than in young drinkers (Chen & Yoon, 2018) ...

 

[harryopal1]

As with cigarette smoking it is never too late to give it up. A kind of double jeopardy for ageing smokers. Fortunately I never developed the smoking habit and while I drank quite a bit in my early years I usually drink just two small bintang a week when I go for a swim and walk but this is more of a kind of payment to the beach warung where I can safely leave my gear while swimming and walking.

You always hear the, "I know a fellow who still drinks and smokes and he is 95 (or whatever)" but all the mordibity studies show that both smoking and drinking are life shortening.

 

[Balifrog]

7 years Navy and 35 years in international construction, needless to say I have been seriously drinking.
Good thing I dont smoke, well except if really off my rocks...
I calmed down since I retired, but still way above the average.
Many moons ago a Chinese doctor in BKK tried to lecture me on this...I answered him that if I stop all the fun things of life, the only difference is that I will die in good health. Would I live longer ? No, but it would have been so boring that it would have seemed longer....

 

[Shadrach]

My goodness, Due to the Red Tides, Microplastics, Ciguatera, Oil Spills, etc. I can't eat these things!
No Salmon, Barramundi, Barracuda, Red Snapper, Marlin, Eels, Oysters, Mussels, Clams, but Seaweed is Ok?
No Factory Farmed Beef, Chicken, Sheep, Goats, Horse, Cats, Dogs, Etc!
No Factory farmed Vegetables, due to Salmonella, Listeria, and E-Coli.
No Eggs due to Hi Levels of Dioxins,
Are Monkeys, Lizards, Insects, safe to Eat?
No Turtles, because they are an endangered Species!
And Now You Say, I shouldn't Smoke, or Drink Alcohol, because they will Shorten My Lifespan, and are Bad for My Health!
After all the Nuclear Explosions, and Power Plant Meltdowns, everything is Radioactive!
Now, I Can't Eat, Drink, Smoke, Anything any more without consuming some Toxin. What exactly is Left?
on Top of All of This, We Opened up my Motorbike to see this Lovely Gift from The Mice! All the Cables Destroyed!

 

[harryopal1]

" What exactly is Left?" Meditation until you starve to death.

At least your motorbike mice repairs should cost you a whole lot less than in the US.

 

[marcus]

... if I stop all the fun things of life, the only difference is that I will die in good health.

Only 7.85% died in ''good health" in 2016 (due to accidents, violence, suicides), according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_causes_of_death_by_rate .

Would I live longer ? No ....

Probably yes , as you body will become less susceptible to diseases . According to the same above reference, 72.7% died in 2016 due to non-communicable diseases (31.6% cardiovascular, 16.4% neoplasms/cancers, 7% chronic respiratory, 5.8% neurological, 4.1% digestive, ...) .

but it would have been so boring ...

Sorry to know .

Fortunately , I am rarely bored despite not smoking nor drinking , and being a vegetarian (I also do physical exercises every day) .
It is a small sacrifice but to me it is worth as I will probably live longer and healthier (the only sickness I sometimes feel is flu , around once per 5 years , without flu vaccination) .

 

[Shadrach]

" What exactly is Left?" Meditation until you starve to death.

At least your motorbike mice repairs should cost you a whole lot less than in the US.

Amazingly, My Bengkel fixed it for only IDR. 150,000! Amazing how talented these mechanics are able to work miracles with very little equipment! a plus from this was, We looked and found out my yearly registration just expired, but after Kuningan, we will take care of that too!
I Hates these Mices, to Pieces!

 

[Shadrach]

No Thanks on the Meditation until I starve to Death! I'd rather go out in Style, with some Class! Cough, Cough!

 

[Balifrog]

Only 7.85% died in ''good health" in 2016 (due to accidents, violence, suicides), according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_causes_of_death_by_rate .

Probably yes , as you body will become less susceptible to diseases . According to the same above reference, 72.7% died in 2016 due to non-communicable diseases (31.6% cardiovascular, 16.4% neoplasms/cancers, 7% chronic respiratory, 5.8% neurological, 4.1% digestive, ...) .

Sorry to know .

Fortunately , I am rarely bored despite not smoking nor drinking , and being a vegetarian (I also do physical exercises every day) .
It is a small sacrifice but to me it is worth as I will probably live longer and healthier (the only sickness I sometimes feel is flu , around once per 5 years , without flu vaccination) .

You're too serious.....

 

[marcus]

You're too serious.....

Many people told me the same and I had many problems due to that in my workplace . But I think I was born like that and besides being difficult to change, I don't want to change .

 

[serious_fun]

... even lower amounts of consumed alcohol might lead to significantly more bioavailable alcohol in older adults...

So, we are the proverbial "cheap date" at an older age? Reduced beverage expense for the monthly budget? In my life I've already given a small fortune to pubs/cafes/breweries/etc. and generously tipped enough lovely young waitresses... No regrets.

Seriously though, everything in moderation. Good advice from ancient times.

 

[marcus]

... Seriously though, everything in moderation. Good advice from ancient times.

Does not apply to poison .

From https://www.who.int/europe/news/ite...of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health : Alcohol is toxic ... the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop

From https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/364-poisons-and-toxins#:~:text=In science, a toxin is,' or 'natural t : In science, a toxin is often considered a specific type of poison

 

[serious_fun]

I'll drink to that.