Over time, excessive consumption of alcohol, like wine, can lead to long-term memory loss. Long-term alcohol abuse, excessive drinking over the course of many years, can lead to brain damage. Alcohol-related brain damage can impair memory, decision making and the ability to live daily life without assistance.
"What is certain about wine and other types of alcohol is that drinking beyond moderation has clear impacts on a person's health," warns Dr. Septimus. "Regularly drinking more wine than recommended increases a person's risk of developing cancer, liver disease, chronic pancreatitis, sleep disorders and more."
The answer to this question is not straightforward, as it depends on various factors. For example, while drinking a bottle of wine every night may not necessarily mean that someone has an alcohol use disorder, it could be a warning sign of a problem with alcohol consumption.
They define moderation as one drink per day for women, and two drinks per day for men. Also, consider that a standard glass of wine is 5 ounces, but many people pour more. Given that information, if you drink a bottle of wine per day, you're already well above this recommendation.
Experts say a a good maximum amount of wine for women would be a 5 oz glass of wine, and for men two 5 oz glasses of wine, no more than several times a week. Experts strongly advise women against having more than 3 drinks of wine per day, and for men, 4 drinks of wine per day.
Summary: Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine are challenging conventional thinking with a study showing that modest wine consumption, defined as one glass a day, may not only be safe for the liver, but may actually decrease the prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
Wine actually helps protect the liver from inflammation caused by fat.” Rivas says the health benefits depend on moderation – no more than two glasses of wine a day. “You want to drink enough that you are getting the antioxidant properties, but not enough that it ends up causing damage.”
The term “wine belly” typically refers to the belly fat that some people accumulate after regularly consuming wine or other types of alcohol. While the name might suggest that this phenomenon is exclusive to wine drinkers, it actually applies to anyone who frequently drinks alcohol.
It is recommended that certain individuals abstain from consuming alcohol or quit drinking entirely, including pregnant women, minors, and those on specific medications [30]. Drinking a bottle of wine or having more than a few drinks daily can affect liver health, resulting in liver damage or liver disease [31].
Heavy or binge drinking typically leads to weight gain by making you crave unhealthy foods, slowing your metabolism, and wrecking your sleep and digestion. When you stop drinking alcohol, you'll probably lose weight, especially when you follow other effective weight loss strategies.
Internal triggers may include stress, sadness, anger, anxiety, or thoughts and emotions linked to trauma. If you associate alcohol with fun and celebration, even feelings of happiness might trigger alcohol and wine cravings.
It is estimated that alcohol-related fatty liver disease develops in 90% of people who drink more than 40g of alcohol (or four units) per day. That's roughly the equivalent of two medium (175ml) glasses of 12% ABV wine, or less than two pints of regular strength (4% ABV) beer.
Drinking a bottle of wine every day for a few weeks or months, may not result in liver cirrhosis, however, the same amount for ten to twenty years increases the risk of developing cirrhosis, many fold[8].
If you feel that you need a drink every night or to get through a social event, stressful situation or personal struggle, and you have a compulsion to drink or constantly crave alcohol, maybe even daily, this could be a sign of psychological dependency.
Wine on its own does not cause belly fat when consumed in moderation. Drinking too much wine over time can certainly affect your waistline, but the same is true for any type of alcohol. The more you drink, the more weight you might gain thanks to excess calories alone.
But let's get specific: according to Healthline, moderate red wine consumption has been shown to somewhat improve helpful gut bacteria populations due to the fact that it contains polyphenols, a type of plant compound that gets broken down (or “eaten”) by gut bacteria.
Many women notice an increase in belly fat as they get older even if they don't gain weight. This is likely due to a lower level of estrogen because estrogen seems to have an effect on where fat is located in the body. Genes can contribute to an individual's chances of being overweight or obese too.
The chemical in alcohol can lower inhibitions and relieve stress, so some people binge drink when they are feeling overwhelmed or anxious. While binge drinking frequency typically decreases with age, more than 1 in 10 people aged 65 and older reported binge drinking at least once a month.
Generally, symptoms of alcoholic liver disease include abdominal pain and tenderness, dry mouth and increased thirst, fatigue, jaundice (which is yellowing of the skin), loss of appetite, and nausea. Your skin may look abnormally dark or light. Your feet or hands may look red.
In addition, alcohol can disrupt the hormonal control mechanisms that govern kidney function. By promoting liver disease, chronic drinking has further detrimental effects on the kidneys, including impaired sodium and fluid handling and even acute kidney failure.
So what happens when you stop drinking? The good news is that the liver is the only organ that can restore and regenerate itself. Because the liver is in a constant state of regeneration, in many cases the healing process can begin within just weeks after foregoing alcohol.