Alcohol and the Aging Process

It also affects the healthy functioning of your digestive system, making it harder for you to absorb essential nutrients. There are many ways alcohol can put an extra strain on your body. Ria Health offers several FDA-approved medications for alcohol use disorder.

Can Alcohol Cause Wrinkles? How Drinking Can Make You Look Older

“Alcohol also causes blood vessels at the skin’s surface to dilate,” Goodman said. Just one night out drinking can dehydrate your skin to a point where wrinkles and fine lines become temporarily more noticeable, according to Carol Ann Goodman, a board-certified physician at Bella Vi Spa & Aesthetics in Indiana. Below is a breakdown of just how alcohol takes a toll on your body and mind, making you look and feel older than you should ― plus some advice on how to cut back but still cut loose.

Telomeres are markers of biological aging, and shorter telomeres are linked to a greater risk of developing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Moore says there is robust data that shows telomeres are shorter among those who drink high amounts of alcohol (more than 17 drinks per week), binge drink (5 or more drinks per occasion), and among those with alcohol use disorder. A breakdown in collagen and elasticity can make the skin saggier over time, and make fine lines and wrinkles more noticeable. Many people suspect alcohol can accelerate aging, both biologically and physically. And although cutting back on alcohol can give your skin a chance to regenerate, some damage cannot be reversed.

Does Alcohol Make You Look Older?

Both heavy drinking and binge drinking can increase levels of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. Drinking alcohol also increases the production of free radicals and causes chronic inflammation—both are linked to accelerated biological aging and an increased risk of chronic (long-term) diseases over time. Studies have also linked increased alcohol intake to rosacea, a skin condition that causes redness and visible blood vessels on the face.

It Can Dry Your Skin

Therefore, drinking alcohol can compound the natural effects of aging. The damaging effects of alcohol on skin and aging wreak havoc on your health and could make you look and feel older than you are. Research examining the impact of alcohol consumption over a long period of time, as well as binge drinking, on biological aging has been limited. While any amount of alcohol has been found to be harmful for certain markers of aging, long-term, heavy alcohol use and binge drinking are more likely to age you faster than low-to-moderate doses. Some studies suggest any amount of alcohol has risks for accelerating aging, while other studies say moderate drinking may have some health benefits–but these findings need further study.

Researchers have found that oxidative stress damages DNA in a way that can lead to premature aging. Depriving yourself of adequate sleep can make you age faster. If you’re missing out on it, you could exacerbate health issues or just feel extra drowsy and mentally foggy throughout the day. Consuming alcohol can make you look and feel old immediately. Wrinkles aren’t the only skin condition that can age you. Research shows that people who drink heavily have a 33 percent greater chance of getting arcus senilis, a telltale gray ring around their corneas before they turn 60.

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And alcohol can affect the way your meds work. People who drink may notice that they’re “feeling no pain” sooner as they get older. Red wine has antioxidants called polyphenols that may help your cholesterol level and protect your blood vessels. Alcohol can affect the way your body fights off life-threatening illnesses like tuberculosis or pneumonia.

• One of the best things you can do for your all-around health and appearance is to drink less alcohol.
• People who drink may notice that they’re “feeling no pain” sooner as they get older.
• Over the long term, regularly drinking alcohol (especially in higher amounts) is linked to the earlier onset of age-related cognitive decline, which causes brain functions such as memory and thinking to progressively worsen.
• This puts us at an even greater risk for prematurely developing cancer or disease.

It’s a natural process called intrinsic aging, and it’s something you can’t control. The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. One of the best things we can do to protect our health and longevity is to drink less alcohol.

• Even if you don’t experience acute after-effects, alcohol can age you.
• While those dark circles under your eyes, sometimes referred to as allergic shiners, can be caused by a lot of factors (including, obviously, allergies), your after-work wine isn’t helping.
• A 2017 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found the number of adults in the United States who regularly consumed alcohol went from 65 percent in 2002 to 73 percent in 2013.
• Even one night of drinking can lead to changes in smell, but the more we drink, the more likely we’re to emit an unpleasant odor that is not typical for a young and healthy person.

Study Uncovers Impact of Binge Drinking, Longtime Alcohol Consumption on Biological Aging

Interestingly, researchers also noted that shorter telomeres correlated with thiamine (vitamin motives and side-effects of microdosing with psychedelics among users pmc B-1) deficiency. Some studies have also found associations between shorter telomeres and pulmonary disease and liver disease. This essentially puts us at greater risk for developing diseases such as cancer. Whenever a cell divides, telomeres lose a part of their DNA. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. The more you cut down on the booze, the more your body will thank you for it.

It can also aggravate other skin conditions.

Alcohol is a diuretic, which increases water loss through urine, leaving your skin dehydrated and dull. Laura is also a seasoned communications professional who has previously worked in the biopharmaceutical, consumer healthcare, and lifestyle spaces. Laura Schober is a writer and editor specializing in health, food, wellness, beauty, and lifestyle content.

Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, but it actually disrupts deep and restorative sleep. “It can also cause people to have a bloated look and retain water, especially in areas like the under eyes,” Anthony M. Rossi, MD, FAAD, FACMS, founder of Dr. Rossi Derm MD Skincare, told Health. Chronic dehydration can impair the skin barrier, leading to dryness, flakiness, and increased sensitivity.

Not getting enough sleep on a regular basis can lead to accelerated aging, as sleep disturbances have been linked to shortened telomere length. Alcohol also increases oxidative stress and the production of harmful free radicals, which can break down collagen (the skin’s main structural protein) and lead to loss of elasticity. Additionally, alcohol causes skin inflammation, which can lead to inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. You no longer need to disrupt your life in order to start drinking less.

Treatment Process

In fact, the more we drink, the greater our chance of damaging cells at a biological level, causing them to age prematurely. Perhaps unsurprisingly, alcohol can also accelerate the aging process — even at the cellular level. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also suggests keeping track of how much you’re drinking, which you can do on a piece of paper in your wallet or an app on your phone. Miami real estate agent Alina Freyre said she and her husband, Andy Freyre, stopped drinking two years ago.

Even one night of drinking can lead to changes in smell, but the more we drink, the more likely we’re to emit an unpleasant odor that is not typical for a young and healthy person. Drinking alcohol on a regular basis leads to enlarged blood vessels in the face. Furthermore, alcohol is a vasodilator; it expands blood vessels. The drinking woman can appear 10 years older than the non-drinking woman. This is because alcohol dehydrates our body, including the skin. In fact, drinking excessively is known to cause redness and dry, wrinkly skin.

Alcohol Can Make You Feel Older, Too

People older than 65 who don’t take any medications should average no more than one drink a day (seven per week) and have no more than three at one sitting. Instead of lulling you into a restful night, alcohol can actually keep you from getting to sleep and lead to restless slumber. The idea of having a drink to relax before bedtime may not be a good one, especially as you get older. Over time, it also can damage the cerebellum, the area in your brain that handles balance and coordination. It’s because alcohol can affect your balance and sense of judgment. Heavy drinking can make them even more likely.

If you’re blessed with genetics that resists wrinkles and other visible signs of aging, you might not notice the way that alcohol affects your appearance. If you’re aging faster than you would otherwise, you’re also increasing your risk of age-related health problems. Does the effects of alcohol on the skin and aging cause wrinkles? For example, drinking alcohol when you take aspirin can raise your chances of stomach problems or internal bleeding.