alcohol-induced disorders

Health effects of alcohol

Alcohol (also known as ethanol) has a number of effects on health. Short-term effects of alcohol consumption include intoxication and dehydration. Long-term effects of alcohol include changes in the metabolism of the liver and brain, with increased risk of several types of cancer and alcohol use disorder. Alcohol intoxication affects the brain, causing slurred speech, clumsiness, and delayed reflexes. There is an increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder for teenagers while their brain is still developing. Adolescents who drink have a higher probability of injury including death. Light alcohol consumption was misclassified as possibly healthy in the past by several studies, but evidence shows that even minimal to light alcohol consumption can have negative effects on health, such as by increasing a person's risk of developing several cancers. A 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) report found that harmful alcohol consumption caused about 3.3 million deaths annually worldwide. Negative effects are related to the amount consumed with no safe lower limit seen. Some nations have introduced alcohol packaging warning messages that inform consumers about alcohol and cancer, as well as fetal alcohol syndrome. In modern medicine, the only possible beneficial uses of alcohol are as a topical disinfectant, temporary emergency cure for alcohol withdrawal syndrome, and, as long as kept in strict moderation, positive social effects outweighing harm to the body. Practically no authorities recommend starting drinking for any positive effects. In January 2025, the surgeon gen...