Alcohol - World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol and alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, which is a psychoactive and toxic substance with dependence-producing properties Alcohol has been widely used in many cultures for centuries, but it is associated with significant health risks and harms
Alcohol use: Weighing risks and benefits - Mayo Clinic Research on alcohol suggests a sobering conclusion: Drinking alcohol in any amount carries a health risk While the risk is low for moderate intake, the risk goes up as the amount you drink goes up Many people drink alcohol as a personal preference, during social activities, or as a part of cultural and religious practices
Alcohol use disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal Alcohol intoxication results as the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream increases The higher the blood alcohol concentration is, the more likely you are to have bad effects Alcohol intoxication causes behavior problems and mental changes
Alcohol - World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol has considerable toxic effects on the digestive and cardiovascular systems Alcoholic beverages are classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and increase the risk of several cancer types Alcohol as an immunosuppressant increases the risk of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis and HIV
No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health It is the alcohol that causes harm, not the beverage Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago – this is the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation and tobacco
Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours - World Health Organization (WHO) The Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Unit supports countries in implementation of the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and development and implementation of multisectoral action plans and programme activities in attainment of target 3 5 and other alcohol-related targets in the Sustainable Development Goals
Global Information System on Alcohol and Health The harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2 6 million people annually There are 230 different types of diseases where alcohol has a significant role It also causes harm to the well-being and health of people around the drinker In 2019, the worldwide total consumption was equal to 5 5 litres of pure alcohol per person 15 years and older
Alcohol use disorder - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic Alcohol use disorder commonly occurs along with other mental health disorders If you have depression, anxiety or another mental health condition, you may need talk therapy (psychotherapy), medications or other treatment Medical treatment for health conditions Many alcohol-related health problems improve significantly once you stop drinking
Alcohol poisoning - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Other forms of alcohol can cause toxic poisoning that requires emergency treatment They include: Isopropyl alcohol, which is found in rubbing alcohol, lotions and some cleaning products Methanol or ethylene glycol, which is a common ingredient in antifreeze, paints and solvents Binge drinking A major cause of alcohol poisoning is binge
Over 3 million annual deaths due to alcohol and drug use, majority . . . A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) highlights that 2 6 million deaths per year were attributable to alcohol consumption, accounting for 4 7% of all deaths, and 0 6 million deaths to psychoactive drug use Notably, 2 million of alcohol and 0 4 million of drug-attributable deaths were among men