You may have seen reports about drinking decline. Here's what an expert wants you to know

Two shelves of bottles of alcohol. They look like they are in a bar. The shelving is brown and black. The bottles are a variety of liquors. Hennessy label is most visible.

Alcohol is known to be a risk factor or aggravating factor for more than 200 health conditions. Pexels

A recently released federal report on alcohol use found the prevalence of drinking was down among people aged 12 to 25. That’s great, said Howard Becker, Ph.D., director of the Charleston Alcohol Research Center at the Medical University of South Carolina.

But, he added: “Alcohol is still one of the leading preventable causes of death in the U.S. More people die every year from alcohol-related causes than any other substance use. More than opiate overdose. A lot of people don't realize that. It's quite pervasive.”

And it’s increasingly so among two groups of people. “That is women and the 55-plus cohort.”

It’s a reminder of the importance of his center’s focus on studying how alcohol changes brain function with an eye to targeting the affected areas to help people cut back or quit. That research just got a boost with a $7.8 million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at the National Institutes of Health. The funding runs through the end of 2030.

“I think it’s important for people to understand that alcohol use disorder is a brain disorder. It's a medical condition. This is not about people just having weak willpower. There are brain systems that are influenced by alcohol,” Becker said.

Why is alcohol use on the rise among women and people 55+?

Women

“The problem with heavy alcohol drinking used to be predominantly one of men. But now, women have caught up. There are some statistics showing that they are engaged in binge drinking at a higher rate than men,” Becker said.

Binge drinking is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as four or more drinks for women and five or more for men during a drinking occasion.

“I think some of the increase in drinking that has occurred was a function of COVID. Also, you can, from a sociological standpoint, see that over several decades, women have taken on more responsibilities in the workplace. They have more work-related stress. Meanwhile, they’re still typically the ones who are the primary caregivers at home.”

People aged 55 and up

What about older adults? The total number of older people is growing, first of all. They’re living longer thanks to advances in healthcare and other factors. And those who are able are trying to make the most of life.

“Children are out of the house now. There's more disposable income all of a sudden, and you're looking to regain opportunities to kind of play,” Becker said.

A man is seated wearing a reddish sweater and plaid button down shirt. He is gesturing with his hands. He has gray hair and a goatee. There is a cup of coffee on a table beside him.

Dr. Howard Becker says alcohol use disorder is a brain disorder. Photo by Sarah Pack

“And so drinking is taking on an important role in those types of activities, including travel and eating out. So there's still a serious concern about heavy alcohol use.”

That heavy use can complicate existing health problems. “Drinking in an older population is a particular concern because of potential interactions with other medications. When older individuals slip or fall during intoxication, that can cause more broken bones, because bones are more brittle and reflexes are slower,” Becker said.

Why addressing alcohol use is important

Becker said alcohol is known to be a risk factor or aggravating factor for more than 200 health conditions. “It influences all parts of the body. And this is actually starting to become more recognized. It has influences on the G.I tract. It causes problems of the esophagus, pancreas.”

Liver disease is a huge issue as well, he said. “In fact, alcohol is now, I believe, the No. 1 reason for the need for liver transplant. It's overtaken hepatitis.”

Alcohol also has cardiovascular effects. “It weakens the heart muscle, increases blood pressure. It influences skeletal muscular systems,” Becker said.

It also affects the immune system and can increase risk for various cancers.

What the Charleston Alcohol Research Center is doing to help

To reduce those risks, the Center is focused not only on understanding brain function but also identifying brain cells that are very responsive to alcohol.

“We are looking at identifying new targets in the brain, as well as evaluating new approaches and treatment modalities that can help people gain greater control over their drinking,” Becker said.

“That’s where our Alcohol Research Center has its prominence on the national scene in terms of the kind of research that we're doing. We have been leading the way in addressing this important medical issue since 1995, one of the oldest, continuously funded, NIH-supported P50 Center focused on alcohol use disorder.” P50 refers to a type of grant from the National Institutes of Health that supports research focusing on a scientific objective with an eye to encouraging collaboration among multiple investigators and centers.

Becker’s message for people struggling with alcohol use

“It is important for individuals who think drinking is interfering with their life, whether it's the workplace, at home or with friends and family, to seek treatment,” he said.
“But very few people do - I think less than 10% of those who could be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder seek help. So, seek treatment. There are medications and treatment interventions that might help with craving and controlling the urges to drink or relapse to drink.”