How Does Alcohol Affect Your Lifespan?

Every time we drink, we’re at a crossroads: a glass of wine in one hand and a longer life in the other. Many of us enjoy a drink now and then, often without considering the long-term effects on our well-being. But what if we learned that each sip might be silently influencing the length and quality of our lives?

Alcohol is woven into our social fabric, but it’s much more than a festive companion. It holds a complex and paradoxical influence on our health and longevity. From the occasional drinker to the daily indulger, alcohol’s impact on our health is far-reaching and multifaceted. Let’s uncover alcohol’s effect on our lifespan and empower ourselves with knowledge and practical tips to make healthier consumption choices.

Alcohol’s Impact on Lifespan

We frequently hear that alcohol is harmful, but how bad is it exactly? The World Health Organization states that no amount of alcohol is safe. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans takes a more lenient stance, stating that drinking less is, of course, better while supporting alcohol intake limited to one drink a day.

Since no amount of alcohol is safe for our health, any amount of alcohol — not just excessive consumption — can negatively impact our longevity. Let’s take a closer look at the impact of various amounts of alcohol on our life expectancy.

Lifespan of a Light Drinker

According to Scotland’s National Health Service, light or low-risk drinking equates to one to two standard drinks a week. One standard drink refers to 14 grams of pure alcohol, which differs according to the alcohol by volume (ABV) of the alcoholic beverage. For example, one standard drink might be 12 oz of a 5% ABV beer but only 1.5 oz of a distilled liquor at 40% ABV.

Researchers found that even one to two drinks a week can reduce our lifespan by about three to six days. So, that occasional glass of wine during dinner or beer during the game can still make a difference. A systematic review of the link between alcohol and “all-cause mortality” (death from any cause) reported that low-risk drinking didn’t significantly protect from all-cause mortality. Drinking and life expectancy are connected in many ways, as alcohol can be life-threatening in the short and long term. To learn more, check out “Alcohol-Related Deaths Per Year: The Facts, Impacts, and Solutions.” For now, let’s see how increasing the amount of alcohol affects our life expectancy. 

Lifespan of a Moderate Drinker

Researchers estimate that drinking an average of one to two drinks a day reduces our lifespan by two and a half months. Moderate drinking refers to tw standard drinks or less in a day for men and one standard drink or less in a day for women. 

Since one standard drink is roughly 14 grams of pure alcohol, that’s about 14–28 grams of alcohol per day. The same systematic review reported an increased risk of mortality for those who drink 25 grams or more per day and an even higher significant risk for those who drink 45 grams or more per day. Let’s take a closer look at what this means. 

Lifespan of an Alcoholic

An “alcoholic,” the colloquial term for a persoxn with alcohol use disorder (AUD), is someone unable to stop or reduce alcohol consumption despite negative consequences. Diagnosis and severity of AUD is determined by criteria set in the DSM-5. 

However, it’s not just the life expectancy of those diagnosed with AUD that is severely impacted. Excessive drinking, which is classified as 5 drinks or more in a day or 15 or more drinks in a week for men and 4 drinks or more in a day or 8 or more drinks in a week for women also has detrimental effects. What increases the risk even more for those with AUD is the fact that it can be difficult to stop drinking. 

There are various studies that have looked at the effects of excessive drinking on life expectancy. A study on the life expectancy of people with AUD concluded that their lifespan is 24–28 years shorter than those without the disorder. Among those hospitalized with AUD,  and the average life expectancy for men was 47-53 years and 50-58 for women. Another study, published in The Lancet in 2018, evaluated the risk threshold for alcohol consumption and found that those drinking 25 drinks per week or more can expect a shorter life expectancy at age 40 of four to five years. A 2024 report by a leading expert on alcohol and longevity at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research found that people who consume 35 standard drinks a week or more may have their lifespan reduced by approximately two years. While different studies report different findings, one thing remains clear: excessive drinking significantly increases mortality risk.

The Link Between Alcohol and Life Expectancy

Alcohol consumption is associated with decreased life expectancy. The more alcohol we consume, the greater the risk for all-cause mortality. This is due to alcohol’s detrimental effects on our physical and mental health in both direct and indirect ways.

Alcohol and Physical Health

When we drink, alcohol enters our bloodstream and targets our central nervous system (CNS), which is in charge of sending messages within our brain and from our brain to the rest of our body. It slows down signaling, leading to symptoms of intoxication. Alcohol’s short-term effects can also be life-threatening for a variety of reasons: 

• Increased risk of falling 
• Increased likelihood of risky behaviors 
• Alcohol poisoning 
• Increased risk of motor collisions 
• Other alcohol-related accidents 

Meanwhile, our body works to break down the alcohol to be eliminated. Our liver, which is in charge of metabolizing alcohol, breaks it down into a toxic compound known as acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is classified as a known carcinogen that causes damage to cells and tissues in our body. Over time, constant exposure to the toxins in alcohol leads to many negative long-term damages to our health. 

Excessive drinking is associated with many health issues:

• Liver damage and disease 
• Increased risk of cardiovascular disease 
• Gastrointestinal issues 
• Increased risk of certain types of cancer 
• Increased risk of diabetes 

Alcohol is detrimental to our physical health in the short and long term — directly impacting our life expectancy. Let’s see how alcohol’s impact on mental health also affects our longevity. 

Alcohol and Mental Health

When we drink, alcohol disrupts our hormones, which control our emotions and stress response. Specifically, alcohol temporarily increases levels of serotonin and dopamine, our brain’s “feel-good” hormones, which is why we initially feel a sense of euphoria or pleasure when drinking. Alcohol also lowers our inhibitions and impairs our perception of stressors, which may explain why we feel less stressed when drinking. 

With prolonged exposure to alcohol, our brain adjusts to the high levels of serotonin and dopamine that alcohol produces, which means we’ll need to drink more and more to reach the same desired feeling. Chronic alcohol exposure also decreases the natural production of dopamine and increases cortisol (stress hormone) levels, which leads to low mood and high stress. 

These fluctuations cause a decline in our mental health and increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and mood disorders. Prolonged excessive drinking is also associated with cognitive decline and dementia, further impacting our mental health. Our mental well-being is essential to our longevity because it increases our quality of life and satisfaction. 

Now that we understand how alcohol and decreased life expectancy are connected, let’s delve into the benefits of quitting or cutting back on alcohol.

Alcohol and Longevity: Benefits of Quitting or Cutting Back

Alcohol negatively impacts our life expectancy because of its detrimental effects on our short- and long-term health. Quitting or cutting back on alcohol is beneficial in many ways: 

• Better physical health. When we drink, alcohol damages our cells and organs. When we stop exposing ourselves to the toxins in alcohol, our cells and tissues start to repair themselves, leading to a reversal of liver damage, improved cardiovascular health, and decreased risk of alcohol-related diseases. 
• Improved mental health. Alcohol causes fluctuations in our mood and negatively impacts our stress response. Quitting or cutting back on alcohol boosts our mood, decreases the risk of mental health conditions, and leads to greater overall fulfillment. 
• Less impact on academic/work performance. Drinking increases risky behaviors because it puts a damper on our judgment and inhibitions. It can also disrupt our routines and habits that allow us to perform well academically or to maintain our employment. 
• Strengthened relationships. Without external factors and distractions like alcohol, we have more time and energy to initiate and maintain more meaningful connections. 
• Increased life expectancy. Quitting or cutting back on alcohol has significant benefits to our physical and mental health, promoting longevity and a better quality of life. 

As we can see, quitting or cutting back on alcohol has many benefits to our overall well-being and longevity. How can we further promote a healthier, longer life? 

Lengthening the Drinker’s Lifespan: Tips To Boost Longevity

Even if we currently struggle with alcohol misuse or AUD, it’s not too late to engage in healthy habits to improve our life and longevity. Live a healthy and long life with the following practices: 

• Intervene early. Identifying early on that we may have a negative relationship with alcohol helps us get support and prevent further harm. Track your alcohol consumption to get a clearer picture of your drinking habits. 
• Stay active. Participating in daily movement isn’t only beneficial for our physical health but also our mental health. Improve cardiovascular function, maintain a healthy weight, and boost your mood by staying active. Find enjoyable types of movement such as yoga, walking, or Zumba to implement a sustainable exercise routine. 
• Reduce stress. Stress can negatively impact our overall well-being. Practice self-care, meditate, or journal your thoughts to lower your stress levels. 
• Develop a support system. Having social support not only helps us through challenging times such as recovery, but it also improves our mental health by boosting our mood, increasing our self-esteem, and reducing stress. Find people you connect with through your favorite activities or peer support groups.

These practices are beneficial for our physical and mental well-being, and promote a healthier, longer, and more fulfilling life. 

A Healthier Horizon

Moderation guidelines aside, research shows that even a minimal amount of alcohol has detrimental effects on our life expectancy. While fearing alcohol like the plague may not be the right solution to our healthier relationship with alcohol, it’s important to consider quitting or cutting back if we’re aiming to improve the quality and longevity of our life. Cheers to a longer, healthier life!