Does Alcohol Have Any Health Benefits?

Photo by Sérgio Alves Santos on Unsplash

There are mixed messages on the internet regarding the health effects of alcohol.

Some authorities say that moderate amounts of it are beneficial to the health. But, on the other hand, alcohol is also known to be highly toxic — especially when it is taken in large amounts.

Here’s the truth: Alcohol has no health benefits, and I’ll tell you why in this article.

First, what is alcohol?

The primary psychoactive ingredient in alcoholic drinks is known as ethanol.

Ethanol is what many people refer to as alcohol. It is the substance that causes the state of drunkenness.

Alcohol is produced by yeasts digested in sugar in some carb-rich foods, like grains or grapes used to produce beer and wine, respectively.

Alcohol is an extremely psychoactive substance. It has potent effects on the mental state and mood of a person.

These include reducing shyness and self-consciousness, thus pushing people to act up without any restraint. Alcohol also impairs judgment and may cause the drinker to engage in behaviors that they may regret (1, 2).

While some people may take alcohol in small amounts, others tend to drink it in large quantities. This is referred to as binge drinking…