For Men

For Men

You do not drink at breakfast, do not cheat a secret drink at noon… You have a drink with your friends or colleagues – mostly at the weekend. You have no serious health issues, and you do sports. You don’t get bad hangovers. But do you really have nothing to worry about?

You work long hours, maybe you have some relationship issues, or you are just socially active. There are many reasons why people tend to drink more often. Studies show that alcohol consumption is highest for employed individuals. It’s alright to sip a beer while watching TV but if it’s a couple of beers, then unfortunately you’ve exceeded your daily dose. A frequent practice is an excessive alcohol consumption over the weekend – you go to a club with your friends, and then nobody counts the drinks.

Where is the problem?

It is very easy to cross the line to where drinking becomes harmful.

Studies show that at least a quarter of men drink more than eight units of alcohol once a week in Europe. The situation is similar in Latvia as well – research conducted by SPKC shows that men use alcohol more often and more than women. Men drink alcohol every week, while women – several times a month, but not every week. Over a week-long period, such an amount is acceptable; however, at one sitting – far too much.

It is simply not true that alcohol-related illnesses predominantly affect senior men. Doctors have recognized that liver diseases are more and more common in the thirty-to-forty age group. Alcohol can damage the heart, pancreas, esophagus, colon, while also causing sleep disturbances and depression. Moreover, health is not the only issue to worry about. Men under the influence of excessive amounts of alcohol often become victims of crime or become violent themselves.

Risks

  • The Liver
    Alcohol consumption most often leads to liver disease. Particularly affecting middle-aged men, especially between the ages of 35 and 45. In addition, there is no need to be an alcoholic to suffer from liver damage. Regular drinking is enough to put yourself at risk. On average, the incidence of liver cancer in Latvia is lower than in the world, but this can be explained by the late detection of the disease.

  • Cancer
    Drinking more than two drinks per day increases the risk of esophageal, throat, laryngeal, and colorectal cancer.

  • Infertility
    Sperm quality is negatively impacted by alcohol consumption. This results in healthy spermatozoa not being produced in sufficient quantities for the egg to be successfully fertilized. Additionally, excessive drinking directly hinders potency!

  • The Heart
    Alcohol increases blood pressure which can lead to heart disease. Excessive alcohol consumption in large quantities, say, at the weekend, increases your heart rate leading to an increased risk of heart disease. Regular weekly benders can lead to a pathologically enlarged heart.

  • Crimes and Violence
    Data on individuals who have suffered from crime while being under the influence of alcohol are not collected in Latvia. However, studies in the United Kingdom show that around 40% of victims over a weekend were under the influence of alcohol, and between midnight and 5 AM this figure is much higher – 70%. If you drink too much, you too can become aggressive. Data show that around 45% of crimes were committed under the influence of alcohol.

What to do?

  • By decreasing the units of alcohol consumed in a week, you’ll see benefits soon. You will have more time, more money, more energy for improved performance everywhere – in bed, at the gym, or on the playing field.

  • If you are planning to have drinks at the weekend, skip alcohol during the week. If you know that you will have a drink after work, have a hearty lunch beforehand.

  • If you know that alcohol helps you feel more relaxed, give yourself a limit on drinks and do not surpass it.

  • Pay attention to what you drink at home. Most likely you will pour yourself four times more alcohol than in a bar – avoid that.

  • Alternate your drinks – alcoholic, non-alcoholic, alcoholic, non-alcoholic.

  • If work is stressful, find another way to eliminate the tension – go to the gym, play basketball, choose another sport suitable for you, listen to music, watch TV, go to the cinema, or cook.

Sources