Alcohol Consumption Poses Increasing Health Risks with Age

Consuming alcohol carries health risks at any stage of life, but these dangers escalate as people grow older—even when drinking the same amount.

Alcohol impacts nearly every organ system, including muscles, blood vessels, the digestive tract, heart, and brain. This effect is especially pronounced in older adults, who often already experience declines in these areas.

Older drinkers face a distinct set of health risk factors. Many may not realize that alcohol affects their bodies and brains differently than it did in their younger years.

New health challenges related to alcohol can arise after age 65, even among light or occasional drinkers. Reduced muscle mass and lower water retention in older adults can cause higher blood alcohol concentrations, meaning fewer drinks are needed to feel intoxicated. This raises the risk of serious injuries from falls.

Research shows that older adults experience impairments in working memory at lower blood alcohol levels than younger individuals. In simulated driving tests, some seniors demonstrated signs of impairment after consuming less than one drink.

Alcohol consumption can increase the likelihood of developing chronic conditions such as dementia, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and heart disease. It can also worsen outcomes for older adults already living with these illnesses.

Interactions between alcohol and prescription medications common among seniors—including those for diabetes and high blood pressure—may reduce drug effectiveness or cause harmful side effects such as ulcers or irregular heartbeats. Combining alcohol with benzodiazepines can suppress breathing and act as a strong sedative. Over-the-counter drugs like aspirin may also pose risks when mixed with alcohol, increasing chances of serious gastrointestinal bleeding.

Many older adults report that hangovers feel more severe with age. While scientific evidence is limited, alcohol may exacerbate age-related symptoms like poor sleep quality.

Alcohol use among seniors appears to have risen in recent years. A 2023 federal survey found that 12 percent of adults aged 65 and older—approximately seven million people—reported consuming four or five drinks in one sitting during the past month.

After years of mixed messages about alcohol’s health effects, recent studies confirm that no amount of drinking is completely risk-free. Still, many acknowledge the social and personal significance of alcohol, emphasizing that decisions about drinking should be made in consultation with healthcare providers and loved ones.

Determining a “safe” level of alcohol consumption for older adults remains challenging. Variations in study definitions of moderate drinking make it difficult to reach consensus. Even experts recognize the confusion surrounding guidelines.

It is generally recommended that adults aged 65 and over limit alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day and seven drinks per week. Some health authorities define moderate drinking for all adults as up to two drinks daily for men and one drink daily for women.

Experts stress that seniors should closely monitor how their bodies respond to alcohol and reduce or stop drinking if they experience increased physical or cognitive effects.

Those who do not currently drink are advised not to start. For those who do, honest communication with healthcare professionals about consumption is vital, along with understanding that tolerance often diminishes with age.

While abstinence is not necessarily the only option, maintaining a healthy aging process likely excludes regularly consuming multiple drinks per day for most older adults.