Why Can’t I Drink Alcohol Like I Used To?
We may all remember those times in our early 20s when we could drink as much as we wanted without a bad hangover. As we get older, the drinks become lighter and the hangovers become heavier. This could happen for a variety of reasons.
You may not be able to drink as much as you used to due to the changes in your body composition, the decrease of liver enzymes that break down alcohol, or living a more sedentary lifestyle which lowers the flow of blood through the liver.
The physiological changes your body goes through as you age will change the way alcohol is broken down in the body and ultimately change the way you drink. Let's dive into the facts about how your drinking habits may change as time goes by.
What is alcohol intolerance?
Alcohol intolerance can occur when your body cannot break down and digest the alcohol completely. This can occur due to a lack or lessening of enzymes that break down alcohol, such as alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) or acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH).
The physiological effects of your body as you age may have larger contributions to alcohol intolerance. Not only are the enzymes decreasing to break down alcohol, but you lose muscle mass and gain more fat, which does not absorb alcohol.
Alcohol intolerance is not the same as alcohol use disorder or alcohol addiction. Becoming intolerant to alcohol also does not mean that you get drunk faster or that it takes less to get you drunk. Instead, it is a discomforting feeling that can cause nausea, low blood pressure, headache, rapid heartbeat, and a stuffy nose.
Is age really a factor?
You aren’t 20 anymore. As we age, our body composition changes. We tend to lose muscle mass and gain fat, affecting how our bodies process alcohol. Muscle tissue contains more water than fat tissues, and water helps dilute alcohol in the body.
Additionally, with age may come some additional medication, which can change the way your body processes alcohol. Mixing alcohol and medications can be a huge risk factor and should be avoided. If mixed incorrectly the consequences could lead to vomiting, drowsiness, fainting, heart problems, or internal bleeding.
Liver enzyme breakdown
Alcohol is broken down in the liver before entering the bloodstream. As you age the liver begins to slow down and has shown decreased numbers of ADH and ALDH, which are the enzymes that break down alcohol.
Learn more about how the body processes alcohol → HERE
Activity levels change
Changes in activity levels can also affect the way our body processes alcohol. If you were once very active or had a job where you were on your feet for the majority of the day and now aren’t as active or have a desk job, your body may not be as efficient in breaking down alcohol as it was before.
Exercise helps to increase blood flow to the liver, which can help improve its ability to metabolize alcohol. In addition, exercise can help to reduce inflammation in the liver, which can improve its function and process alcohol easier.
Listen to your body
If you are still drinking in excess and waking up feeling like crap and can’t function the next day due to a massive headache or feeling sick then you may need to cut back.
You may also need to change what it is you are drinking. As you age your body may react differently to what you are used to. For example, if you are a wine drinker, but now could be a whisky drinker or vice versa.
Making changes based on how your body reacts to alcohol can allow you to have a happier and healthier relationship with alcohol.
Final thoughts
Life changes, and so do our bodies We need to change with them. This includes alcohol consumption; we are not as young as we once were, and alcohol affects us differently now. Learn to moderate and cut back on alcohol, and remember, if you need any help, Magnify is here to help.