Most Replayed Moment: Is There A Safe Amount Of Alcohol? What Happens To The Body When You Drink!

Get the full episode insights!

Enter your email below to get notified about more insights from:

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

This episode is titled:

Most Replayed Moment: Is There A Safe Amount Of Alcohol? What Happens To The Body When You Drink!

Notable Quotes

"I would never say drinking alcohol is good for your health."

"It's not something that's going to promote your health. I think of it more like having dessert, eating bacon, going out in the sun."

"A 5% increase would increase that to like 13.6 or so."

"The thing that is, you know, so sad is, I mean, I see this all the time working in the hospital is, first of all, we're seeing younger and younger people coming in and liver failure."

Episode Summary

This episode explores the complex relationship between alcohol and health, tracing the societal journey of alcohol from ancient spirituality to modern health misconceptions. The guest explains that for thousands of years, alcohol was not considered for its health benefits until recent studies suggested that moderate drinking could be beneficial. This idea is contested, highlighting that moderates might have lower health risks mainly because the non-drinkers in some studies often have pre-existing health issues.

The conversation emphasizes that there's no truly 'healthy' level of alcohol consumption, likening moderate drinking to enjoying dessert rather than being equated with exercise benefits. The limits for low-risk drinking are discussed, revealing that many common drink servings exceed these recommendations, leading to risks for cancers, particularly breast and esophageal cancer.

Listeners are informed about how alcohol impacts the liver and other organs, with an increase in liver disease notably affecting younger populations. The physiological mechanisms by which alcohol increases cancer risk, including inflammation and damage to DNA, are also explored. Ultimately, the episode underscores the importance of understanding the health risks associated with alcohol and advocates for a careful approach to consumption.

Key Takeaways

Society's views on alcohol have evolved, with historical consumption often linked to spirituality rather than health benefits.

Research suggesting alcohol provides health benefits is often flawed, mainly due to inclusion of unhealthy non-drinkers in comparative studies.

There are no truly healthy levels of alcohol consumption, as even low amounts can increase risks for certain cancers.

The liver can regenerate, but excessive alcohol consumption can lead to irreversible damage and serious health conditions.

Alcohol affects multiple bodily organs, and its consumption is linked to increased cancer risks and health issues beyond just the liver.