Alcohol and health
Alcohol affects your body and brain, increases many health risks and can damage your mental health.
alcohol &
Mental health
Alcohol can mask problems and make life’s ups and downs harder to deal with. It can cause problems like depression and anxiety or make existing problems worse.
alcohol &
Physical health
Find out how alcohol affects your health, including brain damage, cancer, heart problems and liver disease.
Effects of
alcohol
Alcohol is a powerful drug. Find out what happens when we get drunk and why alcohol can affect people in different ways. Learn about alcohol’s toxic effects – from hangover symptoms to alcohol poisoning.
Alcohol and pregnancy
Learn how to keep your baby safe, whether you’re pregnant or hoping to start a family.
Worried about how drinking is affecting your health?
See some early warning signs that alcohol may be affecting your health and get advice on how to reduce the health risks from alcohol.
You don’t need to be dependent on alcohol for it to affect your health
Accidents
The more you drink, the greater the chance of having an accident and being injured or even killed.
Sex life and fertility
Alcohol may increase sexual desire, but it can reduce pleasure and performance and cause longer-term problems.
Older people
Alcohol can start to cause problems as we get older, even if our drinking habits stay the same.
Depression
Alcohol is a depressant drug. It affects the chemical balance in your brain in a way that can cause depression or make it worse.
Alcohol and breastfeeding
Breast milk is the healthiest choice for your baby, but what happens if you drink alcohol?
Alcohol, medications and other drugs
Mixing alcohol with some medicines and other drugs can have dangerous side-effects.
Alcohol and your looks
As well as the beer belly and the drinker’s nose, alcohol can affect your looks in other ways.
Avoiding health problems
Low-risk drinking and knowing the warning signs can reduce the risk of serious alcohol-related health problems.
Alcohol & weight gain
Facts to help you with counting alcohol calories
and ensure you make the right choices
Did you know that 3.5 pints of beer
624 kcal
are
equivalent
to 3 slices of pepperoni pizza ?
