Alcohol and the Human Body
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- Of the 100,530 liver disease deaths among people ages 12 and older in 2021, 47.4% involved alcohol. Among males, 62,039 liver disease deaths occurred, with 50.2% involving alcohol. Among females, 38,491 liver disease deaths occurred, with 42.8% involving alcohol.1
- Among all cirrhosis deaths in 2019, 50.3% were alcohol related. The percentage of alcohol-associated cirrhosis deaths was highest (at 80.9%) among adults ages 25 to 34, followed by adults ages 35 to 44 (at 75.4%).2
- From 2010 to 2016, alcohol-associated liver disease was the primary cause of almost 1 in 3 liver transplants in the United States, replacing hepatitis C virus infection as the leading cause of liver transplantation due to chronic liver disease.3,4
- Recent estimates for the United States indicate that 5.6% of cancer cases and 4.0% of cancer deaths are attributable to alcohol consumption.5
- Research has shown that people who misuse alcohol have a greater risk of liver disease, heart disease, depression, stroke, and stomach bleeding, as well as cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, larynx, pharynx, liver, colon, and rectum.6-9 These individuals may also have problems managing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, pain, and sleep disorders. Misusing alcohol may also increase the likelihood of unsafe sexual behavior.
- Alcohol consumption is associated with increased risk of drowning and injuries from violence, falls, and motor vehicle crashes.10-13 Alcohol consumption is also associated with an increased risk of female breast cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer (especially in individuals who inherit a deficiency in an enzyme involved in alcohol metabolism), and harmful medication interactions.3,9,14-19 Alcohol consumption has been linked to risk for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in the offspring of women who consume alcohol during pregnancy.20