College Binge Drinking Raises Risk of Future Heart Problems

By Manasa Davuluri on May 14, 2013

We all know that binge drinking is harmful; it should come as no surprise that chugging multiple drinks in a short time frame does not bode well for your body. Thanks to a recent study on the effects of heavy drinking, young adults may have a more compelling reason to think twice before guzzling so much alcohol.

According to the LA Times, a study published this month in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology consisted of 38 college students split into 2 groups: binge drinkers and abstainers. Binge drinkers were defined as having consumed 4 drinks for females or 5 drinks for males in a 2 hour period, whereas abstainers indulged in 5 or less drinks over the course of one year. The results indicated that binge drinkers demonstrated an impaired functioning of their smooth muscle and endothelial cells, which are crucial to developing blood vessels.

With the aid of ultrasound imaging, researchers were able to monitor the effects of controlled vessel restriction and dilation and found that “abstainers’ blood vessels were more elastic and had a greater ability to dilate than did the vessels of the binge drinkers.” The striking thing they found was that the changes present in the college binge drinkers were equivalent to vessel damage seen in those with a lifetime history of heavy drinking (CBS News). These findings indicate that changes in blood vessel function at our age can cause further blood vessel damage and trigger more serious cardiovascular problems later on, not least of which may be atherosclerosis, stroke, or heart attacks.

I’d really like to be able to tell you that moderate drinking can have a beneficial effect, but the consensus among doctors is a bit hazy. While I’m sure we’ve all heard the rumors that a glass of red wine a day can keep the doctor away, it’s best to take that advice with a grain of salt.  Moderate consumption of alcohol may provide some health benefits such as potentially reducing the risk of heart damage or lowering the risk of diabetes (Mayo Clinic). Yet, consuming alcohol may be of use primarily as an older adult and may actually do some harm at younger ages. So if you don’t already drink, don’t start doing so for the proposed benefits; while a glass of wine does contain some antioxidants, more nutrients can be gained from eating leafy green vegetables and modifying your diet.

But there still seems to be hope for those who have engaged in heavy drinking in the past. A new study shows that exercise may potentially prevent damage in the brain from excessive drinking (Medical News Today). Aerobic exercise in particular was singled out as most advisable because it helps not only the muscles and brain but also the heart. While engaging in exercise cannot erase previous damage, it may at least stall or prevent any future damage from occurring as a result of past drinking, and that can make all the difference when it comes to the heart.

Regardless of previous levels of drinking, it is important to focus on controlling present and future intake rather than dwelling on the past and to remember that high levels of inactivity can only make the damage worse. College may be the time when people are most compelled to binge drink, but it’s also the best time in our lives to be active; it will never again be so easy to hit up the gym after class or bike around campus without being dependent on a car. Making small changes now can save our hearts in the long term.

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