Alcohol Tolerance Lowers As You Age: Why Older Adults Need To Drink More Responsibly

As we age, our bodies undergo physiological modifications that complicate our ability to regulate alcohol consumption. This is why senior individuals must consume alcohol more responsibly.

Knowing about these changes in the body can help lower health risks and encourage people to drink less.

Alcohol Tolerance Lowers As You Age: Why Older Adults Need to Drink More Responsibly — (Photo: Unsplash/Giovanna Gomes )

The Science Behind Lower Alcohol Tolerance

One big reason older people can't handle as much booze is that their bodies have changed. Some people gain body fat as they age but lose muscle strength. This means they have less water in their bodies.

Since alcohol dissolves in water, your blood alcohol content (BAC) will rise if you drink more quantity but have less water. In 2023, Kidney Research and Clinical Practise reported that men's and women's bodily water percentages dropped significantly beyond 60. This makes the effects of drinking worse.

Moreover, the less functional livers of older people lower the efficacy of the alcohol-breaking enzymes. This increases the effects of the alcohol and prolongs their circulation lifetime.

Older adults's livers don't function as effectively. Thus, even moderate drinking can result in more excellent blood alcohol content (BAC). It follows that their perception of alcohol's effects is quicker and lasts longer.

Health Risks and More Sensitivity

The effects of alcohol on the brain are more potent in older people. It can make it harder to coordinate, balance, and think clearly. This makes people more sensitive, which raises the chance of accidents and falls.

This is a big problem because falls kill older people more than anything else. Also, drinking too much can make age-related illnesses like high blood pressure, heart disease, and mental illnesses like depression and worry worse.

Medicines for diabetes, blood thinners, and sedatives that are often given to older people may not work well with alcohol. When taken together, some combinations may make side effects worse or make drugs work less well.

For instance, mixing drinking with drugs for high blood pressure can make you feel dizzy and raise your risk of falling. So, older people should talk to their doctors about how much booze they drink and how it changes the way their medicines work.

Practical Tips for Safer Drinking

Elderly persons should avoid drinking since it will always produce problems. According to the USDA Dietary Guidelines, men and women should consume no more than two beverages daily.

Older people may require stricter rules. Moderately drink alcohol, balance it with food, and alternate it with water to help reduce the negative consequences.

Older people can also better control their alcohol intake by knowing what constitutes a normal drink: 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. Finally, maintaining open contact with healthcare practitioners about drinking habits and any concerns will ensure that older persons receive individualized recommendations customized to their health requirements.

Alcohol tolerance decreases with age. Because of this, older adults must drink responsibly more than ever. Learn about the changes in their bodies that make them less tolerant of alcohol and drink safer as an older adult.