According to Andrew Huberman’s podcast, Huberman Lab, alcohol is a potentially dangerous toxin that affects our brain and body in negative ways. Find out the details in our latest blog!
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app today!
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman says that early in his career, someone gave him this piece of advice: “Don’t over-engage in any controversy unless you are willing to stake your entire reputation on it. Rather, keep focused on discovering new things, and creating, or else you become known for the controversy and nothing else; there is no going back.”
And yet, sometimes, taking a clear “no-room-for-exceptions” stance is important if the subject demands it — and Huberman is living proof of that idea. In his case, the subject is alcohol. In the face of confusing headlines touting its supposed “benefits,” Huberman wants to make one thing clear: alcohol is bad for us. Let’s explore why in more detail.
Who in the world is Andrew Huberman, and why should we listen to him in the first place? Well, when it comes to the brain, he knows what he’s talking about. A neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology at the Stanford School of Medicine, Huberman has studied brain development and neuroplasticity — the ability of the brain to form new connections and rewire itself — for more than two decades.
The Huberman Lab Podcast is all about bringing that research to the people. While the focus is neuroscience, this “lab” is one-of-a-kind: you don’t have to worry about sitting through tedious lectures on stoichiometry or the Krebs cycle. Huberman is all about making brain science (and science in general) accessible and relevant.
While his past topics include everything from the neuroscience of music to the biology of sleep, alcohol and its effects on our body and mind is what Huberman has become spokesman for.
“So alcohol has been used for medicinal purposes, it's been used to clean surfaces, it's used in my laboratory in order to make up so-called reagents to do our experiments, but most humans have been consuming alcohol in order to change their internal state.”
The main problem with alcohol as far as Huberman is concerned? It’s toxic. After all, it’s no wonder that some of its primary uses through the ages have been as an antiseptic. It kills bacteria — both inside and outside the body — and does such a good job of it that we still put it in everything from hand sanitizer to bathroom cleaners.
Unfortunately, when we ingest it, it doesn’t get any less harsh. As Huberman explains, “When you drink alcohol, it can pass into all the cells and tissues of your body. It has no trouble just passing right into those cells … The fact that it can pass into so many organs and cells so easily is really what explains its damaging effects.” (Want to learn more? Check out our blog “What Are Alcohol's Effects on the Body?”)
Out of the many talks Huberman has recorded about alcohol, the one that sums up his findings and views the best is Episode 86: “What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain, and Health.”
He starts out by saying that alcohol is “one of the most commonly consumed substances on the planet Earth” by “both humans and non-human animals” alike.
Wait, non-human animals, too? Yes! Science has shown that rats can develop a full-on addiction after getting easy access to booze in their cages. Likewise, hummingbirds sip on lightly spiked nectar just as happily as on the “virgin” kind when given the option.
Huberman goes on to talk about the many negative effects of alcohol on the body, from individual cells to organs and organ systems, as well as psychological and social effects. Here’s an overview of the main points.
“Acetaldehyde is poison. It will kill cells. It damages and kills cells, and it is indiscriminate as to which cells it damages and kills.”
In many ways, acetaldehyde is at the heart of the matter. The problem with acetaldehyde? Well, it’s a powerful toxin that gets produced as a byproduct of alcohol metabolism.
As Huberman explains, when we drink, we are, in fact, “ingesting a poison, and that poison is converted into an even worse poison in [our] body.” Needless to say, this doesn’t bode well for us — and Huberman spends the rest of the episode explaining why.
“To make it very clear, drinking a lot (3 – 4 drinks per night, every night of the week) is clearly bad for the brain.”
But so is moderate drinking. Huberman points out that chronic drinking at any level — even if it’s not every night — changes the neural circuits of the brain. Specifically, there’s a decrease in “top-down” inhibition and an increase in overall impulsivity. (Those impromptu late-night phone calls to your ex or confessions to your coworker over a happy hour that got a bit too “happy”? Your brain can make a habit of it. Those repeated behaviors are all training your brain to hold off on hitting the brakes when it comes to certain impulses.)
Ready for another buzzkill? In an Instagram post, Huberman points out the reality behind that tipsy feeling some of us chase so fondly:
“Alcohol is one of the few substances that produces changes in the brain and body not just by causing the release of chemicals but by [its] direct poisonous effects on cells. That’s right, a lot of what we associate with the feelings of alcohol are actually due to cellular damage.”
Fortunately, Huberman adds, this is reversible (phew!). Give it 2 to 6 months without booze, and the neural circuits go back to normal. (For a deep dive into alcohol and the brain, check out “How Alcohol Affects the Brain: A Look Into the Science.”)
“'People who ingest alcohol at any amount are inducing a disruption in the so-called gut microbiome, the trillions of little micro bacteria that take up residency in your gut.”
Huberman talks about the “gut-brain-liver” axis to explain the effect of alcohol on the gut. As scientists now know, the brain and the gut are connected via the vagus nerve, as well as through chemical signals. As it turns out, the liver joins the conversation as well! Alcohol disrupts the flow of this three-way communication by messing with gut bacteria while increasing inflammation in the liver, which stokes the fire even more.
The result is a so-called two-hit model — an attack from two fronts. The good bacteria are depleted while “leaky gut” allows toxic chemicals to seep into the bloodstream. On top of that, inflammatory chemicals from the liver reach the brain through neuroimmune signaling, causing further damage.
(Want to learn more? Check out “How Does Alcohol Affect Gut Health?”)
“The reason why alcohol is considered ’empty calories’ is because the entire process is very metabolically costly, but there’s no real nutritive value of the calories that it creates. You can use it for immediate energy, but it can’t be stored in any kind of meaningful or beneficial way.”
So what happens after alcohol is digested? Do we use any of it for energy? Sort of. When it comes to the calories in alcohol, Huberman is clear about how truly “empty” they are. In fact, he says, even sugar is a better fuel source if we’re looking at it purely from the standpoint of energy.
Alcohol lacks vitamins, minerals, or macronutrients such as proteins. In fact, it tends to slow down the metabolism of everything else we eat. The result? Those pretzels we’re having on the side or that midnight slice of pizza is much more likely to get stored as fat. (For more information, check out “The Link Between Alcohol and Unwanted Weight Gain.”)
“The more alcohol people drink, the greater their increase of cancer (in particular breast cancer).”
Finally, Huberman touches on one of the most serious risks of alcohol — cancer. He starts off by addressing all those claims we hear so often about red wine being good for us because of the resveratrol found in it. Those relying on this to justify their nightly wine habit might be disappointed to hear what Huberman has to say about it, but here it goes: the negative effects of ethanol most likely offset any cancer-fighting benefits of the compounds (which are also found in grape or pomegranate juice, by the way).
Huberman discusses the mechanism through which alcohol increases cancer risk. Once again, the problem comes down to the toxic properties of acetaldehyde, which affects the DNA in cells of various body tissues and causes changes in gene expression that lead to the growth of tumors. Once again, there’s a two-hit model in action: in addition to contributing to cancer proliferation, alcohol also delivers a blow to the immune system, which works to clear the body of harmful cells.
As he talks about the link between alcohol and cancer, Huberman comes back to one sobering statistic: a daily habit of having just one 10-gram drink increases our chances of cancer (especially breast cancer) by 4 – 13%! (To learn more about this subject, take a look at “The 7 Types of Cancer Caused By Alcohol” and “Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk: What's the Connection?”)
Throughout the podcast, Huberman gives some reassuring advice to his listeners. Don’t worry, he repeats, all is not lost, even for those who've had their share of heavy drinking bouts in the past. Here’s some Huberman-inspired advice to help you on your own journey!
Just a few simple changes can make a world of difference. It’s all about building new habits that last!
Remember, cutting back on alcohol doesn’t have to be a drag. Think of it as a fun experiment in your own “lab” and get curious about the changes you observe. Start with a challenge, such as Dry January or Sober October (or any other month of the year!) and see where it takes you. Chances are, the benefits will make you want to keep going! And Reframe is here to help you along the way!
Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman says that early in his career, someone gave him this piece of advice: “Don’t over-engage in any controversy unless you are willing to stake your entire reputation on it. Rather, keep focused on discovering new things, and creating, or else you become known for the controversy and nothing else; there is no going back.”
And yet, sometimes, taking a clear “no-room-for-exceptions” stance is important if the subject demands it — and Huberman is living proof of that idea. In his case, the subject is alcohol. In the face of confusing headlines touting its supposed “benefits,” Huberman wants to make one thing clear: alcohol is bad for us. Let’s explore why in more detail.
Who in the world is Andrew Huberman, and why should we listen to him in the first place? Well, when it comes to the brain, he knows what he’s talking about. A neuroscientist and tenured professor in the department of neurobiology at the Stanford School of Medicine, Huberman has studied brain development and neuroplasticity — the ability of the brain to form new connections and rewire itself — for more than two decades.
The Huberman Lab Podcast is all about bringing that research to the people. While the focus is neuroscience, this “lab” is one-of-a-kind: you don’t have to worry about sitting through tedious lectures on stoichiometry or the Krebs cycle. Huberman is all about making brain science (and science in general) accessible and relevant.
While his past topics include everything from the neuroscience of music to the biology of sleep, alcohol and its effects on our body and mind is what Huberman has become spokesman for.
“So alcohol has been used for medicinal purposes, it's been used to clean surfaces, it's used in my laboratory in order to make up so-called reagents to do our experiments, but most humans have been consuming alcohol in order to change their internal state.”
The main problem with alcohol as far as Huberman is concerned? It’s toxic. After all, it’s no wonder that some of its primary uses through the ages have been as an antiseptic. It kills bacteria — both inside and outside the body — and does such a good job of it that we still put it in everything from hand sanitizer to bathroom cleaners.
Unfortunately, when we ingest it, it doesn’t get any less harsh. As Huberman explains, “When you drink alcohol, it can pass into all the cells and tissues of your body. It has no trouble just passing right into those cells … The fact that it can pass into so many organs and cells so easily is really what explains its damaging effects.” (Want to learn more? Check out our blog “What Are Alcohol's Effects on the Body?”)
Out of the many talks Huberman has recorded about alcohol, the one that sums up his findings and views the best is Episode 86: “What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain, and Health.”
He starts out by saying that alcohol is “one of the most commonly consumed substances on the planet Earth” by “both humans and non-human animals” alike.
Wait, non-human animals, too? Yes! Science has shown that rats can develop a full-on addiction after getting easy access to booze in their cages. Likewise, hummingbirds sip on lightly spiked nectar just as happily as on the “virgin” kind when given the option.
Huberman goes on to talk about the many negative effects of alcohol on the body, from individual cells to organs and organ systems, as well as psychological and social effects. Here’s an overview of the main points.
“Acetaldehyde is poison. It will kill cells. It damages and kills cells, and it is indiscriminate as to which cells it damages and kills.”
In many ways, acetaldehyde is at the heart of the matter. The problem with acetaldehyde? Well, it’s a powerful toxin that gets produced as a byproduct of alcohol metabolism.
As Huberman explains, when we drink, we are, in fact, “ingesting a poison, and that poison is converted into an even worse poison in [our] body.” Needless to say, this doesn’t bode well for us — and Huberman spends the rest of the episode explaining why.
“To make it very clear, drinking a lot (3 – 4 drinks per night, every night of the week) is clearly bad for the brain.”
But so is moderate drinking. Huberman points out that chronic drinking at any level — even if it’s not every night — changes the neural circuits of the brain. Specifically, there’s a decrease in “top-down” inhibition and an increase in overall impulsivity. (Those impromptu late-night phone calls to your ex or confessions to your coworker over a happy hour that got a bit too “happy”? Your brain can make a habit of it. Those repeated behaviors are all training your brain to hold off on hitting the brakes when it comes to certain impulses.)
Ready for another buzzkill? In an Instagram post, Huberman points out the reality behind that tipsy feeling some of us chase so fondly:
“Alcohol is one of the few substances that produces changes in the brain and body not just by causing the release of chemicals but by [its] direct poisonous effects on cells. That’s right, a lot of what we associate with the feelings of alcohol are actually due to cellular damage.”
Fortunately, Huberman adds, this is reversible (phew!). Give it 2 to 6 months without booze, and the neural circuits go back to normal. (For a deep dive into alcohol and the brain, check out “How Alcohol Affects the Brain: A Look Into the Science.”)
“'People who ingest alcohol at any amount are inducing a disruption in the so-called gut microbiome, the trillions of little micro bacteria that take up residency in your gut.”
Huberman talks about the “gut-brain-liver” axis to explain the effect of alcohol on the gut. As scientists now know, the brain and the gut are connected via the vagus nerve, as well as through chemical signals. As it turns out, the liver joins the conversation as well! Alcohol disrupts the flow of this three-way communication by messing with gut bacteria while increasing inflammation in the liver, which stokes the fire even more.
The result is a so-called two-hit model — an attack from two fronts. The good bacteria are depleted while “leaky gut” allows toxic chemicals to seep into the bloodstream. On top of that, inflammatory chemicals from the liver reach the brain through neuroimmune signaling, causing further damage.
(Want to learn more? Check out “How Does Alcohol Affect Gut Health?”)
“The reason why alcohol is considered ’empty calories’ is because the entire process is very metabolically costly, but there’s no real nutritive value of the calories that it creates. You can use it for immediate energy, but it can’t be stored in any kind of meaningful or beneficial way.”
So what happens after alcohol is digested? Do we use any of it for energy? Sort of. When it comes to the calories in alcohol, Huberman is clear about how truly “empty” they are. In fact, he says, even sugar is a better fuel source if we’re looking at it purely from the standpoint of energy.
Alcohol lacks vitamins, minerals, or macronutrients such as proteins. In fact, it tends to slow down the metabolism of everything else we eat. The result? Those pretzels we’re having on the side or that midnight slice of pizza is much more likely to get stored as fat. (For more information, check out “The Link Between Alcohol and Unwanted Weight Gain.”)
“The more alcohol people drink, the greater their increase of cancer (in particular breast cancer).”
Finally, Huberman touches on one of the most serious risks of alcohol — cancer. He starts off by addressing all those claims we hear so often about red wine being good for us because of the resveratrol found in it. Those relying on this to justify their nightly wine habit might be disappointed to hear what Huberman has to say about it, but here it goes: the negative effects of ethanol most likely offset any cancer-fighting benefits of the compounds (which are also found in grape or pomegranate juice, by the way).
Huberman discusses the mechanism through which alcohol increases cancer risk. Once again, the problem comes down to the toxic properties of acetaldehyde, which affects the DNA in cells of various body tissues and causes changes in gene expression that lead to the growth of tumors. Once again, there’s a two-hit model in action: in addition to contributing to cancer proliferation, alcohol also delivers a blow to the immune system, which works to clear the body of harmful cells.
As he talks about the link between alcohol and cancer, Huberman comes back to one sobering statistic: a daily habit of having just one 10-gram drink increases our chances of cancer (especially breast cancer) by 4 – 13%! (To learn more about this subject, take a look at “The 7 Types of Cancer Caused By Alcohol” and “Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk: What's the Connection?”)
Throughout the podcast, Huberman gives some reassuring advice to his listeners. Don’t worry, he repeats, all is not lost, even for those who've had their share of heavy drinking bouts in the past. Here’s some Huberman-inspired advice to help you on your own journey!
Just a few simple changes can make a world of difference. It’s all about building new habits that last!
Remember, cutting back on alcohol doesn’t have to be a drag. Think of it as a fun experiment in your own “lab” and get curious about the changes you observe. Start with a challenge, such as Dry January or Sober October (or any other month of the year!) and see where it takes you. Chances are, the benefits will make you want to keep going! And Reframe is here to help you along the way!
Wondering what National Alcohol Screening Day is all about? Learn what an alcohol screening is and find out how it can help you on your journey in our latest blog!
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 forum and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today!
There are medical screenings of all kinds out there. They’re all about being proactive: detecting diseases early is the key to keeping them from damaging our health and preventing serious complications. You’ve probably heard of a few different kinds — a simple blood test to screen for diabetes, mammograms for breast cancer, pap smears for cervical cancer, and so forth.
But alcohol screening? Now that’s a new one. And yet, more people than ever are taking part! Let’s dig deeper to see what National Alcohol Screening Day is all about and how alcohol screening can be key to catching signs of a problem before it takes hold of your life.
The answer actually varies depending on what we mean. So to start things off, let’s untangle a few details so we don’t get confused.
October 2 is “World No Alcohol Day.” Of course, saying no to booze is cool any day of the year but this date was chosen to highlight the dangers of excessive drinking, such as increased risk of heart disease, cancers, liver problems, and drunk driving accidents.
Another important day — one that we’ll focus on as we look further into alcohol screening — comes every year on Thursday of the first full week of April. This is National Alcohol Screening Day, sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in an effort to “educate people about alcohol use disorders, screen them for a range of problems including risky drinking, and refer those in need to treatment resources.” National Alcohol Screening Day 2024 occurred on April 11.
"What are you waiting for — last call, or a wake-up call?" reads the invitation to the multifaceted alcohol screening and education program for this year. Even if the exact date is behind us, there’s plenty we can still learn from the program’s efforts to curb the risks posed by excessive drinking.
The history of NASD goes back over two decades to the first one held in April 1999. At the time, 50,000 people participated, including an unexpectedly high number of college students, according to NIAAA Helping to run the program with NIAAA are the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (SMH).
It might come as a surprise to see young people so invested in curbing their own drinking habits. After all, college years are traditionally prime time for alcohol-fueled tailgate parties, late night beer and pizza runs, and morning cleanups of common rooms littered with red Dixie cups. The reality is, however, that binge drinking in particular has been a growing problem, and people — including college students — are becoming more aware of the dangers. Defined as consuming 5 or more drinks in one sitting for men or 4 or more for women, the CDC reports that binge drinking, the CDC reports, is “the most common and costly pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States.”
However, the focus of National Alcohol Screening Day goes beyond what goes on at the college campus. It’s meant to address other problems related to alcohol use, such as chronic misuse, dependency, and health complications related to booze. Alcohol treatment facilities, community health centers, and hospitals alike all join in to educate the general public about alcohol and provide avenues for recovery at any stage.
At the heart of National Alcohol Screening Day is the actual screening process. But what is it exactly?
The screenings are held at 1,500 sites around the country and are free as well as completely anonymous. They’re meant to help us assess our alcohol habits as we learn about the impact of unhealthy drinking habits and receive guidance about where to go for follow-up help. The spirit is all-around compassionate and understanding, and NASD is all about reducing stigma around drinking while encouraging people to seek help.
The assessment itself can be done online or face-to-face with a healthcare professional. The goal is to provide feedback about drinking habits to examine our risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD).
While the screenings are promoted the most during NASD, they are available any time of year! A healthcare provider can easily administer one and point to resources or follow-up options.
AUD — alcohol use disorder — may not be a familiar term, but it goes to the heart of the matter of unhealthy alcohol use: it’s a disorder, not a label or stigma.
According to NIAAA, AUD is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite negative effects on health, social life, or occupation. It can range from mild to moderate to severe and has a few hallmark features. Most of these telltale signs would come up during the alcohol screening as questions for us to consider when evaluating our drinking habits. Let’s take a look at these signs:
We can use this list to evaluate our drinking patterns any time. While NASD is a great way to access all the resources we need to explore our alcohol habits, there’s no reason to wait.
Want to dig deeper into drinking levels, troublesome patterns, and more? Check out Reframe’s blogs about alcohol drinking levels, signs you’re drinking too much, and how much alcohol is considered too much.
The screening isn’t the only part of NASD. The day is filled with additional activities related to alcohol misuse.
There’s a lot to explore when it comes to alcohol misuse and mental health. The importance of open conversations is key! To learn more, take a look at Reframe’s blogs ”Alcohol Misuse and Depression: What’s the Connection?” and “Stigma and Alcoholism: Beyond the Myths.”
Finally, here are some tips for making the most of National Alcohol Screening Day:
And remember, there’s no need to wait until next April to seek help if you think you might be headed for troubled waters! If you think alcohol is becoming a problem and you’d like to reevaluate your relationship with it, start today! Reframe is here to help kickstart your journey!
Most importantly, don’t think of reevaluating your relationship with alcohol as a limitation — it’s quite the opposite! By approaching it with a mindset of curiosity, you open yourself up to possibilities of authentic joy that quitting or cutting back could bring. There’s absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain by facing alcohol head-on and making some powerful changes.
There are medical screenings of all kinds out there. They’re all about being proactive: detecting diseases early is the key to keeping them from damaging our health and preventing serious complications. You’ve probably heard of a few different kinds — a simple blood test to screen for diabetes, mammograms for breast cancer, pap smears for cervical cancer, and so forth.
But alcohol screening? Now that’s a new one. And yet, more people than ever are taking part! Let’s dig deeper to see what National Alcohol Screening Day is all about and how alcohol screening can be key to catching signs of a problem before it takes hold of your life.
The answer actually varies depending on what we mean. So to start things off, let’s untangle a few details so we don’t get confused.
October 2 is “World No Alcohol Day.” Of course, saying no to booze is cool any day of the year but this date was chosen to highlight the dangers of excessive drinking, such as increased risk of heart disease, cancers, liver problems, and drunk driving accidents.
Another important day — one that we’ll focus on as we look further into alcohol screening — comes every year on Thursday of the first full week of April. This is National Alcohol Screening Day, sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) in an effort to “educate people about alcohol use disorders, screen them for a range of problems including risky drinking, and refer those in need to treatment resources.” National Alcohol Screening Day 2024 occurred on April 11.
"What are you waiting for — last call, or a wake-up call?" reads the invitation to the multifaceted alcohol screening and education program for this year. Even if the exact date is behind us, there’s plenty we can still learn from the program’s efforts to curb the risks posed by excessive drinking.
The history of NASD goes back over two decades to the first one held in April 1999. At the time, 50,000 people participated, including an unexpectedly high number of college students, according to NIAAA Helping to run the program with NIAAA are the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health, Inc. (SMH).
It might come as a surprise to see young people so invested in curbing their own drinking habits. After all, college years are traditionally prime time for alcohol-fueled tailgate parties, late night beer and pizza runs, and morning cleanups of common rooms littered with red Dixie cups. The reality is, however, that binge drinking in particular has been a growing problem, and people — including college students — are becoming more aware of the dangers. Defined as consuming 5 or more drinks in one sitting for men or 4 or more for women, the CDC reports that binge drinking, the CDC reports, is “the most common and costly pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States.”
However, the focus of National Alcohol Screening Day goes beyond what goes on at the college campus. It’s meant to address other problems related to alcohol use, such as chronic misuse, dependency, and health complications related to booze. Alcohol treatment facilities, community health centers, and hospitals alike all join in to educate the general public about alcohol and provide avenues for recovery at any stage.
At the heart of National Alcohol Screening Day is the actual screening process. But what is it exactly?
The screenings are held at 1,500 sites around the country and are free as well as completely anonymous. They’re meant to help us assess our alcohol habits as we learn about the impact of unhealthy drinking habits and receive guidance about where to go for follow-up help. The spirit is all-around compassionate and understanding, and NASD is all about reducing stigma around drinking while encouraging people to seek help.
The assessment itself can be done online or face-to-face with a healthcare professional. The goal is to provide feedback about drinking habits to examine our risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD).
While the screenings are promoted the most during NASD, they are available any time of year! A healthcare provider can easily administer one and point to resources or follow-up options.
AUD — alcohol use disorder — may not be a familiar term, but it goes to the heart of the matter of unhealthy alcohol use: it’s a disorder, not a label or stigma.
According to NIAAA, AUD is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite negative effects on health, social life, or occupation. It can range from mild to moderate to severe and has a few hallmark features. Most of these telltale signs would come up during the alcohol screening as questions for us to consider when evaluating our drinking habits. Let’s take a look at these signs:
We can use this list to evaluate our drinking patterns any time. While NASD is a great way to access all the resources we need to explore our alcohol habits, there’s no reason to wait.
Want to dig deeper into drinking levels, troublesome patterns, and more? Check out Reframe’s blogs about alcohol drinking levels, signs you’re drinking too much, and how much alcohol is considered too much.
The screening isn’t the only part of NASD. The day is filled with additional activities related to alcohol misuse.
There’s a lot to explore when it comes to alcohol misuse and mental health. The importance of open conversations is key! To learn more, take a look at Reframe’s blogs ”Alcohol Misuse and Depression: What’s the Connection?” and “Stigma and Alcoholism: Beyond the Myths.”
Finally, here are some tips for making the most of National Alcohol Screening Day:
And remember, there’s no need to wait until next April to seek help if you think you might be headed for troubled waters! If you think alcohol is becoming a problem and you’d like to reevaluate your relationship with it, start today! Reframe is here to help kickstart your journey!
Most importantly, don’t think of reevaluating your relationship with alcohol as a limitation — it’s quite the opposite! By approaching it with a mindset of curiosity, you open yourself up to possibilities of authentic joy that quitting or cutting back could bring. There’s absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain by facing alcohol head-on and making some powerful changes.
Feel drained after you quit drinking? You’re not alone. Many suffer from this phenomenon known as “sobriety fatigue.” In our latest blog, we cover what it is, what causes it, and how to get through it. Don’t skip this one!
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 forum and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today!
You did it. You did the hard thing and decided to quit drinking alcohol. You’re looking forward to better health, better relationships, and a better quality of life. What an exciting step on a new path! But you might be wondering, “Why do I feel so tired now that I’ve quit?” If so, you’re not alone.
Many report feeling exhausted shortly after they quit drinking — a phenomenon known as “sobriety fatigue.” It can be discouraging, especially when you’re eager to blaze a new, alcohol-free trail, but it won’t last forever. In this post, we’ll explore why you feel tired, how long it may last, and how you can successfully navigate this phase of your journey.
Because alcohol takes such an extensive toll on our body, the body immediately goes into repair mode when we stop drinking. The liver starts to heal itself. The brain works to restore balance. The musculoskeletal system begins recovery too.
Amid this extensive recovery process, we might notice withdrawal symptoms:
And while it's not on the official list of withdrawal symptoms, many experience overwhelming fatigue when they quit drinking. Let’s explore why.
Does detoxing make you tired? The answer is yes. To understand why, we first have to understand how alcohol affects our body.
Alcohol notoriously alters our brain chemistry — it’s part of what makes it so addictive. When we drink regularly, our brain becomes accustomed to the rush of dopamine and serotonin alcohol provides and slowly stops making its own. When alcohol is no longer present, the brain has to scramble to restore balance. Of course, we don’t see all of this happening, but we feel it in the form of fatigue.
While alcohol might help us fall asleep, it disrupts our overall sleep quality. After quitting, the inverse happens. It may be difficult to fall asleep without a nightcap, but our sleep quality will improve as our body adjusts to the changes. During the transition, we might feel extra groggy throughout the day.
Alcohol is also notorious for interfering with nutrient absorption. Even those of us who consider ourselves “healthy eaters” could be nutrient-deficient thanks to alcohol. Even when alcohol is out of the picture, it could take our body time to catch up, and we may feel laggy until it does.
In addition to physical factors, the emotional turmoil of quitting can be exhausting. It may cause fights with loved ones. It may mean parting ways with friends. It may be a daily battle with our inner voice. All of these can deplete our mental energy.
The bottom line is that when we decide to quit drinking, it takes our body time to adjust and restore balance, which can leave us feeling tired. This is especially true for heavy or chronic drinkers. To add insult to injury, sobriety fatigue can cause a domino effect in our lives, but we’ll get into that in a bit.
The fatigue may seem unbearable as you drag through your daily life, but remember — it’s only a phase. The exact length of the phase varies from person to person. Some might feel better after a few weeks, while others have to endure it for several months. It largely depends on several factors:
There’s no way to know how long post-alcohol fatigue will last. The important thing is that it eventually passes and leads you to the healthy life you’ve been dreaming of and working toward. Keep this in mind if you’re struggling, and don’t forget to reach out for support if you need it!
Not all of us have the luxury of sleeping all day. We have busy lives, people who depend on us, jobs that expect us on time, and an endless range of other demands. Fatigue is never convenient. So what happens when we have to endure it for weeks or months?
Unfortunately, it can affect every aspect of our life:
It’s more important now than ever to find a way to navigate the challenges that come with post-alcohol fatigue so we don’t find ourselves backsliding into old habits.
Fortunately, there are several things we can do to successfully manage sobriety fatigue:
These tips will help see you through the dreary days of sobriety fatigue and come out with another victory on top of quitting alcohol.
It can be discouraging to feel tired after quitting drinking, but it’s a normal part of the recovery process. Your body is working hard to restore balance, but it takes time and energy. You can help the process by taking care of yourself, finding a support group, and imagining your alcohol-free life beyond sobriety fatigue. Reframe is here to cheer you on and support you every step of the way. You got this!
You did it. You did the hard thing and decided to quit drinking alcohol. You’re looking forward to better health, better relationships, and a better quality of life. What an exciting step on a new path! But you might be wondering, “Why do I feel so tired now that I’ve quit?” If so, you’re not alone.
Many report feeling exhausted shortly after they quit drinking — a phenomenon known as “sobriety fatigue.” It can be discouraging, especially when you’re eager to blaze a new, alcohol-free trail, but it won’t last forever. In this post, we’ll explore why you feel tired, how long it may last, and how you can successfully navigate this phase of your journey.
Because alcohol takes such an extensive toll on our body, the body immediately goes into repair mode when we stop drinking. The liver starts to heal itself. The brain works to restore balance. The musculoskeletal system begins recovery too.
Amid this extensive recovery process, we might notice withdrawal symptoms:
And while it's not on the official list of withdrawal symptoms, many experience overwhelming fatigue when they quit drinking. Let’s explore why.
Does detoxing make you tired? The answer is yes. To understand why, we first have to understand how alcohol affects our body.
Alcohol notoriously alters our brain chemistry — it’s part of what makes it so addictive. When we drink regularly, our brain becomes accustomed to the rush of dopamine and serotonin alcohol provides and slowly stops making its own. When alcohol is no longer present, the brain has to scramble to restore balance. Of course, we don’t see all of this happening, but we feel it in the form of fatigue.
While alcohol might help us fall asleep, it disrupts our overall sleep quality. After quitting, the inverse happens. It may be difficult to fall asleep without a nightcap, but our sleep quality will improve as our body adjusts to the changes. During the transition, we might feel extra groggy throughout the day.
Alcohol is also notorious for interfering with nutrient absorption. Even those of us who consider ourselves “healthy eaters” could be nutrient-deficient thanks to alcohol. Even when alcohol is out of the picture, it could take our body time to catch up, and we may feel laggy until it does.
In addition to physical factors, the emotional turmoil of quitting can be exhausting. It may cause fights with loved ones. It may mean parting ways with friends. It may be a daily battle with our inner voice. All of these can deplete our mental energy.
The bottom line is that when we decide to quit drinking, it takes our body time to adjust and restore balance, which can leave us feeling tired. This is especially true for heavy or chronic drinkers. To add insult to injury, sobriety fatigue can cause a domino effect in our lives, but we’ll get into that in a bit.
The fatigue may seem unbearable as you drag through your daily life, but remember — it’s only a phase. The exact length of the phase varies from person to person. Some might feel better after a few weeks, while others have to endure it for several months. It largely depends on several factors:
There’s no way to know how long post-alcohol fatigue will last. The important thing is that it eventually passes and leads you to the healthy life you’ve been dreaming of and working toward. Keep this in mind if you’re struggling, and don’t forget to reach out for support if you need it!
Not all of us have the luxury of sleeping all day. We have busy lives, people who depend on us, jobs that expect us on time, and an endless range of other demands. Fatigue is never convenient. So what happens when we have to endure it for weeks or months?
Unfortunately, it can affect every aspect of our life:
It’s more important now than ever to find a way to navigate the challenges that come with post-alcohol fatigue so we don’t find ourselves backsliding into old habits.
Fortunately, there are several things we can do to successfully manage sobriety fatigue:
These tips will help see you through the dreary days of sobriety fatigue and come out with another victory on top of quitting alcohol.
It can be discouraging to feel tired after quitting drinking, but it’s a normal part of the recovery process. Your body is working hard to restore balance, but it takes time and energy. You can help the process by taking care of yourself, finding a support group, and imagining your alcohol-free life beyond sobriety fatigue. Reframe is here to cheer you on and support you every step of the way. You got this!
Did you know your evening of imbibing could be the culprit behind your neck and shoulder pain? If you didn’t, you’re not alone. Uncover the link between alcohol consumption and muscle pain and learn how to alleviate and avoid it in our latest blog post!
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 forum and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today!
You just attended the wedding of the year. You laughed, you cried, you sipped champagne. Now you’re back home in your pajamas ready to put your achy feet up and call it a night. That’s when you start to notice how sore your neck and shoulders are. You replay the events of the evening to pinpoint the source. You didn’t do any crazy dance moves. You didn’t have to crane your neck to see. Surely it couldn’t be the champagne — or could it?
While alcohol’s cognitive side effects are well-known and documented, some people experience more obscure effects, such as neck and shoulder pain. How could alcohol cause that? Should we be worried? We’ll explore all that and more, so put some ice or a heating pad on that shoulder while you read.
Before we “blame it on the alcohol,” let’s take a look at some general causes of neck and shoulder pain. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
If you can’t link your neck and shoulder pain to any of these sources, it might be time to take a closer look at alcohol as the prime suspect.
To understand how alcohol could cause neck and shoulder pain, we have to understand its effects on our musculoskeletal system (MSK) in general.
We’re all familiar with the movie scenes when a mob of rowdy high school kids barge into a house party and leave every room in a state of disaster. Well, that’s kind of what alcohol does to our body. When alcohol enters our bloodstream, it rapidly disrupts nearly every organ in our body, including the oft-overlooked musculoskeletal system. Let’s take a look at some of the short- and long-term effects.
When we talk about short-term effects, we’re referring to the effects of a single night of drinking. Here’s what could be causing shoulder or neck pain immediately after drinking alcohol:
Furthermore, some research indicates that acute alcohol use decreases muscle protein synthesis, which can impair muscle repair and affect musculoskeletal function.
Most long-term effects of alcohol on the musculoskeletal system are a result of long-term alcohol misuse. The onset of these conditions depends on how much, how often, and how long we drink. For example, someone who drinks heavily every day might experience these sooner than someone who only drinks heavily on the weekends. Either way, the prospects aren’t great:
It’s evident that alcohol can dramatically impact our bones and muscles, but is that the cause of your neck pain?
While there is quite a bit of research about alcohol’s effects on our muscles and bones, there’s not a lot about neck and shoulder pain specifically. Given what we know about alcohol and the musculoskeletal system, however, it’s plausible that drinking alcohol could result in neck pain. To pinpoint the cause, we need to pinpoint when the symptoms begin.
If the neck and shoulder pain starts while we’re drinking, and there’s no obvious source of strain or injury, we’re likely dehydrated. This is a sign to set the champagne glass aside and start drinking water instead. Water with added electrolytes (Propel, Core, etc.) help boost hydration, but plain water also works fine.
If the pain starts a while after imbibing, there are a few other possible causes:
If you have any of these symptoms, consult with your doctor. Untreated alcoholic myopathy can put you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke.
In rare (emphasis on rare) cases, neck pain while drinking alcohol might be a sign of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HL). The most common symptom of HL is an enlarged lymph node, often found in the neck. These usually don’t hurt, but some patients report pain after drinking alcohol. Again, these cases are extremely rare, but if you notice anything unusual about your body or are concerned about your muscle pain, the best answer is always to consult with your physician.
Regardless of the cause, neck and shoulder pain are fairly easy to treat at home:
This may go without saying, but alcohol should not be used to treat the pain, especially if you suspect alcohol could have caused it in the first place.
If home treatments don’t work, and pain persists, it may be time to call a doctor. If AUD is involved, a treatment program may be in order. Otherwise, treatment may include physical therapy and strength training. If your heart is in danger, your doctor may prescribe medications like beta-blockers. If the pain is caused by something else altogether, they should be able to determine that as well.
Once we resolve this painful episode, let’s make an effort to prevent future ones. There are several ways to keep neck and shoulder pain at bay:
Following these tips will not only help prevent neck pain, but will improve your general well-being.
There are many different causes for neck and shoulder pain, but alcohol could be a contributing factor because it impacts the musculoskeletal system and could cause localized pain. If you suspect alcohol is causing neck and shoulder pain, the best thing to do is to stop drinking it. Not only could that help relieve your pain, yes, but more importantly, it can help you gain a better quality of life now and avoid long-term musculoskeletal conditions in the future.
You just attended the wedding of the year. You laughed, you cried, you sipped champagne. Now you’re back home in your pajamas ready to put your achy feet up and call it a night. That’s when you start to notice how sore your neck and shoulders are. You replay the events of the evening to pinpoint the source. You didn’t do any crazy dance moves. You didn’t have to crane your neck to see. Surely it couldn’t be the champagne — or could it?
While alcohol’s cognitive side effects are well-known and documented, some people experience more obscure effects, such as neck and shoulder pain. How could alcohol cause that? Should we be worried? We’ll explore all that and more, so put some ice or a heating pad on that shoulder while you read.
Before we “blame it on the alcohol,” let’s take a look at some general causes of neck and shoulder pain. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
If you can’t link your neck and shoulder pain to any of these sources, it might be time to take a closer look at alcohol as the prime suspect.
To understand how alcohol could cause neck and shoulder pain, we have to understand its effects on our musculoskeletal system (MSK) in general.
We’re all familiar with the movie scenes when a mob of rowdy high school kids barge into a house party and leave every room in a state of disaster. Well, that’s kind of what alcohol does to our body. When alcohol enters our bloodstream, it rapidly disrupts nearly every organ in our body, including the oft-overlooked musculoskeletal system. Let’s take a look at some of the short- and long-term effects.
When we talk about short-term effects, we’re referring to the effects of a single night of drinking. Here’s what could be causing shoulder or neck pain immediately after drinking alcohol:
Furthermore, some research indicates that acute alcohol use decreases muscle protein synthesis, which can impair muscle repair and affect musculoskeletal function.
Most long-term effects of alcohol on the musculoskeletal system are a result of long-term alcohol misuse. The onset of these conditions depends on how much, how often, and how long we drink. For example, someone who drinks heavily every day might experience these sooner than someone who only drinks heavily on the weekends. Either way, the prospects aren’t great:
It’s evident that alcohol can dramatically impact our bones and muscles, but is that the cause of your neck pain?
While there is quite a bit of research about alcohol’s effects on our muscles and bones, there’s not a lot about neck and shoulder pain specifically. Given what we know about alcohol and the musculoskeletal system, however, it’s plausible that drinking alcohol could result in neck pain. To pinpoint the cause, we need to pinpoint when the symptoms begin.
If the neck and shoulder pain starts while we’re drinking, and there’s no obvious source of strain or injury, we’re likely dehydrated. This is a sign to set the champagne glass aside and start drinking water instead. Water with added electrolytes (Propel, Core, etc.) help boost hydration, but plain water also works fine.
If the pain starts a while after imbibing, there are a few other possible causes:
If you have any of these symptoms, consult with your doctor. Untreated alcoholic myopathy can put you at greater risk for heart attack and stroke.
In rare (emphasis on rare) cases, neck pain while drinking alcohol might be a sign of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (HL). The most common symptom of HL is an enlarged lymph node, often found in the neck. These usually don’t hurt, but some patients report pain after drinking alcohol. Again, these cases are extremely rare, but if you notice anything unusual about your body or are concerned about your muscle pain, the best answer is always to consult with your physician.
Regardless of the cause, neck and shoulder pain are fairly easy to treat at home:
This may go without saying, but alcohol should not be used to treat the pain, especially if you suspect alcohol could have caused it in the first place.
If home treatments don’t work, and pain persists, it may be time to call a doctor. If AUD is involved, a treatment program may be in order. Otherwise, treatment may include physical therapy and strength training. If your heart is in danger, your doctor may prescribe medications like beta-blockers. If the pain is caused by something else altogether, they should be able to determine that as well.
Once we resolve this painful episode, let’s make an effort to prevent future ones. There are several ways to keep neck and shoulder pain at bay:
Following these tips will not only help prevent neck pain, but will improve your general well-being.
There are many different causes for neck and shoulder pain, but alcohol could be a contributing factor because it impacts the musculoskeletal system and could cause localized pain. If you suspect alcohol is causing neck and shoulder pain, the best thing to do is to stop drinking it. Not only could that help relieve your pain, yes, but more importantly, it can help you gain a better quality of life now and avoid long-term musculoskeletal conditions in the future.
When it’s hot out and we drink, alcohol affects us differently and increases our risk of dehydration, heat illnesses, and sunburn.
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 forum and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today!
Feeling hot, hot, hot? On those hot summer days, having an ice-cold drink by the lake or pool sounds like the perfect way to spend our afternoon. As tempting as it may be to make that drink an ice-cold beer or hard seltzer, alcohol is really not the best choice to beat the summer heat. In fact, it can make things worse.
Read on to learn about the science behind how alcohol impacts us differently in the summer heat. We’ll go through the dangers of drinking on a hot summer day and talk about ways we can make those days safer and enjoyable!
Quite simply, yes! The heat can change the way our body responds to alcohol. Our body is a big fan of stability — it wants to stay in homeostasis as long as possible and will fight anything that tries to throw it off. When it’s trying to fight off heat and alcohol at once, it can get overwhelmed.
Let’s look at some of the ways alcohol and heat work together to attack our body.
We know alcohol works differently on us when it’s hot out, but does the heat do things to alcohol? Whether we forgot our alcohol in our hot car or on the porch, we still want to know if it is safe to drink.
Luckily, the answer is pretty straightforward: leaving alcohol in heat and direct sunlight can degrade it, but it’s still safe to drink. High heat can evaporate alcohol and impact the flavor and quality of beverages like wine or beer, producing a skunky flavor. It won't be pleasant, but it’s safe to drink (at least, it’s no less safe than normal alcohol).
While it may not be particularly deadly to drink alcohol that’s been heated, that doesn’t mean it’s safe for us to drink alcohol when we are hot. Read on to learn some of the risks of drinking in the hot sun.
As we learned above, our bodies respond differently to alcohol when it is hot outside. As much as we may love to cool off with an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day, there are risks associated with this pleasure. Let’s review some of the risks of day drinking in the peak of summer.
Drinking and the heat can be a risky combination! The simple answer is to take it easy while drinking out in the sun. But let’s also consider some other ways we can stay safe while drinking alcohol in the dead of summer.
Although drinking in the heat can be dangerous, it is possible to have a good time while being careful. Below are some ways we can ensure we have a safe drinking experience when it’s hot outside.
By following these tips, you can ensure a fun, safe, and memorable summer. Enjoy it — it only comes once a year!
Alcohol affects us differently when we drink in the hot sun: we are more susceptible to sunburn, dehydration, and overheating. To have a safe summer, it’s best to drink in moderation, have a plan if we need a ride or help, wear plenty of sunscreen, and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Feeling hot, hot, hot? On those hot summer days, having an ice-cold drink by the lake or pool sounds like the perfect way to spend our afternoon. As tempting as it may be to make that drink an ice-cold beer or hard seltzer, alcohol is really not the best choice to beat the summer heat. In fact, it can make things worse.
Read on to learn about the science behind how alcohol impacts us differently in the summer heat. We’ll go through the dangers of drinking on a hot summer day and talk about ways we can make those days safer and enjoyable!
Quite simply, yes! The heat can change the way our body responds to alcohol. Our body is a big fan of stability — it wants to stay in homeostasis as long as possible and will fight anything that tries to throw it off. When it’s trying to fight off heat and alcohol at once, it can get overwhelmed.
Let’s look at some of the ways alcohol and heat work together to attack our body.
We know alcohol works differently on us when it’s hot out, but does the heat do things to alcohol? Whether we forgot our alcohol in our hot car or on the porch, we still want to know if it is safe to drink.
Luckily, the answer is pretty straightforward: leaving alcohol in heat and direct sunlight can degrade it, but it’s still safe to drink. High heat can evaporate alcohol and impact the flavor and quality of beverages like wine or beer, producing a skunky flavor. It won't be pleasant, but it’s safe to drink (at least, it’s no less safe than normal alcohol).
While it may not be particularly deadly to drink alcohol that’s been heated, that doesn’t mean it’s safe for us to drink alcohol when we are hot. Read on to learn some of the risks of drinking in the hot sun.
As we learned above, our bodies respond differently to alcohol when it is hot outside. As much as we may love to cool off with an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day, there are risks associated with this pleasure. Let’s review some of the risks of day drinking in the peak of summer.
Drinking and the heat can be a risky combination! The simple answer is to take it easy while drinking out in the sun. But let’s also consider some other ways we can stay safe while drinking alcohol in the dead of summer.
Although drinking in the heat can be dangerous, it is possible to have a good time while being careful. Below are some ways we can ensure we have a safe drinking experience when it’s hot outside.
By following these tips, you can ensure a fun, safe, and memorable summer. Enjoy it — it only comes once a year!
Alcohol affects us differently when we drink in the hot sun: we are more susceptible to sunburn, dehydration, and overheating. To have a safe summer, it’s best to drink in moderation, have a plan if we need a ride or help, wear plenty of sunscreen, and drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Curious what the “kindling effect” in alcohol withdrawal is all about? Check out our latest blog to learn more and get tips on how to stay safe.
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app today!
There’s an age-old metaphor of addiction as the seemingly self-destructive flight of a moth toward a flame. Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann captures it vividly in her song “The Moth”:
“The Moth don't care when he sees The Flame.
He might get burned, but he's in the game.
And once he's in, he can't go back,
He'll beat his wings 'til he burns them black …”
However, there’s another lesser-known metaphor related to fire and alcohol misuse: “kindling,” a term that describes the tendency of seizures related to alcohol to get more frequent and intense with time. What is kindling, exactly? And how are kindling, alcohol and withdrawal connected? Let’s find out more about kindling, addiction, and how to stay safe!
Why does withdrawal happen in the first place? To understand that, we need to take a look at alcohol’s effects on the brain and body.
When we drink, alcohol quickly enters our bloodstream and affects pretty much every system in the body, including the brain. It causes blood vessels to dilate (a process known as vasodilation, which leads to a temporary feeling of warmth) and raises our heart rate. The liver gets busy eliminating alcohol from the body and puts the metabolism of other nutrients on hold, while the kidneys open up the waterworks and send us to the bathroom throughout the night.
As far as the brain is concerned, a few changes take place:
Over time, the brain and body get adjusted to the presence of alcohol. The brain comes to expect the “free” influx of dopamine and makes up for it by producing less of the feel-good neurotransmitters naturally, making activities that used to be pleasurable lose their spark. At the same time, the body accepts the presence of booze as the “new normal” and adjusts its workings accordingly. Eventually, dependence sets in: we are no longer simply using alcohol to get a certain effect, but need it to function at baseline levels (or as close to them as we can get).
One of the hallmarks of dependence is withdrawal — a set of physical and psychological symptoms that crop up soon after our last drink. Here are the symptoms and their causes in more detail:
At first glance, withdrawal symptoms might seem similar to those of a really bad hangover, which often comes with headaches, nausea, anxiety, and the shakes. However, that’s where the similarities end. A hangover is caused by the aftermath of booze in our system, specifically dehydration, inflammation, and toxin buildup related to alcohol metabolism. It tends to last 48 hours max, but withdrawal is a different beast.
The timeline of withdrawal varies based on many factors, such as how long we’ve been drinking or if we have other medical conditions. In general, acute withdrawal usually lasts a few days to a week and tends to be a lot more intense than a typical hangover. Moreover, according to the National Institutes of Health 2023 guidelines, there are two categories of serious withdrawal symptoms, with the “moderate” one including seizures and the “severe” category reserved for delirium tremens, or DTs.
Seizures and DTs are both medical emergencies. If you are experiencing these, contact emergency services immediately.
The sneaky thing about alcohol withdrawal is that it tends to get worse every time we go through it, which is where the idea of kindling comes in. We’ll explore why this happens in more detail, but before taking a closer look at how kindling functions in withdrawal, let’s find out what role it plays in the dynamics of seizures in general.
Back in the 1960s, researcher Graham V. Goddard noticed something curious about some lab rats, which made an important (albeit involuntary) contribution to medical science by revealing an interesting fact about seizures. When Goddard induced seizures in the amygdala region of the rats’ brains by administering electric shocks, he noticed that the seizure threshold seemed to get lower with repetition: each time, it took less and less stimulation to induce the same effect.
Goddard compared this situation to using kindling to light a fire. As anyone who has ever tried to get a barbecue pit (or living room fireplace) started knows, the hardest part is to get the fire going. After the initial flame has been lit, it’s a matter of adding kindling to the fire.
The findings were originally applied to the study of epilepsy. It seemed that prior seizures lowered the threshold for subsequent ones. Later, the same principle was applied to substance misuse — in particular to alcohol withdrawal, which is known to induce seizures especially in those who’ve been drinking frequently for a long time.
What is the link between kindling, addiction to alcohol, and withdrawal? In the context of alcohol use disorder (AUD), kindling refers to the progressive response of the body and brain to alcohol withdrawal, which gets more intense over time. While seizures are the main kindling symptom, there are several others to look out for:
The neurological changes that are responsible for withdrawal in general are also at play in the kindling effect, but get amplified as the brain becomes more sensitive to the sudden “jolt” created by shifting neurotransmitter levels.
Scientists point to two neurobiological mechanisms behind kindling. The first has to do with GABA neurotransmitter levels, which plummet when we stop drinking. The second relates to NDMA — a type of glutamate receptor affected by alcohol. Receptors for both neurotransmitters undergo sudden shifts when alcohol is no longer in the picture, contributing to abnormal brain activity that can induce seizures. Even after the receptors have begun to re-balance, the kindling effect has already established itself.
The kindling effect is bad news for a few reasons.
If you’re going through alcohol withdrawal and suspect that kindling might be at play, these tips can help you stay on track.
While all of this might sound a bit daunting, there’s certainly light at the end of the tunnel. In the end, it helps to see the challenges as part of the journey to a happier and healthier version of ourselves. As ancient philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
Most importantly, let’s remember that although certain aspects of the alcohol journey (such as withdrawal) can be increasingly challenging, the reverse is also true. Positive changes in the brain have a type of “kindling” effect of their own: the more we explore life beyond booze and the more our brain chemistry restores to normal levels, the greater amounts of joy we tend to discover. In other words, positive change and the rewards that come with it tends to grow exponentially, if we let it. In the words of Joseph Cambpbell, “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
There’s an age-old metaphor of addiction as the seemingly self-destructive flight of a moth toward a flame. Singer-songwriter Aimee Mann captures it vividly in her song “The Moth”:
“The Moth don't care when he sees The Flame.
He might get burned, but he's in the game.
And once he's in, he can't go back,
He'll beat his wings 'til he burns them black …”
However, there’s another lesser-known metaphor related to fire and alcohol misuse: “kindling,” a term that describes the tendency of seizures related to alcohol to get more frequent and intense with time. What is kindling, exactly? And how are kindling, alcohol and withdrawal connected? Let’s find out more about kindling, addiction, and how to stay safe!
Why does withdrawal happen in the first place? To understand that, we need to take a look at alcohol’s effects on the brain and body.
When we drink, alcohol quickly enters our bloodstream and affects pretty much every system in the body, including the brain. It causes blood vessels to dilate (a process known as vasodilation, which leads to a temporary feeling of warmth) and raises our heart rate. The liver gets busy eliminating alcohol from the body and puts the metabolism of other nutrients on hold, while the kidneys open up the waterworks and send us to the bathroom throughout the night.
As far as the brain is concerned, a few changes take place:
Over time, the brain and body get adjusted to the presence of alcohol. The brain comes to expect the “free” influx of dopamine and makes up for it by producing less of the feel-good neurotransmitters naturally, making activities that used to be pleasurable lose their spark. At the same time, the body accepts the presence of booze as the “new normal” and adjusts its workings accordingly. Eventually, dependence sets in: we are no longer simply using alcohol to get a certain effect, but need it to function at baseline levels (or as close to them as we can get).
One of the hallmarks of dependence is withdrawal — a set of physical and psychological symptoms that crop up soon after our last drink. Here are the symptoms and their causes in more detail:
At first glance, withdrawal symptoms might seem similar to those of a really bad hangover, which often comes with headaches, nausea, anxiety, and the shakes. However, that’s where the similarities end. A hangover is caused by the aftermath of booze in our system, specifically dehydration, inflammation, and toxin buildup related to alcohol metabolism. It tends to last 48 hours max, but withdrawal is a different beast.
The timeline of withdrawal varies based on many factors, such as how long we’ve been drinking or if we have other medical conditions. In general, acute withdrawal usually lasts a few days to a week and tends to be a lot more intense than a typical hangover. Moreover, according to the National Institutes of Health 2023 guidelines, there are two categories of serious withdrawal symptoms, with the “moderate” one including seizures and the “severe” category reserved for delirium tremens, or DTs.
Seizures and DTs are both medical emergencies. If you are experiencing these, contact emergency services immediately.
The sneaky thing about alcohol withdrawal is that it tends to get worse every time we go through it, which is where the idea of kindling comes in. We’ll explore why this happens in more detail, but before taking a closer look at how kindling functions in withdrawal, let’s find out what role it plays in the dynamics of seizures in general.
Back in the 1960s, researcher Graham V. Goddard noticed something curious about some lab rats, which made an important (albeit involuntary) contribution to medical science by revealing an interesting fact about seizures. When Goddard induced seizures in the amygdala region of the rats’ brains by administering electric shocks, he noticed that the seizure threshold seemed to get lower with repetition: each time, it took less and less stimulation to induce the same effect.
Goddard compared this situation to using kindling to light a fire. As anyone who has ever tried to get a barbecue pit (or living room fireplace) started knows, the hardest part is to get the fire going. After the initial flame has been lit, it’s a matter of adding kindling to the fire.
The findings were originally applied to the study of epilepsy. It seemed that prior seizures lowered the threshold for subsequent ones. Later, the same principle was applied to substance misuse — in particular to alcohol withdrawal, which is known to induce seizures especially in those who’ve been drinking frequently for a long time.
What is the link between kindling, addiction to alcohol, and withdrawal? In the context of alcohol use disorder (AUD), kindling refers to the progressive response of the body and brain to alcohol withdrawal, which gets more intense over time. While seizures are the main kindling symptom, there are several others to look out for:
The neurological changes that are responsible for withdrawal in general are also at play in the kindling effect, but get amplified as the brain becomes more sensitive to the sudden “jolt” created by shifting neurotransmitter levels.
Scientists point to two neurobiological mechanisms behind kindling. The first has to do with GABA neurotransmitter levels, which plummet when we stop drinking. The second relates to NDMA — a type of glutamate receptor affected by alcohol. Receptors for both neurotransmitters undergo sudden shifts when alcohol is no longer in the picture, contributing to abnormal brain activity that can induce seizures. Even after the receptors have begun to re-balance, the kindling effect has already established itself.
The kindling effect is bad news for a few reasons.
If you’re going through alcohol withdrawal and suspect that kindling might be at play, these tips can help you stay on track.
While all of this might sound a bit daunting, there’s certainly light at the end of the tunnel. In the end, it helps to see the challenges as part of the journey to a happier and healthier version of ourselves. As ancient philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
Most importantly, let’s remember that although certain aspects of the alcohol journey (such as withdrawal) can be increasingly challenging, the reverse is also true. Positive changes in the brain have a type of “kindling” effect of their own: the more we explore life beyond booze and the more our brain chemistry restores to normal levels, the greater amounts of joy we tend to discover. In other words, positive change and the rewards that come with it tends to grow exponentially, if we let it. In the words of Joseph Cambpbell, “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
Non-alcoholic wine is a great alternative for some of us. However, it’s not for everyone. Learn more about the pros and cons of non-alcoholic wine in our latest blog.
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today!
Have you ever heard that a glass of red wine could have health benefits? Well, research has concluded that the negative effects of alcohol far outweigh any benefits that wine may have. But could non-alcoholic wine be the answer?
Non-alcoholic wine is generally considered a healthier alternative as it removes the detrimental effects of alcohol from the equation. However, as with most things in life, balance is key. Excessive consumption of non-alcoholic wine can still have negative effects. Let’s uncork the details on what exactly non-alcoholic wine is and how it can impact our health.
Non-alcoholic wine is wine that goes through a process to have some or all of its alcohol removed. It starts out as alcoholic wine — going through the same fermentation process that gives it the same taste qualities. The alcohol is then removed using purification processes such as distillation and reverse osmosis.
These processes of removing the alcohol from wine is what makes non-alcoholic wine distinct from simply grape juice. Its appeal is that it has the same qualities as wine — without the alcohol.
Non-alcoholic wine is known by several names:
Although non-alcoholic wine goes through industrial processes to remove its alcohol, does all of it get removed?
Despite its name, non-alcoholic wine can contain traces of alcohol. According to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), the beverage must be less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to be labeled as non-alcoholic.
As a comparison, most alcoholic wine has around 12% alcohol, and standard beer has around 5% alcohol. Kombucha, a fermented tea, can contain up to 0.5% ABV. Some kombuchas can even go up to 1%–2% ABV (although they require a special label at that level).
Let’s examine how non-alcoholic wine and alcoholic wine compare with each other.
Non-alcoholic wine is distinct from grape juice or other flavored beverages due to its resemblance to wine. Let’s look at the two beverages side by side to see how they’re similar and different.
Dealcoholized wine is made the same way wine is made. Juice made from different parts of the grape is mixed with yeast, which initiates the fermentation process. Through this process, the sugars and starches are converted into alcohol — creating wine. Non-alcoholic wine goes through an additional process to remove the alcohol, changing the properties but preserving the taste.
Since alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic wine are made in the same way using the same ingredients, the appearance and taste remain almost identical. Aside from these external factors, alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic wine are different in many aspects.
The alcohol component in wine accounts for the differences between the way wine and non-alcoholic wine impact us. Some negative effects of alcohol include the following:
Since non-alcoholic wines don’t contain significant amounts of alcohol, they are not associated with the negative impacts of alcohol. However, they do contain the same sweeteners and additives as alcoholic wine, which present a variety of potential risks:
Moderate amounts of non-alcoholic wine may not have significant effects on our health, making it a safer alternative to alcohol. Since non-alcoholic wine is free from the specific harms that alcohol can cause, does this mean it’s healthy?
With the removal of alcohol, non-alcoholic wine may actually deliver some health benefit due to the presence of compounds called polyphenols. They are also present in alcoholic wine, but the negative effects of the alcohol outweigh any benefits. Polyphenols are produced during the fermentation process and are associated with these positive effects:
Choosing non-alcoholic wine over its alcoholic counterpart can be a companion in a variety of health goals:
We’ve acknowledged that non-alcoholic wine is a healthier alternative to alcoholic wine, but how does it compare to other non-alcoholic drinks?
All alcohol-free versions of alcoholic beverages, such as non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic beer, must meet the requirement of falling under 0.5% ABV to be labeled “zero-alcohol.” From there, they start to have differences.
Non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic beer, for example, are produced differently and have different effects on our health. Because beer is produced from cereal grain, it is usually high in carbohydrates. Although non-alcoholic beer may be lower in carbs than regular beer, it still contains more carbs than wine. On the plus side, NA beer has electrolytes you won’t find in non-alcoholic wine. It’s not a replacement for an electrolyte powder or sports drink, but it can do more for hydration than regular beer (which is actually dehydrating!).
For those of us looking for a lower-carb option, non-alcoholic wine may be a better choice. However, it's important to note that non-alcoholic wine is often higher in sugar. The nutritional value may vary depending on the type of non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic beer.
Ultimately, the benefits of going booze-free are the same regardless of which type of beverage you choose. Non-alcoholic drinks are always going to be better options than their alcoholic counterparts.
But is it okay to drink non-alcoholic beer every day, or is it okay to finish a bottle of non-alcoholic wine in one go? Let's take a closer look at some potential risks of non-alcoholic drinks — wine in particular.
Non-alcoholic wine is generally a much better option than alcohol as it doesn’t cause the same harmful effects. However, it can have some negative impacts and potential risks:
Along with the potential risks, the qualities of non-alcoholic wine can make it a poor option for some of us.
While non-alcoholic wine is a useful alternative for those of us who are looking to quit or cut back on alcohol, it’s not suitable for everyone. Three groups in particular are advised to avoid non-alcoholic wine:
Even for those of us who may not fall into these categories, being mindful of our consumption of non-alcoholic wine can help us live a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
An excess of anything can lead to potentially negative effects. For example, broccoli has many health benefits; however, if we eat too much, it can lead to bloating, gas, and stomach pain. Similarly, while non-alcoholic wine may be a healthier alternative than alcoholic wine, too much can be a bad choice. There are several strategies we can
implement to help us avoid excess consumption:
While these practices are helpful to avoid excess consumption of non-alcoholic wine, we can also apply them to more mindful alcohol consumption and balance in other areas of our life.
Non-alcoholic wine, among other zero-alcohol beverages, is a better alternative to alcohol, especially when we’re looking to quit or cut back. It’s everything that wine has to offer without the detrimental effects of alcohol. That being said, the minimal traces of alcohol in non-alcoholic wine make it a poor alternative for pregnant or breastfeeding women and underage drinkers. Non-alcoholic wine is a healthier option, but drinking too much of it can still have negative effects. Non-alcoholic wine is fine, as long as we don’t cross the line!
Have you ever heard that a glass of red wine could have health benefits? Well, research has concluded that the negative effects of alcohol far outweigh any benefits that wine may have. But could non-alcoholic wine be the answer?
Non-alcoholic wine is generally considered a healthier alternative as it removes the detrimental effects of alcohol from the equation. However, as with most things in life, balance is key. Excessive consumption of non-alcoholic wine can still have negative effects. Let’s uncork the details on what exactly non-alcoholic wine is and how it can impact our health.
Non-alcoholic wine is wine that goes through a process to have some or all of its alcohol removed. It starts out as alcoholic wine — going through the same fermentation process that gives it the same taste qualities. The alcohol is then removed using purification processes such as distillation and reverse osmosis.
These processes of removing the alcohol from wine is what makes non-alcoholic wine distinct from simply grape juice. Its appeal is that it has the same qualities as wine — without the alcohol.
Non-alcoholic wine is known by several names:
Although non-alcoholic wine goes through industrial processes to remove its alcohol, does all of it get removed?
Despite its name, non-alcoholic wine can contain traces of alcohol. According to the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), the beverage must be less than 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) to be labeled as non-alcoholic.
As a comparison, most alcoholic wine has around 12% alcohol, and standard beer has around 5% alcohol. Kombucha, a fermented tea, can contain up to 0.5% ABV. Some kombuchas can even go up to 1%–2% ABV (although they require a special label at that level).
Let’s examine how non-alcoholic wine and alcoholic wine compare with each other.
Non-alcoholic wine is distinct from grape juice or other flavored beverages due to its resemblance to wine. Let’s look at the two beverages side by side to see how they’re similar and different.
Dealcoholized wine is made the same way wine is made. Juice made from different parts of the grape is mixed with yeast, which initiates the fermentation process. Through this process, the sugars and starches are converted into alcohol — creating wine. Non-alcoholic wine goes through an additional process to remove the alcohol, changing the properties but preserving the taste.
Since alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic wine are made in the same way using the same ingredients, the appearance and taste remain almost identical. Aside from these external factors, alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic wine are different in many aspects.
The alcohol component in wine accounts for the differences between the way wine and non-alcoholic wine impact us. Some negative effects of alcohol include the following:
Since non-alcoholic wines don’t contain significant amounts of alcohol, they are not associated with the negative impacts of alcohol. However, they do contain the same sweeteners and additives as alcoholic wine, which present a variety of potential risks:
Moderate amounts of non-alcoholic wine may not have significant effects on our health, making it a safer alternative to alcohol. Since non-alcoholic wine is free from the specific harms that alcohol can cause, does this mean it’s healthy?
With the removal of alcohol, non-alcoholic wine may actually deliver some health benefit due to the presence of compounds called polyphenols. They are also present in alcoholic wine, but the negative effects of the alcohol outweigh any benefits. Polyphenols are produced during the fermentation process and are associated with these positive effects:
Choosing non-alcoholic wine over its alcoholic counterpart can be a companion in a variety of health goals:
We’ve acknowledged that non-alcoholic wine is a healthier alternative to alcoholic wine, but how does it compare to other non-alcoholic drinks?
All alcohol-free versions of alcoholic beverages, such as non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic beer, must meet the requirement of falling under 0.5% ABV to be labeled “zero-alcohol.” From there, they start to have differences.
Non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic beer, for example, are produced differently and have different effects on our health. Because beer is produced from cereal grain, it is usually high in carbohydrates. Although non-alcoholic beer may be lower in carbs than regular beer, it still contains more carbs than wine. On the plus side, NA beer has electrolytes you won’t find in non-alcoholic wine. It’s not a replacement for an electrolyte powder or sports drink, but it can do more for hydration than regular beer (which is actually dehydrating!).
For those of us looking for a lower-carb option, non-alcoholic wine may be a better choice. However, it's important to note that non-alcoholic wine is often higher in sugar. The nutritional value may vary depending on the type of non-alcoholic wine and non-alcoholic beer.
Ultimately, the benefits of going booze-free are the same regardless of which type of beverage you choose. Non-alcoholic drinks are always going to be better options than their alcoholic counterparts.
But is it okay to drink non-alcoholic beer every day, or is it okay to finish a bottle of non-alcoholic wine in one go? Let's take a closer look at some potential risks of non-alcoholic drinks — wine in particular.
Non-alcoholic wine is generally a much better option than alcohol as it doesn’t cause the same harmful effects. However, it can have some negative impacts and potential risks:
Along with the potential risks, the qualities of non-alcoholic wine can make it a poor option for some of us.
While non-alcoholic wine is a useful alternative for those of us who are looking to quit or cut back on alcohol, it’s not suitable for everyone. Three groups in particular are advised to avoid non-alcoholic wine:
Even for those of us who may not fall into these categories, being mindful of our consumption of non-alcoholic wine can help us live a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
An excess of anything can lead to potentially negative effects. For example, broccoli has many health benefits; however, if we eat too much, it can lead to bloating, gas, and stomach pain. Similarly, while non-alcoholic wine may be a healthier alternative than alcoholic wine, too much can be a bad choice. There are several strategies we can
implement to help us avoid excess consumption:
While these practices are helpful to avoid excess consumption of non-alcoholic wine, we can also apply them to more mindful alcohol consumption and balance in other areas of our life.
Non-alcoholic wine, among other zero-alcohol beverages, is a better alternative to alcohol, especially when we’re looking to quit or cut back. It’s everything that wine has to offer without the detrimental effects of alcohol. That being said, the minimal traces of alcohol in non-alcoholic wine make it a poor alternative for pregnant or breastfeeding women and underage drinkers. Non-alcoholic wine is a healthier option, but drinking too much of it can still have negative effects. Non-alcoholic wine is fine, as long as we don’t cross the line!
Learn about a group of alcohol related birth defects, their symptoms, and how to prevent them for a healthy pregnancy and the best start for your baby.
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today!
The journey from a single cell to a baby is truly a miracle. In just nine months, a complex blueprint for life unfolds. But this delicate process is vulnerable. Exposure to alcohol can have permanent consequences, leading to a group of alcohol related birth defects that affect a child for life. Understanding the full alcohol effects on pregnancy is crucial, because these conditions are completely preventable. We'll cover what you need to know to protect your baby and ensure the healthiest possible start.
Another key fact those videos drilled into us from an early age is that pregnancy is a no-drinking zone. No matter what your next-door neighbor or great aunt said was true “back in the day,” there’s no wiggle room here. Alcohol-related birth defects are a sad reality of drinking during pregnancy. Let’s find out more about how they develop and how to prevent them!
According to the CDC, drinking during pregnancy isn’t safe. This simple statement is crucially important to understand. Alcohol can affect the fetus at any stage, including the time we don’t even know we’re pregnant yet — before that missed period, the home pregnancy test, and the 3-minute wait for the telltale line to appear (or not). (For an in-depth look, check out our blog “What Are the Risks of Drinking Alcohol While Pregnant?”)
So what’s the connection between pregnancy, alcohol, and birth defects? Let’s take an overall view of the stages of fetal development and see what role alcohol plays in each one. (Spoiler alert: while the exact effects and their severity may vary, the answer is the same — there is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy at any developmental stage.)
All in all, at each stage, there’s potential harm that can cause developmental delays further down the line. This harm is dose-dependent, but both moderate drinking over time and single instances of binge drinking can cause damage.
How exactly does the alcohol (or any other substance for that matter) get from mom to baby during the fetal stage? It all has to do with the placenta — a unique organ that forms in the womb and sustains the fetus throughout pregnancy.
The placenta acts as a multipurpose house, food delivery system, oxygen-providing service, and waste-removal system all in one. It’s connected to the growing fetus by a tube-like umbilical cord, which later falls off leaving an ever-present reminder — the belly button.
In addition to nourishing the fetus, the placenta passes on some of the substances in the mother’s bloodstream, including alcohol. The placenta’s permeability can cause birth defects from alcohol.
When a pregnant person drinks, the alcohol in their bloodstream passes through the placenta to the fetus. Because a fetus metabolizes alcohol much more slowly than an adult, its blood alcohol concentration ends up being even higher than the mother’s. This exposure can disrupt healthy development, particularly in the brain and central nervous system. The result can be a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). The most severe of these is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which can include distinct facial features, growth problems, and central nervous system issues.
While there is no safe amount or time to drink during pregnancy, some factors can influence the type and severity of the damage. The amount of alcohol consumed plays a big role; both binge drinking and steady, moderate drinking can cause harm. The timing is also critical. Since major organs and the central nervous system are developing during the first trimester, drinking during this period can be especially damaging. Other elements like maternal health, genetics, and nutrition can also affect how alcohol impacts the fetus. However, the only way to completely prevent FASDs is to avoid alcohol entirely during pregnancy.
When we talk about the risks of drinking during pregnancy, it’s not just a theoretical warning. Alcohol-related birth defects are a reality for many families, and they’re more widespread than most people realize. The issues that arise from prenatal alcohol exposure fall under the umbrella of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, or FASDs. These conditions can impact a child's physical development, brain function, and behavior. The most important thing to know is that FASDs are completely preventable if no alcohol is consumed during pregnancy. Understanding the prevalence and the lifelong risks associated with these conditions can help reinforce why abstaining from alcohol is the safest choice for an expecting parent.
The numbers surrounding FASDs can be surprising. It’s estimated that these disorders affect about 1 in 20 people in the United States, making it a significant public health issue that often goes undiagnosed. To put that into perspective, research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests that somewhere between 1% and 5% of first-grade students in the U.S. have an FASD. These aren't just statistics; they represent children in classrooms everywhere who face learning and behavioral challenges that stem from prenatal alcohol exposure. These conditions create lifelong hurdles, underscoring the importance of awareness and prevention from the very beginning.
The consequences of drinking during pregnancy can last a lifetime. The problems associated with FASD can appear at any point during childhood and persist into adulthood. Children with more severe forms, like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), often face secondary challenges later in life, such as ADHD, aggression, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The risk is substantial; for mothers with an alcohol use disorder, about one-third of their children will have FAS. Even for those who drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy, there's about a 15% chance their child will have an FASD. These long-term effects highlight how crucial it is to create a supportive, alcohol-free environment for a developing baby.
Now, let’s look in more detail at the range of problems that can develop in the different stages of pregnancy.
When we talk about the risks of drinking during pregnancy, it’s not just a theoretical warning. Alcohol-related birth defects are a reality for many families, and they’re more widespread than most people realize. The issues that arise from prenatal alcohol exposure fall under the umbrella of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, or FASDs. These conditions can impact a child's physical development, brain function, and behavior. The most important thing to know is that FASDs are completely preventable if no alcohol is consumed during pregnancy. Understanding the prevalence and the lifelong risks associated with these conditions can help reinforce why abstaining from alcohol is the safest choice for an expecting parent.
The numbers surrounding FASDs can be surprising. It’s estimated that these disorders affect about 1 in 20 people in the United States, making it a significant public health issue that often goes undiagnosed. To put that into perspective, research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests that somewhere between 1% and 5% of first-grade students in the U.S. have an FASD. These aren't just statistics; they represent children in classrooms everywhere who face learning and behavioral challenges that stem from prenatal alcohol exposure. These conditions create lifelong hurdles, underscoring the importance of awareness and prevention from the very beginning.
The consequences of drinking during pregnancy can last a lifetime. The problems associated with FASD can appear at any point during childhood and persist into adulthood. Children with more severe forms, like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), often face secondary challenges later in life, such as ADHD, aggression, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The risk is substantial; for mothers with an alcohol use disorder, about one-third of their children will have FAS. Even for those who drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy, there's about a 15% chance their child will have an FASD. These long-term effects highlight how crucial it is to create a supportive, alcohol-free environment for a developing baby.
Luckily, both ASD and VSD are sometimes minor enough that they either heal by themselves or don’t cause too many problems. In other instances, however, they need surgical correction.
Kidneys start to develop early in the embryonic stage and are fully formed by the end of the first trimester. Drinking alcohol at any point during their development can lead to potential abnormalities:
Like heart abnormalities, problems with the kidneys are often treatable. Still, many might require surgery or other complex procedures.
Developing bones are not immune to alcohol’s effects, either. Problems can include limb and spine abnormalities:
While bone problems are often not life-threatening and treatments are available, they can certainly impact quality of life.
Finally, the sensory organs also can suffer as a result of exposure to alcohol:
Once again, these problems might not be life-threatening, but they can greatly impact a child’s life.
Aside from ARBD, other birth defects can develop as a result of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Let’s take a look.
The physical issues we’ve discussed are part of a wider range of conditions known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). This is an umbrella term for a group of problems that can occur when a developing baby is exposed to alcohol before birth. As the name suggests, these effects exist on a spectrum, ranging from mild to severe. The impact isn’t just physical; FASDs can affect a child’s brain, body, and behavior, creating lifelong challenges. It’s a complex issue because the signs aren’t always obvious at birth and can vary greatly from one person to another.
Beyond visible physical traits, FASDs often involve neurodevelopmental problems. These can include difficulties with learning, memory, attention span, communication, and social skills. In fact, FASD is sometimes misdiagnosed as another condition, like ADHD, because the behavioral symptoms can overlap. The most critical thing to remember is that FASDs are completely preventable. When a pregnant person doesn’t drink alcohol, the risk of their child developing an FASD is zero. This knowledge is powerful and underscores the importance of abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy to ensure the healthiest possible start for a child.
Unlike ARBD, ARND isn’t marked by physical disabilities. Instead, the damages happen largely behind the scenes in the brain and can show up later as cognitive and behavioral issues. Here’s the gist:
While ARND isn’t entirely treatable, it’s manageable with the right support. Early intervention is crucial — getting a diagnosis might be emotionally difficult, but at this point, it’s all about fixing what’s fixable. It’s important to get help as soon as possible!
Finally, there’s the most serious alcohol-related set of issues, known as fetal alcohol syndrome. A group of alcohol-related birth defects that include physical and mental problems, FASD is a spectrum of disorders ranging from mild to severe.
According to Birthdefects.org, symptoms include several physical abnormalities:
Like other alcohol-related birth defects, it’s entirely avoidable if we stay away from alcohol when we’re pregnant and, ideally, during the time when we think pregnancy is on the horizon. Unfortunately, it’s largely untreatable once it develops, although special educational services and psychological support can provide some help.
Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS) is a condition on the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) continuum. As the name suggests, individuals with pFAS have some, but not all, of the characteristic signs of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). A diagnosis of pFAS typically requires confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure along with the presence of some of the facial abnormalities seen in FAS. It also involves at least one of the other criteria: growth deficiencies (being smaller than average) or evidence of central nervous system issues. While the symptoms may be less extensive than in FAS, pFAS is still a serious, lifelong condition that can present significant challenges with learning, behavior, and overall health.
Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE) is another diagnosis under the FASD umbrella. This condition focuses specifically on the cognitive and behavioral challenges that arise from drinking during pregnancy. Unlike FAS or pFAS, a diagnosis of ND-PAE does not require the presence of the characteristic facial features. Instead, it is defined by significant difficulties in three main areas: problems with thinking and memory (like trouble planning or recalling information), behavior problems (such as severe tantrums or impulsivity), and challenges with daily living skills (including bathing, dressing, and playing appropriately for their age). Confirmation of prenatal alcohol exposure is necessary for this diagnosis.
Identifying a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder can be complex because its signs vary widely from person to person. Some individuals may have distinct physical features, while others may struggle more with behavioral or learning challenges that aren't immediately visible. The symptoms can also overlap with other conditions, like ADHD, which can make diagnosis tricky. Understanding the full range of possible signs is the first step for parents and caregivers who suspect their child may be affected. A formal diagnosis should always be made by a team of qualified professionals who can look at the complete picture, from physical growth to cognitive function. This evaluation is crucial for getting a child the right support as early as possible.
Some of the most well-known signs of FASD are the distinct physical and facial features, though it's important to remember that not everyone with an FASD will have them. Healthcare professionals look for a specific pattern of three facial characteristics when making a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. These include a smooth philtrum (the ridge between the nose and upper lip is flat), a thin upper lip, and small eye openings. These features arise from alcohol exposure during a critical period of facial development in the first trimester. While these signs are key indicators for FAS, their absence doesn't rule out other conditions on the spectrum, like ARND or ND-PAE.
Beyond the physical signs, FASD often brings a host of behavioral and cognitive challenges that can affect every aspect of a person's life. Children with an FASD frequently experience learning disabilities and have trouble with memory and attention. They may struggle with impulse control, making it difficult to think before they act, and may have a hard time understanding social cues, which can complicate friendships. These neurodevelopmental effects are a direct result of how alcohol impacts the brain's formation. These symptoms can be frustrating for both the child and their caregivers, which is why getting a proper diagnosis and understanding the underlying condition is so important for finding effective management strategies.
Getting a diagnosis for an FASD isn't as simple as a single test; it requires a comprehensive evaluation by a team of specialists. This team often includes a developmental pediatrician, a psychologist, and other therapists who work together to assess the child from multiple angles. They will evaluate physical growth and look for the characteristic facial features associated with FAS. They also conduct tests to assess brain function, looking at cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and adaptive skills. A crucial part of the process is confirming the mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy, though a diagnosis can sometimes be made without this information if other signs are clearly present.
Receiving a diagnosis for an FASD as early as possible is one of the most important things you can do for a child. It's considered a major "protective factor" because it unlocks the door to specialized services and interventions that can make a huge difference. When a child is diagnosed early, parents and teachers can implement strategies tailored to their specific needs. This support can help mitigate some of the long-term effects of the disorder, reduce frustrating behaviors, and help the child build skills for a more successful future. An early diagnosis changes the conversation from "Why is my child acting this way?" to "How can we help my child succeed?"
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are lifelong conditions, and the challenges don't disappear when a child grows up. In fact, without proper support, the core difficulties associated with FASD can lead to a range of secondary problems in adulthood. These are not symptoms of the disorder itself, but rather complications that arise from living with it. For example, an individual's trouble with impulse control and understanding consequences can lead to difficulties with the law. Similarly, social skill deficits can make it hard to find and keep a job or maintain healthy relationships. Understanding these potential long-term complications highlights the critical need for ongoing support systems that extend well into adulthood to help individuals manage their daily lives successfully.
As individuals with FASD transition into adulthood, they often face a new set of challenges. These secondary problems can significantly impact their quality of life and independence. Mental health issues are very common, with high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts. Many adults with FASD struggle to live independently and maintain steady employment due to difficulties with executive functioning skills like time management and problem-solving. They may also face challenges in their social relationships and are at a higher risk for substance use issues and involvement with the legal system. These outcomes underscore why early intervention and lifelong support are so essential.
It's very common for individuals with an FASD to also have other mental health or neurodevelopmental disorders. These are known as co-occurring conditions, and they can complicate both diagnosis and treatment. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequent co-occurring diagnoses, as the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity overlap significantly with those of FASD. Anxiety and depression are also common, likely stemming from the social and academic frustrations that individuals with FASD often experience. Effectively managing an FASD requires addressing these co-occurring disorders as well, often through a combination of therapy and medication.
When parents receive an FASD diagnosis for their child, one of their first questions is often about treatment. It's important to set realistic expectations from the start: while FASD is a lifelong condition with no cure, it is absolutely manageable. The goal of treatment is not to eliminate the disorder, but to help individuals manage their symptoms, build on their strengths, and develop coping strategies to improve their quality of life. A successful management plan is never one-size-fits-all. It requires a personalized, multi-faceted approach that often involves a team of healthcare providers, therapists, educators, and, most importantly, supportive family members working together to create a stable and nurturing environment.
One of the biggest misconceptions about FASD is that because there's no cure, nothing can be done to help. This couldn't be further from the truth. While the underlying brain damage caused by prenatal alcohol exposure cannot be reversed, the symptoms and challenges that result from it are treatable. Think of it like managing other chronic health conditions. Various therapies and interventions can help individuals with FASD learn new skills and strategies to navigate their daily lives more effectively. The key is to focus on support and management rather than a cure, which empowers families to take proactive steps and helps individuals with FASD lead happy and fulfilling lives.
A range of therapies and interventions can make a significant positive impact on a child with FASD. The most effective treatment plans are comprehensive and tailored to the individual's specific needs. Behavioral therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help with impulse control and social skills. Educational support is also vital; children often benefit from an Individualized Education Program (IEP) at school that provides accommodations for their learning style. Family counseling is another key component, as it helps everyone in the family understand the disorder and learn effective strategies for communication and support. The earlier these interventions begin, the better the outcomes tend to be.
There are no specific medications approved to treat the core symptoms of FASD itself. However, medication can be an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan to manage co-occurring conditions. For example, stimulant medications commonly used for ADHD can help improve focus and reduce impulsivity in some individuals with FASD. Likewise, antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed to help manage symptoms of depression or anxiety. A doctor will carefully evaluate whether medication is appropriate and monitor its effects closely.
Behavioral and educational therapies are the cornerstones of FASD management. These interventions are designed to teach practical skills and strategies to help children cope with their specific challenges. For instance, a child who struggles with social cues might benefit from social skills training groups. A child with memory problems might learn to use visual aids and routines to help them stay on track. In school, educational therapists can work with teachers to adapt the curriculum and classroom environment to better suit the child's learning needs, ensuring they have the best possible chance to succeed academically.
Parenting a child with FASD comes with a unique set of challenges, and parent training programs are designed to provide caregivers with the tools and support they need. These programs teach parents about the effects of FASD on the brain and behavior, which helps them understand the "why" behind their child's actions. They also provide positive parenting strategies for managing difficult behaviors, advocating for their child's needs at school, and creating a structured, predictable home environment where their child can thrive. This training empowers parents and can significantly reduce stress for the entire family.
Finding the right help and support can feel overwhelming, but you are not alone. Your child's primary healthcare provider is the best place to start. They can provide referrals to specialists for diagnosis and treatment. Connecting with other families can also be incredibly valuable; look for local or online FASD support groups to share experiences and advice. In the school system, parents can request an evaluation for special education services to create an IEP. Building a strong support network of professionals, educators, and other parents is key to navigating the journey of raising a child with an FASD and helping them reach their full potential.
While alcohol-related birth defects are difficult to treat after they develop, the truth — both heartbreaking and encouraging — is that they’re highly preventable. Here’s what you can do:
With these tips, you and your baby will be off to a safe start.
Making the decision to have an alcohol-free pregnancy is a huge step, but putting that decision into practice can feel overwhelming, especially if drinking is a regular part of your life. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to do it alone. According to the CDC, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are completely preventable if a pregnant person does not drink alcohol. Holding onto this fact can be a powerful motivator on difficult days. If you’re struggling, reaching out for support is one of the strongest things you can do. Whether it’s leaning on your partner, confiding in a trusted friend, speaking with a healthcare professional, or finding a dedicated community, getting help is a sign of your commitment to a healthy pregnancy.
If you’re looking for a private, accessible tool to guide you, the Reframe app is designed to help you change your relationship with alcohol from the ground up. Built on a foundation of neuroscience, it offers a daily, structured program to help you understand your triggers and build healthier coping mechanisms. Through educational courses, guided meditations, and progress tracking, you can develop the skills for lasting change. Plus, you get access to a large, anonymous community of people on a similar journey, so you can find encouragement and share experiences without judgment. It’s a comprehensive toolkit for mindful drinking that fits right in your pocket, ready whenever you need support on your path to an alcohol-free pregnancy.
In the end, pregnancy is a special, challenging, and exciting time, but adding alcohol to the mix can bring on a unique set of dangers and long-lasting effects. Let’s avoid alcohol-related birth defects by staying informed, avoiding alcohol, and taking care of our body and mind (and our baby’s!) during pregnancy and beyond!
When it comes to alcohol and pregnancy, the expert advice is crystal clear and unanimous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink at any point during pregnancy. This includes the earliest weeks, even before you might know you’re pregnant. The U.S. Surgeon General echoes this, advising anyone who is pregnant, might become pregnant, or is actively trying to conceive to avoid alcohol completely. The most encouraging part of this guidance is that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are entirely preventable. By choosing not to drink during pregnancy, you can eliminate the risk of these conditions and give your baby the healthiest possible start.
This is a common question, and the answer requires careful consideration. Alcohol does pass into breast milk, and its concentration is similar to the level in your bloodstream. The Mayo Clinic advises that if you choose to have an alcoholic drink, it's best to wait at least two hours before nursing or pumping. This allows time for your body to metabolize the alcohol. While the risks are not the same as drinking during pregnancy, alcohol in breast milk can still affect your baby's development, sleep patterns, and overall well-being. The safest course of action is to avoid alcohol while breastfeeding. If you do have a drink, timing it carefully is key to minimizing your baby’s exposure.
I had a few drinks before I knew I was pregnant. What should I do? First, take a deep breath. This is a very common situation, and the most important step is what you do now. Stop drinking alcohol for the remainder of your pregnancy and be open with your doctor about your concerns and your previous alcohol consumption. They can provide the best guidance and monitor your pregnancy closely. Focusing on a healthy, alcohol-free path forward is the best thing you can do for your baby.
Is there a 'safe' amount or type of alcohol to drink during pregnancy? No, there is no known safe amount, safe type, or safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy. All major health organizations, including the CDC and the U.S. Surgeon General, agree on this. Alcohol passes directly to the developing baby, and because every pregnancy is different, it's impossible to predict how much alcohol might cause harm. The only way to ensure your baby is protected from alcohol-related birth defects is to avoid it completely.
What's the difference between Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)? Think of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) as an umbrella term that covers the wide range of effects that can happen to a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most severe diagnosis under that umbrella, often involving distinct facial features, growth problems, and central nervous system issues. Other conditions on the spectrum may not have the physical signs but can still involve significant behavioral and learning challenges.
Can alcohol-related birth defects be cured? There is no cure for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders because the conditions result from changes to the brain and body that occurred during development. However, they are absolutely manageable. Early diagnosis is key because it opens the door to therapies, educational support, and parent training that can help a child manage their challenges and build on their strengths, allowing them to lead a fulfilling life.
Do all children exposed to alcohol in the womb show physical signs? No, and this is a critical point to understand. While Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) has recognizable facial features, many children with other conditions on the spectrum do not. They may struggle with issues like learning disabilities, poor impulse control, or social difficulties that are not visible. This is why it's so important to consider prenatal alcohol exposure if a child is facing these challenges, even if they don't have the physical markers.
The journey from a single cell to a baby is truly a miracle. In just nine months, a complex blueprint for life unfolds. But this delicate process is vulnerable. Exposure to alcohol can have permanent consequences, leading to a group of alcohol related birth defects that affect a child for life. Understanding the full alcohol effects on pregnancy is crucial, because these conditions are completely preventable. We'll cover what you need to know to protect your baby and ensure the healthiest possible start.
Another key fact those videos drilled into us from an early age is that pregnancy is a no-drinking zone. No matter what your next-door neighbor or great aunt said was true “back in the day,” there’s no wiggle room here. Alcohol-related birth defects are a sad reality of drinking during pregnancy. Let’s find out more about how they develop and how to prevent them!
According to the CDC, drinking during pregnancy isn’t safe. This simple statement is crucially important to understand. Alcohol can affect the fetus at any stage, including the time we don’t even know we’re pregnant yet — before that missed period, the home pregnancy test, and the 3-minute wait for the telltale line to appear (or not). (For an in-depth look, check out our blog “What Are the Risks of Drinking Alcohol While Pregnant?”)
So what’s the connection between pregnancy, alcohol, and birth defects? Let’s take an overall view of the stages of fetal development and see what role alcohol plays in each one. (Spoiler alert: while the exact effects and their severity may vary, the answer is the same — there is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy at any developmental stage.)
All in all, at each stage, there’s potential harm that can cause developmental delays further down the line. This harm is dose-dependent, but both moderate drinking over time and single instances of binge drinking can cause damage.
How exactly does the alcohol (or any other substance for that matter) get from mom to baby during the fetal stage? It all has to do with the placenta — a unique organ that forms in the womb and sustains the fetus throughout pregnancy.
The placenta acts as a multipurpose house, food delivery system, oxygen-providing service, and waste-removal system all in one. It’s connected to the growing fetus by a tube-like umbilical cord, which later falls off leaving an ever-present reminder — the belly button.
In addition to nourishing the fetus, the placenta passes on some of the substances in the mother’s bloodstream, including alcohol. The placenta’s permeability can cause birth defects from alcohol.
When a pregnant person drinks, the alcohol in their bloodstream passes through the placenta to the fetus. Because a fetus metabolizes alcohol much more slowly than an adult, its blood alcohol concentration ends up being even higher than the mother’s. This exposure can disrupt healthy development, particularly in the brain and central nervous system. The result can be a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). The most severe of these is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which can include distinct facial features, growth problems, and central nervous system issues.
While there is no safe amount or time to drink during pregnancy, some factors can influence the type and severity of the damage. The amount of alcohol consumed plays a big role; both binge drinking and steady, moderate drinking can cause harm. The timing is also critical. Since major organs and the central nervous system are developing during the first trimester, drinking during this period can be especially damaging. Other elements like maternal health, genetics, and nutrition can also affect how alcohol impacts the fetus. However, the only way to completely prevent FASDs is to avoid alcohol entirely during pregnancy.
When we talk about the risks of drinking during pregnancy, it’s not just a theoretical warning. Alcohol-related birth defects are a reality for many families, and they’re more widespread than most people realize. The issues that arise from prenatal alcohol exposure fall under the umbrella of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, or FASDs. These conditions can impact a child's physical development, brain function, and behavior. The most important thing to know is that FASDs are completely preventable if no alcohol is consumed during pregnancy. Understanding the prevalence and the lifelong risks associated with these conditions can help reinforce why abstaining from alcohol is the safest choice for an expecting parent.
The numbers surrounding FASDs can be surprising. It’s estimated that these disorders affect about 1 in 20 people in the United States, making it a significant public health issue that often goes undiagnosed. To put that into perspective, research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests that somewhere between 1% and 5% of first-grade students in the U.S. have an FASD. These aren't just statistics; they represent children in classrooms everywhere who face learning and behavioral challenges that stem from prenatal alcohol exposure. These conditions create lifelong hurdles, underscoring the importance of awareness and prevention from the very beginning.
The consequences of drinking during pregnancy can last a lifetime. The problems associated with FASD can appear at any point during childhood and persist into adulthood. Children with more severe forms, like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), often face secondary challenges later in life, such as ADHD, aggression, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The risk is substantial; for mothers with an alcohol use disorder, about one-third of their children will have FAS. Even for those who drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy, there's about a 15% chance their child will have an FASD. These long-term effects highlight how crucial it is to create a supportive, alcohol-free environment for a developing baby.
Now, let’s look in more detail at the range of problems that can develop in the different stages of pregnancy.
When we talk about the risks of drinking during pregnancy, it’s not just a theoretical warning. Alcohol-related birth defects are a reality for many families, and they’re more widespread than most people realize. The issues that arise from prenatal alcohol exposure fall under the umbrella of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, or FASDs. These conditions can impact a child's physical development, brain function, and behavior. The most important thing to know is that FASDs are completely preventable if no alcohol is consumed during pregnancy. Understanding the prevalence and the lifelong risks associated with these conditions can help reinforce why abstaining from alcohol is the safest choice for an expecting parent.
The numbers surrounding FASDs can be surprising. It’s estimated that these disorders affect about 1 in 20 people in the United States, making it a significant public health issue that often goes undiagnosed. To put that into perspective, research from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) suggests that somewhere between 1% and 5% of first-grade students in the U.S. have an FASD. These aren't just statistics; they represent children in classrooms everywhere who face learning and behavioral challenges that stem from prenatal alcohol exposure. These conditions create lifelong hurdles, underscoring the importance of awareness and prevention from the very beginning.
The consequences of drinking during pregnancy can last a lifetime. The problems associated with FASD can appear at any point during childhood and persist into adulthood. Children with more severe forms, like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), often face secondary challenges later in life, such as ADHD, aggression, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The risk is substantial; for mothers with an alcohol use disorder, about one-third of their children will have FAS. Even for those who drink any amount of alcohol during pregnancy, there's about a 15% chance their child will have an FASD. These long-term effects highlight how crucial it is to create a supportive, alcohol-free environment for a developing baby.
Luckily, both ASD and VSD are sometimes minor enough that they either heal by themselves or don’t cause too many problems. In other instances, however, they need surgical correction.
Kidneys start to develop early in the embryonic stage and are fully formed by the end of the first trimester. Drinking alcohol at any point during their development can lead to potential abnormalities:
Like heart abnormalities, problems with the kidneys are often treatable. Still, many might require surgery or other complex procedures.
Developing bones are not immune to alcohol’s effects, either. Problems can include limb and spine abnormalities:
While bone problems are often not life-threatening and treatments are available, they can certainly impact quality of life.
Finally, the sensory organs also can suffer as a result of exposure to alcohol:
Once again, these problems might not be life-threatening, but they can greatly impact a child’s life.
Aside from ARBD, other birth defects can develop as a result of alcohol exposure during pregnancy. Let’s take a look.
The physical issues we’ve discussed are part of a wider range of conditions known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). This is an umbrella term for a group of problems that can occur when a developing baby is exposed to alcohol before birth. As the name suggests, these effects exist on a spectrum, ranging from mild to severe. The impact isn’t just physical; FASDs can affect a child’s brain, body, and behavior, creating lifelong challenges. It’s a complex issue because the signs aren’t always obvious at birth and can vary greatly from one person to another.
Beyond visible physical traits, FASDs often involve neurodevelopmental problems. These can include difficulties with learning, memory, attention span, communication, and social skills. In fact, FASD is sometimes misdiagnosed as another condition, like ADHD, because the behavioral symptoms can overlap. The most critical thing to remember is that FASDs are completely preventable. When a pregnant person doesn’t drink alcohol, the risk of their child developing an FASD is zero. This knowledge is powerful and underscores the importance of abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy to ensure the healthiest possible start for a child.
Unlike ARBD, ARND isn’t marked by physical disabilities. Instead, the damages happen largely behind the scenes in the brain and can show up later as cognitive and behavioral issues. Here’s the gist:
While ARND isn’t entirely treatable, it’s manageable with the right support. Early intervention is crucial — getting a diagnosis might be emotionally difficult, but at this point, it’s all about fixing what’s fixable. It’s important to get help as soon as possible!
Finally, there’s the most serious alcohol-related set of issues, known as fetal alcohol syndrome. A group of alcohol-related birth defects that include physical and mental problems, FASD is a spectrum of disorders ranging from mild to severe.
According to Birthdefects.org, symptoms include several physical abnormalities:
Like other alcohol-related birth defects, it’s entirely avoidable if we stay away from alcohol when we’re pregnant and, ideally, during the time when we think pregnancy is on the horizon. Unfortunately, it’s largely untreatable once it develops, although special educational services and psychological support can provide some help.
Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (pFAS) is a condition on the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) continuum. As the name suggests, individuals with pFAS have some, but not all, of the characteristic signs of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). A diagnosis of pFAS typically requires confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure along with the presence of some of the facial abnormalities seen in FAS. It also involves at least one of the other criteria: growth deficiencies (being smaller than average) or evidence of central nervous system issues. While the symptoms may be less extensive than in FAS, pFAS is still a serious, lifelong condition that can present significant challenges with learning, behavior, and overall health.
Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE) is another diagnosis under the FASD umbrella. This condition focuses specifically on the cognitive and behavioral challenges that arise from drinking during pregnancy. Unlike FAS or pFAS, a diagnosis of ND-PAE does not require the presence of the characteristic facial features. Instead, it is defined by significant difficulties in three main areas: problems with thinking and memory (like trouble planning or recalling information), behavior problems (such as severe tantrums or impulsivity), and challenges with daily living skills (including bathing, dressing, and playing appropriately for their age). Confirmation of prenatal alcohol exposure is necessary for this diagnosis.
Identifying a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder can be complex because its signs vary widely from person to person. Some individuals may have distinct physical features, while others may struggle more with behavioral or learning challenges that aren't immediately visible. The symptoms can also overlap with other conditions, like ADHD, which can make diagnosis tricky. Understanding the full range of possible signs is the first step for parents and caregivers who suspect their child may be affected. A formal diagnosis should always be made by a team of qualified professionals who can look at the complete picture, from physical growth to cognitive function. This evaluation is crucial for getting a child the right support as early as possible.
Some of the most well-known signs of FASD are the distinct physical and facial features, though it's important to remember that not everyone with an FASD will have them. Healthcare professionals look for a specific pattern of three facial characteristics when making a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. These include a smooth philtrum (the ridge between the nose and upper lip is flat), a thin upper lip, and small eye openings. These features arise from alcohol exposure during a critical period of facial development in the first trimester. While these signs are key indicators for FAS, their absence doesn't rule out other conditions on the spectrum, like ARND or ND-PAE.
Beyond the physical signs, FASD often brings a host of behavioral and cognitive challenges that can affect every aspect of a person's life. Children with an FASD frequently experience learning disabilities and have trouble with memory and attention. They may struggle with impulse control, making it difficult to think before they act, and may have a hard time understanding social cues, which can complicate friendships. These neurodevelopmental effects are a direct result of how alcohol impacts the brain's formation. These symptoms can be frustrating for both the child and their caregivers, which is why getting a proper diagnosis and understanding the underlying condition is so important for finding effective management strategies.
Getting a diagnosis for an FASD isn't as simple as a single test; it requires a comprehensive evaluation by a team of specialists. This team often includes a developmental pediatrician, a psychologist, and other therapists who work together to assess the child from multiple angles. They will evaluate physical growth and look for the characteristic facial features associated with FAS. They also conduct tests to assess brain function, looking at cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and adaptive skills. A crucial part of the process is confirming the mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy, though a diagnosis can sometimes be made without this information if other signs are clearly present.
Receiving a diagnosis for an FASD as early as possible is one of the most important things you can do for a child. It's considered a major "protective factor" because it unlocks the door to specialized services and interventions that can make a huge difference. When a child is diagnosed early, parents and teachers can implement strategies tailored to their specific needs. This support can help mitigate some of the long-term effects of the disorder, reduce frustrating behaviors, and help the child build skills for a more successful future. An early diagnosis changes the conversation from "Why is my child acting this way?" to "How can we help my child succeed?"
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are lifelong conditions, and the challenges don't disappear when a child grows up. In fact, without proper support, the core difficulties associated with FASD can lead to a range of secondary problems in adulthood. These are not symptoms of the disorder itself, but rather complications that arise from living with it. For example, an individual's trouble with impulse control and understanding consequences can lead to difficulties with the law. Similarly, social skill deficits can make it hard to find and keep a job or maintain healthy relationships. Understanding these potential long-term complications highlights the critical need for ongoing support systems that extend well into adulthood to help individuals manage their daily lives successfully.
As individuals with FASD transition into adulthood, they often face a new set of challenges. These secondary problems can significantly impact their quality of life and independence. Mental health issues are very common, with high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts. Many adults with FASD struggle to live independently and maintain steady employment due to difficulties with executive functioning skills like time management and problem-solving. They may also face challenges in their social relationships and are at a higher risk for substance use issues and involvement with the legal system. These outcomes underscore why early intervention and lifelong support are so essential.
It's very common for individuals with an FASD to also have other mental health or neurodevelopmental disorders. These are known as co-occurring conditions, and they can complicate both diagnosis and treatment. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequent co-occurring diagnoses, as the symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity overlap significantly with those of FASD. Anxiety and depression are also common, likely stemming from the social and academic frustrations that individuals with FASD often experience. Effectively managing an FASD requires addressing these co-occurring disorders as well, often through a combination of therapy and medication.
When parents receive an FASD diagnosis for their child, one of their first questions is often about treatment. It's important to set realistic expectations from the start: while FASD is a lifelong condition with no cure, it is absolutely manageable. The goal of treatment is not to eliminate the disorder, but to help individuals manage their symptoms, build on their strengths, and develop coping strategies to improve their quality of life. A successful management plan is never one-size-fits-all. It requires a personalized, multi-faceted approach that often involves a team of healthcare providers, therapists, educators, and, most importantly, supportive family members working together to create a stable and nurturing environment.
One of the biggest misconceptions about FASD is that because there's no cure, nothing can be done to help. This couldn't be further from the truth. While the underlying brain damage caused by prenatal alcohol exposure cannot be reversed, the symptoms and challenges that result from it are treatable. Think of it like managing other chronic health conditions. Various therapies and interventions can help individuals with FASD learn new skills and strategies to navigate their daily lives more effectively. The key is to focus on support and management rather than a cure, which empowers families to take proactive steps and helps individuals with FASD lead happy and fulfilling lives.
A range of therapies and interventions can make a significant positive impact on a child with FASD. The most effective treatment plans are comprehensive and tailored to the individual's specific needs. Behavioral therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help with impulse control and social skills. Educational support is also vital; children often benefit from an Individualized Education Program (IEP) at school that provides accommodations for their learning style. Family counseling is another key component, as it helps everyone in the family understand the disorder and learn effective strategies for communication and support. The earlier these interventions begin, the better the outcomes tend to be.
There are no specific medications approved to treat the core symptoms of FASD itself. However, medication can be an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan to manage co-occurring conditions. For example, stimulant medications commonly used for ADHD can help improve focus and reduce impulsivity in some individuals with FASD. Likewise, antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed to help manage symptoms of depression or anxiety. A doctor will carefully evaluate whether medication is appropriate and monitor its effects closely.
Behavioral and educational therapies are the cornerstones of FASD management. These interventions are designed to teach practical skills and strategies to help children cope with their specific challenges. For instance, a child who struggles with social cues might benefit from social skills training groups. A child with memory problems might learn to use visual aids and routines to help them stay on track. In school, educational therapists can work with teachers to adapt the curriculum and classroom environment to better suit the child's learning needs, ensuring they have the best possible chance to succeed academically.
Parenting a child with FASD comes with a unique set of challenges, and parent training programs are designed to provide caregivers with the tools and support they need. These programs teach parents about the effects of FASD on the brain and behavior, which helps them understand the "why" behind their child's actions. They also provide positive parenting strategies for managing difficult behaviors, advocating for their child's needs at school, and creating a structured, predictable home environment where their child can thrive. This training empowers parents and can significantly reduce stress for the entire family.
Finding the right help and support can feel overwhelming, but you are not alone. Your child's primary healthcare provider is the best place to start. They can provide referrals to specialists for diagnosis and treatment. Connecting with other families can also be incredibly valuable; look for local or online FASD support groups to share experiences and advice. In the school system, parents can request an evaluation for special education services to create an IEP. Building a strong support network of professionals, educators, and other parents is key to navigating the journey of raising a child with an FASD and helping them reach their full potential.
While alcohol-related birth defects are difficult to treat after they develop, the truth — both heartbreaking and encouraging — is that they’re highly preventable. Here’s what you can do:
With these tips, you and your baby will be off to a safe start.
Making the decision to have an alcohol-free pregnancy is a huge step, but putting that decision into practice can feel overwhelming, especially if drinking is a regular part of your life. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to do it alone. According to the CDC, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are completely preventable if a pregnant person does not drink alcohol. Holding onto this fact can be a powerful motivator on difficult days. If you’re struggling, reaching out for support is one of the strongest things you can do. Whether it’s leaning on your partner, confiding in a trusted friend, speaking with a healthcare professional, or finding a dedicated community, getting help is a sign of your commitment to a healthy pregnancy.
If you’re looking for a private, accessible tool to guide you, the Reframe app is designed to help you change your relationship with alcohol from the ground up. Built on a foundation of neuroscience, it offers a daily, structured program to help you understand your triggers and build healthier coping mechanisms. Through educational courses, guided meditations, and progress tracking, you can develop the skills for lasting change. Plus, you get access to a large, anonymous community of people on a similar journey, so you can find encouragement and share experiences without judgment. It’s a comprehensive toolkit for mindful drinking that fits right in your pocket, ready whenever you need support on your path to an alcohol-free pregnancy.
In the end, pregnancy is a special, challenging, and exciting time, but adding alcohol to the mix can bring on a unique set of dangers and long-lasting effects. Let’s avoid alcohol-related birth defects by staying informed, avoiding alcohol, and taking care of our body and mind (and our baby’s!) during pregnancy and beyond!
When it comes to alcohol and pregnancy, the expert advice is crystal clear and unanimous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink at any point during pregnancy. This includes the earliest weeks, even before you might know you’re pregnant. The U.S. Surgeon General echoes this, advising anyone who is pregnant, might become pregnant, or is actively trying to conceive to avoid alcohol completely. The most encouraging part of this guidance is that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are entirely preventable. By choosing not to drink during pregnancy, you can eliminate the risk of these conditions and give your baby the healthiest possible start.
This is a common question, and the answer requires careful consideration. Alcohol does pass into breast milk, and its concentration is similar to the level in your bloodstream. The Mayo Clinic advises that if you choose to have an alcoholic drink, it's best to wait at least two hours before nursing or pumping. This allows time for your body to metabolize the alcohol. While the risks are not the same as drinking during pregnancy, alcohol in breast milk can still affect your baby's development, sleep patterns, and overall well-being. The safest course of action is to avoid alcohol while breastfeeding. If you do have a drink, timing it carefully is key to minimizing your baby’s exposure.
I had a few drinks before I knew I was pregnant. What should I do? First, take a deep breath. This is a very common situation, and the most important step is what you do now. Stop drinking alcohol for the remainder of your pregnancy and be open with your doctor about your concerns and your previous alcohol consumption. They can provide the best guidance and monitor your pregnancy closely. Focusing on a healthy, alcohol-free path forward is the best thing you can do for your baby.
Is there a 'safe' amount or type of alcohol to drink during pregnancy? No, there is no known safe amount, safe type, or safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy. All major health organizations, including the CDC and the U.S. Surgeon General, agree on this. Alcohol passes directly to the developing baby, and because every pregnancy is different, it's impossible to predict how much alcohol might cause harm. The only way to ensure your baby is protected from alcohol-related birth defects is to avoid it completely.
What's the difference between Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs)? Think of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) as an umbrella term that covers the wide range of effects that can happen to a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is the most severe diagnosis under that umbrella, often involving distinct facial features, growth problems, and central nervous system issues. Other conditions on the spectrum may not have the physical signs but can still involve significant behavioral and learning challenges.
Can alcohol-related birth defects be cured? There is no cure for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders because the conditions result from changes to the brain and body that occurred during development. However, they are absolutely manageable. Early diagnosis is key because it opens the door to therapies, educational support, and parent training that can help a child manage their challenges and build on their strengths, allowing them to lead a fulfilling life.
Do all children exposed to alcohol in the womb show physical signs? No, and this is a critical point to understand. While Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) has recognizable facial features, many children with other conditions on the spectrum do not. They may struggle with issues like learning disabilities, poor impulse control, or social difficulties that are not visible. This is why it's so important to consider prenatal alcohol exposure if a child is facing these challenges, even if they don't have the physical markers.
Sipping on that cocktail might impact more than just your mood! Alcohol can interfere with how your body absorbs essential vitamins! Find out more in today’s blog.
Although it isn’t a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), the Reframe app can help you cut back on drinking gradually with the science-backed knowledge to empower you 100% of the way. Our proven program has helped millions of people around the world drink less and live more. And we want to help you get there, too!
The Reframe app equips you with the knowledge and skills you need to not only survive drinking less, but to thrive while you navigate the journey. Our daily research-backed readings teach you the neuroscience of alcohol, and our in-app Toolkit provides the resources and activities you need to navigate each challenge.
You’ll meet millions of fellow Reframers in our 24/7 Forum chat and daily Zoom check-in meetings. Receive encouragement from people worldwide who know exactly what you’re going through! You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with our licensed Reframe coaches for more personalized guidance.
Plus, we’re always introducing new features to optimize your in-app experience. We recently launched our in-app chatbot, Melody, powered by the world’s most powerful AI technology. Melody is here to help as you adjust to a life with less (or no) alcohol.
And that’s not all! Every month, we launch fun challenges, like Dry/Damp January, Mental Health May, and Outdoorsy June. You won’t want to miss out on the chance to participate alongside fellow Reframers (or solo if that’s more your thing!).
The Reframe app is free for 7 days, so you don’t have anything to lose by trying it. Are you ready to feel empowered and discover life beyond alcohol? Then download our app through the App Store or Google Play today!
You’ve been taking B vitamins for weeks. Everyone tells you they’re supposed to give you more energy, but you’re still sluggish. “What’s the problem?” you wonder. “Did I get a bad batch?”
There are several reasons why your vitamins may not be giving you the desired results — one factor is alcohol. Among the many effects of alcohol, we don’t hear much about it interrupting vitamin absorption, but it does!
In this blog post, we will explore how our body absorbs vitamins and alcohol, and how the two interact.
Vitamins are organic compounds that our body needs to maintain basic functions. There are two main categories of vitamins:
Our body doesn’t produce most vitamins; we can produce vitamin D by being in the sun, and a small amount of vitamin K2 (essential for bone and heart health) is produced in our gut. All of the other vitamins must come from our diet or from supplements. Let’s dig into that next!
About 20% of the alcohol we drink is absorbed into our bloodstream through our stomach, and the other 80% is absorbed by our small intestines. Once the alcohol is in our bloodstream, it travels everywhere blood goes — spoiler alert, that’s our whole body!
However, some parts of the body use more blood than others. For instance, the brain and the liver are the most blood-guzzling organs. The liver is where almost every substance and food that enters our body is metabolized — including alcohol.
The liver breaks alcohol down into a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde. After that, it’s broken down into acetate and expelled from the body in our urine and breath. The alcohol metabolism process is taxing on the liver. Because alcohol and acetaldehyde are toxins, the liver focuses on eliminating those from our body and sets other things to the side — including food.
Drinking alcohol, especially in large amounts, disrupts the absorption of vitamins B1 (thiamine), B9 (folate), B12, A, and C. One study looked closely at vitamin C and alcohol and found that 42% of people with alcohol use disorder have severe vitamin C deficiencies.
Alcohol specifically interferes with vitamin absorption and storage in the following ways:
Overall, chronic alcohol use can disrupt the absorption and metabolism of vitamins and lead to several vitamin deficiencies.
We learned that alcohol can prevent or disrupt vitamins from being absorbed. We may be getting plenty of vitamins in our diet, but that means very little if we can’t absorb them. Let’s take a look at common symptoms of alcohol malabsorption:
Symptoms may vary depending on the severity of the alcohol consumption. However, even moderate alcohol use can lead to moderate malabsorption.
After reading this list we may be wondering, does taking vitamins after drinking alcohol help counteract the negative effects of alcohol? The results are mixed. Some research found that supplements can help reduce liver damage while others show no difference. More studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of vitamin supplements, but there is one simple answer: quitting or cutting back on alcohol is the most effective way to prevent alcohol-related vitamin malabsorption.
There is good news! The simple act of reducing (or completely stopping) alcohol use allows the body to heal and restore its functions — including nutrient absorption.
You can use vitamins to your advantage as you try to heal from chronic alcohol use. For instance, B vitamins such as B1, B9, and B12 help you regain proper energy metabolism and nerve function, and boost your overall well-being. Vitamin C helps support your immune system and reduces oxidative stress levels caused by alcohol use. To get these vitamins, you can use supplements, but you can also maximize vitamin bioavailability by getting them from certain foods:
It's important to note that while supplements can help support recovery, they should not be used as a substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats is essential for overall health and recovery from alcohol use. Additionally, individuals recovering from alcohol use should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements to ensure they are safe and appropriate for their individual needs.
Alcohol takes a toll on our overall health, and its effects on our vitamin absorption are only the beginning. Quitting or cutting back on alcohol is an effective way to prioritize our well-being. Luckily, there are endless resources out there to help with this project. Consider trying the Reframe app, which puts a science-backed toolkit right in your pocket. Here’s to your health!
You’ve been taking B vitamins for weeks. Everyone tells you they’re supposed to give you more energy, but you’re still sluggish. “What’s the problem?” you wonder. “Did I get a bad batch?”
There are several reasons why your vitamins may not be giving you the desired results — one factor is alcohol. Among the many effects of alcohol, we don’t hear much about it interrupting vitamin absorption, but it does!
In this blog post, we will explore how our body absorbs vitamins and alcohol, and how the two interact.
Vitamins are organic compounds that our body needs to maintain basic functions. There are two main categories of vitamins:
Our body doesn’t produce most vitamins; we can produce vitamin D by being in the sun, and a small amount of vitamin K2 (essential for bone and heart health) is produced in our gut. All of the other vitamins must come from our diet or from supplements. Let’s dig into that next!
About 20% of the alcohol we drink is absorbed into our bloodstream through our stomach, and the other 80% is absorbed by our small intestines. Once the alcohol is in our bloodstream, it travels everywhere blood goes — spoiler alert, that’s our whole body!
However, some parts of the body use more blood than others. For instance, the brain and the liver are the most blood-guzzling organs. The liver is where almost every substance and food that enters our body is metabolized — including alcohol.
The liver breaks alcohol down into a toxic byproduct called acetaldehyde. After that, it’s broken down into acetate and expelled from the body in our urine and breath. The alcohol metabolism process is taxing on the liver. Because alcohol and acetaldehyde are toxins, the liver focuses on eliminating those from our body and sets other things to the side — including food.
Drinking alcohol, especially in large amounts, disrupts the absorption of vitamins B1 (thiamine), B9 (folate), B12, A, and C. One study looked closely at vitamin C and alcohol and found that 42% of people with alcohol use disorder have severe vitamin C deficiencies.
Alcohol specifically interferes with vitamin absorption and storage in the following ways:
Overall, chronic alcohol use can disrupt the absorption and metabolism of vitamins and lead to several vitamin deficiencies.
We learned that alcohol can prevent or disrupt vitamins from being absorbed. We may be getting plenty of vitamins in our diet, but that means very little if we can’t absorb them. Let’s take a look at common symptoms of alcohol malabsorption:
Symptoms may vary depending on the severity of the alcohol consumption. However, even moderate alcohol use can lead to moderate malabsorption.
After reading this list we may be wondering, does taking vitamins after drinking alcohol help counteract the negative effects of alcohol? The results are mixed. Some research found that supplements can help reduce liver damage while others show no difference. More studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of vitamin supplements, but there is one simple answer: quitting or cutting back on alcohol is the most effective way to prevent alcohol-related vitamin malabsorption.
There is good news! The simple act of reducing (or completely stopping) alcohol use allows the body to heal and restore its functions — including nutrient absorption.
You can use vitamins to your advantage as you try to heal from chronic alcohol use. For instance, B vitamins such as B1, B9, and B12 help you regain proper energy metabolism and nerve function, and boost your overall well-being. Vitamin C helps support your immune system and reduces oxidative stress levels caused by alcohol use. To get these vitamins, you can use supplements, but you can also maximize vitamin bioavailability by getting them from certain foods:
It's important to note that while supplements can help support recovery, they should not be used as a substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats is essential for overall health and recovery from alcohol use. Additionally, individuals recovering from alcohol use should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements to ensure they are safe and appropriate for their individual needs.
Alcohol takes a toll on our overall health, and its effects on our vitamin absorption are only the beginning. Quitting or cutting back on alcohol is an effective way to prioritize our well-being. Luckily, there are endless resources out there to help with this project. Consider trying the Reframe app, which puts a science-backed toolkit right in your pocket. Here’s to your health!
