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WOMEN AND BINGE DRINKING

Women are dying from the effects of drink

Binge drinking among women is becoming a serious problem in the North East. They are causing irreversible damage to their bodies and are unaware of the dangers of alcohol.

Not many women realise that the recommended weekly limit is a maximum of 14 units of alcohol.

That works out at around seven glasses of wine or five pints of lager. Prolonged drinking above the weekly limit can cause serious damage and irreversible health problems.

Inside Out follows a group of young woman on a typical night out and discovers the shocking truth of the new 'Ladette' culture and just what is happening to their bodies.

The Binge

Diseased liver - the result of excess alcohol on the liver. Is it really worth it?

Liver disease, breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, pancreatitis and even death, are just some of the effects of binge drinking among young women.

Some women are out to drink as much as men but the way their bodies are built means that they can't tolerate the same amount of alcohol.

Women are substantially lighter than men and as a consequence the amount they can take is considerably less.

Dr. Chris Record a liver expert explained "Women have got this attitude now that they're equal to men in every respect and that includes drink. When they go out drinking they feel they've got to keep up with the men and drink just as much and unfortunately they can't."

He goes on to say "The youngest patient I've had who died of alcoholic liver disease was a girl of 19."

"She had what we call oesophageal varices, she started bleeding and she bled to death. This is the kind of thing that can happen"

Women At Risk

It's not just young women at risk. The 'typical housewife', who shares a bottle of wine with her husband every night, will equally run into trouble if they do it for long enough.

If they do it for 10 - 20 years they can get alcoholic cirrhosis from that alone.

Dr Record explains, "Indeed I had a patient like this just a few weeks ago who was a dentist's wife. Didn't think she was doing any harm to herself whatsoever."

"Suddenly she became yellow, and she developed serious liver disease, in her case it was irreversible, she went progressively downhill, her kidneys failed, and she died."

It's not all bad news

Taking control of your life is the first step to stop the harmful effects of alcohol to the body.

The liver is a remarkable organ and is generously forgiving, using its powers of regeneration when necessary.

But be warned, there comes a point when the damage becomes irreversible through a process called cirrhosis. This is where the normal structure of the liver is replaced with scar tissue.

Remember with alcohol, moderation is best!

How Much Do You Drink?

We conducted a small survey with women between the ages of 20-40. We asked them the average amount of alcohol drank per week. The results are shown in the table below.

This survey shows just how much alcohol women are drinking. Our surveyed women had no idea of the recommended weekly limit of 14 units.

If they continue to drink excess amounts of alcohol, they will sustain liver damage within 10 years.

Be safe, not sorry

Drinking in moderation is usually not a problem for your body. If you stay below the recomended weekly alcoholic intake, you can enjoy a social night out without damaging your liver.

But if attitudes don't start to change, then unfortunately more women will be seeking Dr Record's expert help in overcoming the serious effects of liver damage.

If you would like more information on the effects of alcohol on the body then visit our weblinks.