The majority of alcohol-induced ailments can be reversed if one stops consuming spirits in a timely manner, stated Jürgen Rehm, a Senior Scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto. This information comes via CNN.
Alcohol consumption is directly implicated in sixty-two medical conditions, such as alcoholic heart disease, pancreatitis, fatty liver disease, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and cirrhosis.
“These conditions are 100% attributable to alcohol; meaning these diseases would not exist in the world without the consumption of spirits,” explained Rehm, who has been studying this subject jointly with the WHO since 2003.
According to him, there are an additional 30 diseases where alcohol plays a role (such as breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and dementia).
“These illnesses would exist even without alcohol, but spirits are responsible for a specific portion of them,” the researcher added.
Research defines heavy drinking as exceeding 40 grams of pure alcohol daily for women and 60 grams for men (equivalent to 1.4 and 2.1 ounces, respectively).
Immunity
A single instance of alcohol consumption impairs the immune system, diminishing its capacity to fight infections in as little as 20 minutes. Alcohol compromises both innate and acquired immunity by suppressing key white blood cells—macrophages, neutrophils, and natural killer cells.
One episode of binge drinking (four or more servings of alcohol within a few hours) disrupts the immune response for a full 24 hours.
The immediate effects of alcohol on the immune system are reversible within days or a week, Rehm affirms. Nevertheless, chronic use can destroy natural killer cells and T-cells—the immune system’s frontline force—leading to increased vulnerability to pneumonia, HIV, and tuberculosis.
Certain alcohol-induced impairments in immune function are only partially reversible, contingent upon the duration and volume of spirit intake.
Cancer
Alcohol represents the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, trailing tobacco and obesity, according to former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. At the start of 2025, he advocated for updating warning labels on alcoholic beverages to reflect this data.
“Alcohol is responsible for approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the US. This figure surpasses the 13,500 annual fatalities from drunk-driving accidents,” the physician stated.
All types of alcohol contribute to cancer development by damaging DNA and exacerbating chronic inflammation. For women, the primary risk is breast cancer; for men, it is colorectal cancer.
When questioned about how long abstinence is required to neutralize this effect, Rehm responded, “Around 30 years, similar to tobacco. If you are a relatively heavy drinker, you might consider it this way: one serving of alcohol is equal to one cigarette. Shocking, isn’t it?”
Brain
Alcohol disrupts connections between neurons, leading to brain degradation, particularly in regions responsible for memory and decision-making. One of the largest studies revealed that three weekly servings of alcohol raise dementia risk by 15% compared to just one serving.
MRI scans indicate that reductions in brain tissue can partially recover within several weeks or months following cessation of intake, with measurable changes often beginning in the first few weeks.
Cognitive functions such as attention and memory may also see improvement after giving up alcohol.
However, chronic heavy drinking and episodic heavy drinking (four or more servings at once) contribute to long-term changes in the brain linked to an elevated risk of dementia.
“The available evidence does not support the claim that ceasing alcohol consumption fully restores the risk of dementia to that of a person who never drank heavily,” Rehm asserts.
Heart
Numerous studies have identified a relationship between alcohol and heart health: low and moderate doses exhibit a slight positive effect due to vasodilation, but the risk increases as consumption rises—especially following heavy drinking within a short timeframe.
A 2023 study observed that just one daily serving of alcohol elevates systolic blood pressure. Consuming alcohol while already having high blood pressure nearly doubles the risk of severe liver damage, and with pronounced abdominal obesity and/or diabetes, the risk more than triples, according to a 2025 investigation.
Andrew Freeman, Director of Cardiovascular Prevention at National Jewish Health in Denver, summarized the consensus: “I think there is now sufficient evidence suggesting that alcohol consumption might be more harmful than beneficial. Most professional bodies advise people not to start drinking, to drink as little as possible if they do drink, or to quit entirely.”
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