“And so drinking is taking on an important role in those types of activities, including travel and eating out. So there's still a serious concern about heavy alcohol use.”
That heavy use can complicate existing health problems. “Drinking in an older population is a particular concern because of potential interactions with other medications. When older individuals slip or fall during intoxication, that can cause more broken bones, because bones are more brittle and reflexes are slower,” Becker said.
Why addressing alcohol use is important
Becker said alcohol is known to be a risk factor or aggravating factor for more than 200 health conditions. “It influences all parts of the body. And this is actually starting to become more recognized. It has influences on the G.I. tract. It causes problems of the esophagus, pancreas.”
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Liver disease is a huge issue as well, he said. “In fact, alcohol is now, I believe, the No. 1 reason for the need for liver transplant. It's overtaken hepatitis.”
Alcohol also has cardiovascular effects. “It weakens the heart muscle, increases blood pressure. It influences skeletal muscular systems,” Becker said.
It also affects the immune system and can increase risk for various cancers.
What the Charleston Alcohol Research Center is doing to help
To reduce those risks, the center is focused not only on understanding brain function but also identifying brain cells that are very responsive to alcohol.
“We are looking at identifying new targets in the brain, as well as evaluating new approaches and treatment modalities that can help people gain greater control over their drinking,” Becker said.
“That’s where our Alcohol Research Center has its prominence on the national scene in terms of the kind of research that we're doing. We have been leading the way in addressing this important medical issue since 1995, one of the oldest, continuously funded, NIH-supported P50 center focused on alcohol use disorder.” P50 refers to a type of grant from the National Institutes of Health that supports research focusing on a scientific objective with an eye to encouraging collaboration among multiple investigators and centers.
Becker’s message for people struggling with alcohol use
“It is important for individuals who think drinking is interfering with their life, whether it's the workplace, at home or with friends and family, to seek treatment,” he said.
“But very few people do - I think less than 10% of those who could be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder seek help. So, seek treatment. There are medications and treatment interventions that might help with craving and controlling the urges to drink or relapse to drink.”
