With parties happening all over Sydney this month, Oktoberfest is a common excuse for celebration but we also need to be cautious of binge drinking.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, binge drinking is a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 grams percent or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks, and when women consume 4 or more drinks, in about 2 hours.

Binge drinking can have a negative impact on your:

• Brain – Difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, impaired memory, coma or death
• Kidneys-  affect the ability to filter blood, Long-term misuse can cause cell damage and enlargement of the kidneys
• Heart- weaken heart muscles & can deprive the body of blood
• Pancreas- Alcoholic Pancreatitis
• Stomach-  bloating, vomiting, gastritis, causing loss of appetite, nausea and stomach pain, inflammation and bleeding
• Immune System- reducing immunity
• Liver- range of diseases
• Mental Health- increasing the risk or symptoms of Depression and Anxiety
• Appearance– Acne and Psoriasis, skin conditions, Facial redness, flushing and rosacea, wrinkles and weight gain

Commonly, chronic and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a range of liver problems from an asymptomatic fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis to end stage liver function. And it is simple. The more you drink, the greater the risk of liver damage.

If alcohol is becoming a problem for you, or someone you know, it may be time to seek advice from your GP.