HHS HealthBeat (May 3, 2011)

Liking alcohol

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ron DePas with HHS HealthBeat.

People who start binge drinking – five or more drinks at a time for men, and four for women in two hours or less – can develop long-term alcohol problems. And researchers have an idea of who has greater risk. Andrea King of the University of Chicago saw it in data on about 200 people ages 21 to 35.

King says heavy drinkers who reported more reward and stimulation were more likely to continue to binge drink over two years. But she says:

``Those heavy drinkers who didn’t show those effects were the ones who ended up maturing out over time.’’ (4 seconds)

They said alcohol made them sluggish and drowsy.

The study in Archives of General Psychiatry was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ron DePas.

Last revised: May 7, 2011