Drinking: Learn how alcohol affects your health

Learn how alcohol affects your health and how to weigh the risks and benefits of drinking . Find out what moderate and heavy drinking mean, and when to avoid alcohol altogether. Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a serious toll on your health. The whole body is affected by alcohol use--not just the liver, but also the brain, gut, pancreas, lungs, cardiovascular system, immune system, and more. Drinking alcohol in moderation can provide you with numerous health benefits, ranging from lowering gallstone risk to improving heart health, and much more. Drinking is the act of ingesting liquids into the body through various means. Learn how humans, animals, and plants drink, and how water affects their health and survival.