Bones, muscles and skin Bones Osteoporosis Heavy drinking contributes to osteoporosis. This makes bones thin, soft and liable to collapse, especially in the lower spine, pelvis and thigh. It affects both women and increasingly middle-aged and young men. Crucially, it is when people are in their twenties that they need to keep within the suggested benchmarks to ensure they do not develop this condition. However there s also some evidence that drinking about five units a week of alcohol actually protects post-menopausal women to some extent against osteoporosis.
Bone density appears to improve in previously heavy drinkers if they abstain.
Gout A painful swelling of joints, especially in fingers and toes, which may be made worse by heavy drinking. Muscles Muscle degeneration Weakness in the thighs and upper arms, and attacks of muscular pain, may be found in people with peripheral neuropathy Myopathy , a rare but acute form of muscle weakness with pain, can occur after a prolonged heavy drinking bout. Skin Skin diseases can provide visual clues in the detection of problem drinking. Psoriasis Heavy drinking is one of many factors that can contribute to psoriasis, especially in men. It can take a different form in heavy drinkers, very inflamed and more resistant to treatment until they cut down their consumption of alcohol.