The Effects of Excessive Drinking on Men's Health

Information from the CDC

 Men's Drinking Levels

* Approximately 62% of adult men reported drinking in the last 30 days and were more likely to binge drink than women (47%) druing the same time period

* Men average about 12.5 binge drinking episodes per person per year, while women average about 2.7 binge drinking episodes per year.

* Most people who binge drink are not alcoholics or alcohol dependent

* It is estimated that about 17% of men and about 8% of women will meet criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives

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Injuries and deaths as a result of excessive alcohol use
 

* Men consistently have higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations than women

* Among drivers in fatal motor-vehicle traffic crashes, men are almost twice as likely as women to have been intoxicated (ie a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or greater).

* Excessive alcohol consumption increases aggression and, as a result, can increase the risk of physically assaulting another person

* Men are more liekly than women to commit suicide, and more likely to have been drinking prior to committing suicide

Reproductive Health and Sexual Function
* Excessive alcohol can interfere with testicular function and male hormone production resulting in impotence, infertility, and reduction of male secondary sex characteristics such as facial and chest hair

* Excessive alcohol use is commonly involved in sexual assault. Impaired judgment caused by alcohol may worsen the tendency for some men to mistake a women's friendly behavior for sexual interest and misjudge their use of force. Also, alcohol use by men increases the chances of engaging in risky sexual activity including unprotected sex, sex with multiple partners, or sex with a partner at risk for sexually transmitted diseases.