Pride Drink Check
posted: 27/08/2009
Pride drinkers will be knocking back more alcohol units than most realise. Many people with HIV will be binge drinking over this coming Manchester Pride weekend because drinks are so much stronger than they were just 10 years ago.
Drinkers in the UK consume 10% more by alcoholic strength than in 2000, figures from the research company Mintel show, even though the volume of alcohol consumed overall has not changed during that period.
Researchers said consumers were often unaware of the alcohol content – alcohol by volume, or ABV, on products labels – and warned the findings posed a major challenge for the government.
Drinks Confuse
Drinkers are understandably confused - the size of cans and bottles varies, wine is served in bigger glasses than before, spirit measures have changed, as well as wines, beers and lagers all having more alcohol in them.
By stealth the drinks industry contributes to people drinking even more alcohol without realising.
The ‘units’ system for counting how much alcohol you are drinking so you know if you are binge drinking or exceeding the weekly recommended safe amount, is not user friendly when you are deciding what to have in a bar or club.
Stronger
Jonny Forsyth, senior drinks analyst at Mintel, said: "In the 1970s a bottle of wine may have been around 11% in ABV but now the same bottle is more likely to be around 13%. Equally, we have seen stronger lager become much more popular over the past couple of decades, with the growth of the 5% premium lager sector.
"It may be that the majority of consumers are not aware of ABV and don't even notice. So despite a greater concern with being healthy leading to a decline in drinking penetration, by stealth we are drinking more pure alcohol than ever."
Relaxing
People with HIV often use drink as a way of relaxing and coping with stress and depression, like many other people. But with HIV, drinking carries extra risks.
Alcohol risks and HIV
Long-term heavy alcohol consumption (ten or more units a day in a man, or six or more in a woman) can cause ill health, affecting the liver, heart and brain. Drinking every day can also lead to physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.
People who drink heavily often don’t eat well and this can cause further health problems. Alcohol is a depressive drug and can cause or make worse mental, psychological or emotional problems. Used in conjunction with other drugs, such as painkillers like paracetamol, alcohol can have more serious effects.
There is no evidence that moderate drinking does any harm to people with HIV. However, if you have hepatitis or high levels of blood fats, then you may be advised to stop drinking alcohol or cut down alcohol consumption.
Adherence halved
We recently reported that a major study showed that around half the people with HIV who drink don't take their treatments properly. And the more alcohol people drink, the worse their adherence to HIV treatment. Among heavier drinkers 6 out of 10 don't take treatments properly - missing doses of HIV drugs gives time for HIV to become drug resistant.
However, alcohol dependency is common amongst those with HIV and heavy drinking may affect your immune system and slow down recovery from infections. Studies suggest that alcohol interferes with the normal functions of various components of our immune system, impairing our body’s immune response to infection.
Immune system doesn't work so well
HIV-positive people who drink heavily and who are not on anti-HIV drugs tend to have lower CD4 counts (a measure of immune system function) than moderate drinkers.
While, the same difference in CD4 count isn’t true for heavy drinkers who are taking anti-HIV drugs, they are more likely to miss doses of their treatment than those who don’t drink. Alcohol can also damage the liver and a healthy liver is important for the body to process some antiretroviral medicines effectively. The blood fat increases caused by some anti-HIV drugs can be made worse by heavy drinking.
Hepatitis and drinking
People who have hepatitis as well as HIV are advised not to drink alcohol at all, or to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. People whose liver has been damaged by drinking too much alcohol (especially if they have hepatitis) are more likely to experience side-effects from anti-HIV drugs, particularly protease inhibitors.
Safer drinking
• Men should not regularly drink more than three to four units of alcohol per day.
• Women should not regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol per day.
You should also take a break for 48 hours after a heavy session to let your body recover.
The NHS gives daily limits for regular drinking to make it clear that you can't store up your whole week's 'allowance' until the weekend and then drink heavily (this type of heavy or binge drinking is often harmful). The different limits are set as ranges ('one to two', 'two to three' and 'three to four' units) because there isn't one single amount that applies to every person every day.
How many units are in your drinks?
This has a useful illustrated chart which helps you work out how much you are drinking for different types of drinks.
Online unit calculator
Help with drinking
Alcohol factsheet from NAM
If you are concerned about your alcohol use, speak to an adviser at George House Trust, your GP, or the HIV clinic.
Alcohol Concern's website is worth a look, or call Drinkline on 020 7264 0510.
Gay men may find the drink pages from LGF useful
The different parts of NW England each have their own NHS services for alcohol, provided by your local Primary Care Trust.
Source for part of this
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