All About Alcoholism

Every day, 385 Americans die because of excessive alcohol use, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. “Excessive” means, for women, four or more drinks in a single occasion, and for men, five drinks, as defined by the CDC. The challenge is that alcohol is an obtainable, legal substance for those 21 years or over.

The numbers of people overusing alcohol skyrocketed during the stay-at-home orders at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among women, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, new trends among millennials and Gen Z show a slight decrease in alcohol use with the advent of campaigns like “Dry January,” a challenge to stay sober at the kickoff of the new year. In addition, more “dry bars” are popping up around the country, giving patrons the fun atmosphere of a club without serving alcohol.

Underage Drinking

But concern continues to grow regarding underage drinking in the United States. Sobering statistics released by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in 2021 indicate:

  • 5.9 million youth ages 12 to 20 reported drinking alcohol beyond “just a few sips” in a one-month timeframe.
  • 3.2 million youth ages 12 to 20 reported binge drinking at least once in a given month.
  • Approximately 613,000 youth ages 12 to 20 reported binge drinking on five or more days in a given month.

These practices are not only against the law for those under the age of 21 and subject to legal consequences, but they are harmful to overall health.

Alcohol is a depressant, and when used in excess, it can be especially detrimental to young people because their brains are still developing and can interfere with cognitive, emotional, and behavioral health. It affects an adolescent’s ability to make good decisions, putting them at risk for impulsive behavior and impaired judgment. Alcohol can exacerbate mental health issues like anxiety and depression and lead to alcohol dependency and overuse. Alcohol use by minors can also hinder academic performance and strain relationships.

Health Effects of Alcohol Use

No matter what age, the CDC warns that there is a great potential for severe adverse reactions to long-term alcohol abuse, including:

  • High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.
  • Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
  • Weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick.
  • Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school or job performance.
  • Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
  • Social problems, including family problems, job-related problems, and unemployment.
  • Alcohol use disorders or alcohol dependence.

Finding Answers

If you are a parent or have a loved one you are concerned about and need to know about alcohol use, Any Lab Test Now®can help. We are a lab testing center providing screenings and diagnostic testing to give you the answers you need. We offer a number of tests that can detect if a person has consumed alcohol within the last three days.

  • 5 Panel Drug Test Plus ETG (Alcohol Metabolite)   – This urine test identifies the presence or absence of EtG — a metabolite that shows up if someone has had an alcoholic drink. This panel also includes testing for five (5) different classes of commonly abused or misused drugs or their metabolites.
  • 9 Panel Drug Test Plus ETOH (ETHYL)  – This panel will identify the presence or absence of ethyl alcohol and nine (9) different classes of commonly abused or misused drugs or their metabolites. This urine test  includes a routine screen for each drug class, as well as any necessary confirmation testing. Ethyl alcohol may be detected in urine for up to 12 hours after consumption of alcohol-containing beverages. A confirmed positive result for ethyl alcohol is suggestive of recent alcohol use.
  • 10 Panel Drug Test Plus ETG (Alcohol Metabolite)  – This urine test identifies the presence or absence of EtG plus ten (10) different classes of commonly abused or misused drugs or their metabolites. As a laboratory-based test, this panel includes a routine screen for each drug class, as well as any necessary confirmation testing. 

Any Lab Test Now® is Your Partner in Health

If you or someone you love may be dealing with an alcohol issue, Any Lab Test Now® is a testing center that can help provide answers you are seeking through a number of crucial lab tests. This is a judgment-free zone. We provide the lab testing; you own the results and can use them as you choose.

We understand that being tested yourself or testing your child for alcohol use is a sensitive issue. We provide the utmost care and discretion with these matters and adhere to strict HIPAA regulations.

We want you to be informed about the effects of alcohol on the body so that you can take the best care of yourself or a loved one. The first step is to obtain answers by coming to Any Lab Test Now®for tangible results. We are a lab testing center providing the lab tests you need for answers to your health concerns and optimum wellness. Call now to schedule an appointment at a location near you.

If you are seeking help for yourself or a loved one concerning alcohol use, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

Acknowledging Alcohol Addiction in America

Every April, we recognize Alcohol Awareness Month. We toast our successes. We drown our sorrows. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! The world is filled with reasons to pour a drink, yet even a single drink can affect your body. And too much can have a long-lasting impact that isn’t always reversible. It can be a touchy subject. In a positive light, alcohol can be fun, flirty, and a reliable resource to have a good time. It’s often a must-have for major social events like bachelorette parties, weddings, and birthdays. Of course, every coin has two sides, and alcohol is no different. For some, alcohol is addictive. It can be damaging, messy, and used as an excuse for abhorrent behavior.

Did You Know? Alcohol remains the number one drug of choice for teens in America today. It’s more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined. Alcohol Awareness Month is sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, this month encourages community organizations to host events to increase the public’s awareness and education that too much alcohol can do to you. 

SHORT-TERM HEALTH RISKS

Your liver is the largest organ in your body. It breaks down and filters out harmful substances in the blood and manufactures the proteins, enzymes, and hormones the body uses to ward off infections. 

When you indulge in excessive alcohol use, certain risks internally and externally are higher. 

  • Injuries: car crashes, falls, drownings, and burns
  • Violence: homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and partner/familial violence
  • Alcohol poisoning 
  • Miscarriage/stillbirth in pregnant women

All of the health risks stated above are devastating, life-altering consequences. At times, these ailments can be preventable. Alcohol fuels emotions, causing a person to perhaps do something more extreme than they would with a clear mind. In addition to short-term health risks, alcohol also comes with long-term health concerns. 

LONG-TERM HEALTH RISKS

  • High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive issues 
  • Cancer: breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, and rectum
  • Weak immune system
  • Dementia
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Social problems, family problems, and job-related problems
  • Alcohol dependence

Any of the conditions laid out above can be severely damaging. Furthermore, alcohol-related disorders can impact every facet of the human life experience.  At Any Lab Test Now®, we offer a comprehensive test called the Hepatic Function Panel. It measures the blood levels with seven tests that you may want to see how well your liver is working. It’s encouraged if you’re suffering from symptoms related to liver disease, on medication that affects the liver, or if you’ve been exposed to hepatitis A, B, or C. 

The Liver Function Panel includes the following tests:

  • Total protein
  • Albumin
  • Total bilirubin
  • Direct bilirubin
  • Alkaline phosphatase
  • AST
  • ALT

Labeled as the leading preventable cause of death in the United States by the CDC, excessive alcohol use is said to shorten the lives of those who die by a staggering 29 years. Alcohol abuse can also impact one’s mental health leading to symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Now is the best time to get ahead of your health. Liver function testing provides both you and your doctor the information needed to monitor the impact of alcohol on your body.

An Ounce of Prevention is a Worth a Pound of Cure

As we continue into 2022, it’s important to keep the momentum of self-care going. Any Lab Test Now® offers you extensive and inexpensive lab testing options, so you can keep living your best life. It’s our priority to make these tests as convenient as possible for working people. This is why we provide business-friendly hours, for those with busy schedules. Each of our 200+ locations nationwide provides a clean, safe facility for your lab testing needs. Book an appointment online or walk into your neighborhood Any Lab Test Now®  to test your liver health. 

Effects of Alcohol

We toast our successes. We drown our sorrows. It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! Our world is filled with reasons to pour a drink, yet even a single drink can affect your body. And too much can have a long-lasting impact that isn’t always reversible. Fortunately, it is possible to find out if alcohol is harming your body before it’s too late by taking a simple test from Any Lab Test Now.

What alcohol does

Even one drink starts to affect your body. It changes your brain – making it harder to think clearly and making coordination challenging. Long-term, heavy drinking can cause damage to learning and memory. Abstaining over several months may allow your brain to repair itself at least partially.

Your heart can also be damaged, even in just one evening of binge drinking. Long-term drinking weakens the heart muscle, so it can’t pump enough blood to the organs. The short-term result is shortness of breath, fatigue and swollen legs and feet. The long-term result can be heart failure. Binge drinking can cause the heart to beat too rapidly or irregularly – running a risk of stroke. And women are more likely to have their blood pressure go up as a result of drinking too much than men. The Alcohol Effect Panel from Any Lab Test Now tests for damage to your heart.

In addition, heavy drinking takes a serious toll on the liver, and eventually can lead to cirrhosis of the liver. Quitting won’t reverse the damage, but it will stop it in its tracks. You can get a basic screening of your liver function with the Alcohol Effect Panel from Any Lab Test Now.

The same test will point to potential problems in the pancreas, which is also severely impacted by heavy drinking. The pancreas reacts to alcohol by producing toxic substances and that eventually leads to pancreatitis – a dangerous swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas. The effects can be managed by not drinking.

And there’s more — alcohol can increase your risk of a list of cancers: mouth, esophagus, throat, liver and breast cancers. It also weakens your immune system. For as long as 24 hours after getting drunk, you may have trouble fighting off infections as serious as pneumonia.

How do you know how much is too much?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but there are guidelines. For men, you shouldn’t have more than four drinks a day or 14 drinks a week. For women, you shouldn’t have more than three drinks a day and no more than seven drinks in a week. Those amounts are considered to be low risk. But low risk is not no risk. If you drink too quickly, have health problems or are over 65, alcohol can cause problems. For some people, any amount at all is too much.

If you are worried that you – or someone you love – does drink too much, there is a way to find out. The FAEE Hair Alcohol Abuse Test available at Any Lab Test Now can determine if someone is alcohol dependent. It uses a small sample of hair and measures the amount of a metabolite of alcohol in that hair. You can use the results of the test to talk with your doctor about what steps to take next to get help.

Having the answers about alcohol – and it’s effect on your body – can be an important step in getting and staying healthy. The medical assistants at your local Any Lab Test Now are there to help you find the right test to get you on the track to taking the best care of yourself.

Get Screened on National Alcohol Screening Day

Did you know that over 50% of the U.S. population above the age of 12 consumes alcohol? It is estimated that there are between 10 to 15 million alcoholics in the United States and approximately 100,000 alcohol-related deaths per year. Because of these staggering facts, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) partnered to establish National Alcohol Screening Day. Held annually on the Thursday of the first full week of April, National Alcohol Screening Day is recognized as a day of outreach, education, and anonymous screening focused on raising awareness on harmful and dependent drinking behaviors and connecting those at risk with treatment options. With the support and participation of thousands of Americans, National Alcohol Screening Day is the nation’s largest and most visible community-based intervention initiative to target alcohol misuse. During this day, participating colleges, military installations and other organizations offer attendees:

  • free and anonymous alcohol screening.

  • referrals for treatment options.

  • education on the impact alcohol can have on one’s overall health.

If you think you or one of your family members suffer from harmful or dependent drink behaviors, Any Lab Test Now® encourages you to get screened on National Alcohol Screening Day, April 9th. Drinking above the average amount of alcohol on a regular basis can have long-term health effects on the body and it’s your responsibility to Take Control of Your Health® now. Tests like our Alcohol Effect Panel  and Liver Function Panel can help do that by identifying any long-term effects alcohol may have on your body. Contact us today to learn more about the alcohol testing services we offer and how we can help you begin bettering the health of your future.

You Shouldn’t Drive Drunk or Drugged

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Awareness Month

Impaired driving is extremely common around the holidays, which is why the Center for Disease Control (CDC) chose December to be National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month or 3D Month.

Join ANY LAB TEST NOW® as we encourage our community to become aware of all the harm drunk and drugged driving can cause. It becomes more than just a way to get home from a long night out; people lose lives, become seriously injured, their families change forever and a lifetime of guilt can occur for those who choose to drive under the influence.

Did you know that young people, motorcyclists and drivers with prior impaired driving convictions are the most at risk? Learn more FAQ’s and statistics from the CDC.

We offer a plethora of short-term and long-term drug and alcohol related tests, available for you to see here. Designate a sober driver if you plan on celebrating the holidays. You’ll get home safely and so will the rest of the road.