Health Doctor warns: mind the summer booze

With the rainy season ending in parts of Japan and temperatures rising, summer is the perfect time to enjoy a cold beer, visit beer gardens, and have barbecues with friends and colleagues. However, summer drinking comes with risks. The Mainichi Shimbun consulted a doctor about safe alcohol consumption to avoid health issues. "Hospital admissions for acute alcohol poisoning peak in December due to year-end parties, but July and August follow closely," said Dr. Ryuhei So from Okayama Psychiatric Medical Center.

According to the Tokyo Fire Department, the number of people taken to emergency care for acute alcohol poisoning exceeded 18,000 in 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic. By month, December saw the most patients, 2,055, followed by August, 1,857, and July, 1,590. So, what's the deal with summer guzzling? Drinking while being dehydrated raises several risks:

people sweat a lot in summer, they are deprived of water in the body before they realize it, even if they are not feeling thirsty. When they consume beer and other alcoholic beverages, which have a diuretic effect, when they are already dehydrated, they are deprived of water in the body even further, making them severely dehydrated. As a result, their blood alcohol concentration surges, raising the risk of developing acute alcoholic poisoning. Normally, when people ingest alcohol, they first get tipsy, and then begin staggering when they get very drunk. But a sudden increase in blood alcohol content makes the alcohol metabolism in the liver unable to catch up, sending people into a state of dead drunkenness all at once. Furthermore, if people develop acute alcohol poisoning, they experience risky conditions such as difficulty breathing and a decreased level of consciousness, sometimes leading to death. Of the people rushed to hospitals with the symptom in Tokyo in 2019, nearly half were in their 20s, an overwhelmingly high ratio compared to other generations. So warned, "Young people tend to be unaware of what is an appropriate amount and pace when drinking."

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When people drink a large amount of alcohol in one sitting, it can lead to acute alcohol poisoning and increase the risk of injuries from falls or other accidents. According to guidelines, consuming 60 grams or more of pure alcohol in one session is termed "one-time heavy drinking," which should be avoided. This amount is equivalent to about three 500-millilitre cans of beer (5% alcohol) or just over two 500-millilitre cans of a highball or "chuhai" cocktails (7% alcohol).

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I wouldn't call three cans of beer "heavy drinking." I'd call that a pleasant afternoon.

I've not had any alcohol for about two weeks. I completely lose the desire to drink alcohol when it gets very hot.

I don't think of three cans of beer as heavy drinking either. I have not drank in about 6 months. I noticed all these no alcohol drinks spreading so the culture is changing. Interestingly my father in law hated alcohol, my wife is a depressed drunk so hates alcohol and my mother in law doesn't drink either I always though that was unusual in Japan maybe that had something to do with how we got married and it lasted? Parent-in-law siblings would break out the shochu (kyushu) so it is otherwise in the family. I do like shochu but only sometimes (sake and wine too but I hate beer).

Both my parents were alcoholics and I've always been afraid I would get addicted to it. I drank in the Navy to fit in , but quit in 1973 , along with quitting smoking. With the price of things now days , I'm glad I quit. I rarely see anyone smoking now days , seems vaping has taken over.