Why Does Alcohol Thin Your Blood and Additional Risks?

Heavy drinking is connected to illnesses that lead to poor health, including heart conditions. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, or stroke. It can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, which affects the heart muscle. Even minor injuries, such as scratches, can damage blood vessels and cause bleeding. To control excessive bleeding and ensure an injury does not become life-threatening, the blood clots.

How Does Alcohol Stop Blood Cells From Sticking Together?

The effects of alcohol in the reduction of blood clotting were more pronounced in the female participants of the study than their male counterparts. In the experiment, when one serving of alcohol mixed in grain was provided, the effect on prevention of clotting was negligible. However, when the serving was increased to twice the original amount, blood-thinning effects were observed.

This healthy type of cholesterol helps protect your arteries and prevent the blood clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. While both heart disease and stroke are directly related to alcohol’s blood thinning/thickening effect, the potential negative consequences of drinking don’t stop there. If you have a medical reason to consider consuming alcohol, talk to a health provider first to get more information about the best ways to manage your condition.

An occasional drink or even moderate drinking throughout the week is okay. However, if you are physically dependent on alcohol or drink moderately, you should tell your doctor if they want to prescribe a blood thinner for a diagnosed medical condition. They stop excessive bleeding should you be hurt; they work together with your white blood cells and your red blood cells. All three components are carried through your body by liquid plasma (a clear fluid).

Alcohol can also interfere with the activity of certain enzymes involved in blood clotting, such as thrombin.

Binge drinking and heavy drinking, on the other hand, can increase the risk of excessive bleeding and hemorrhagic stroke, even when not drinking. Because alcohol acts to thin your blood, it’s never a good idea to drink too much of it while you are taking prescribed blood thinners. It’s even worse to mix alcohol, a prescribed blood thinner, and Aspirin or Advil.

In small doses, alcohol had a blood thinning effect to reduce blood clotting. However, it’s not a viable alternative to prescribed blood thinners. Blood thinners are medications that prevent blood clots from occurring. Although alcohol thins your blood, drinking instead of taking medication can be dangerous.

Unprotected sex can lead to sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV, or an unintended pregnancy. However, blood that is too thin won’t clot when it’s supposed to. People with thinner blood bruise more easily, their cuts and other wounds heal more slowly, and their platelets break down more often than other people’s and so need replaced more often. Autoimmune disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematous or rheumatoid arthritis can cause this. Platelets move through your bloodstream, throughout your entire body. About 70% travel freely while the remaining 30% stay in your spleen, where they are stored.

It also leads to blood clotting, which prevents you from bleeding out. If you take blood thinners and wish to consume alcohol, speak to your healthcare provider first. They will consider the state of your health and the medications you take. They may be able to advise you on how often and how much alcohol you can consume safely. Long-term alcohol use also can lead to an increased risk of developing arrhythmias, which are irregular heartbeats, as well as cardiomyopathy, a stretching or drooping of the heart.

CBT Rehab Approaches

The details are kept up to date to help people with addiction treatment needs get the most full and precise facts about the rehabilitation facility. Consuming alcohol leads to a lower number of blood platelets because the substance hinders the bone marrow’s ability to produce these cells. It also changes their physical makeup, making them less sticky and therefore less able to stick together and form a clot.

Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as one drink per day for women and no more does alchohol thin blood than two drinks per day for men. Our writers and reviewers are experienced professionals in medicine, addiction treatment, and healthcare. AddictionResource fact-checks all the information before publishing and uses only credible and trusted sources when citing any medical data.

• Because research suggests that alcohol may thin the blood, people need to avoid consuming any before undergoing surgery.
• When platelets are reduced, it can take longer for the blood to clot when you cut yourself or experience an injury.
• If you have a medical reason to consider consuming alcohol, talk to a health provider first to get more information about the best ways to manage your condition.
• Addiction Resource is an educational platform for sharing and disseminating information about addiction and substance abuse recovery centers.

If you drink to excess on a regular basis, you run the risk of excessive bleeding or even a bleeding stroke, even if you stop taking your blood thinners for a time. Additionally, some medications, such as Coumadin (warfarin), interacts badly with alcohol. If you didn’t know that moderate alcohol consumption tends to thin out the platelets in your blood, this information is something you need to know. While drinking in moderation can have some health benefits, it’s not easy to balance how much you drink with your overall health.

Don’t Risk The Effects Of Alcohol Abuse

By the end of this blog, you will have a better understanding of how alcohol affects blood thinning and its implications for your health. While moderate consumption might have some benefits related to blood thinning, excessive drinking can be detrimental to your health. Beyond the immediate effects on blood clotting, long-term heavy use can lead to a host of health problems, including liver disease, heart disease, certain types of cancer, and brain damage. It can also make it more difficult for the body to form a blood clot.

• Do not drink alcohol for its blood-thinning effects as an alternative to medication prescribed by a doctor.
• Unprotected sex can lead to sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV, or an unintended pregnancy.
• The key term here is “moderate,” which is generally defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

Alcohol consumption can inhibit the activity of thrombin, making it more difficult for your body to form a blood clot. Excessive drinking may lead to an alcohol dependence disorder, which may require long-term treatment for the person to maintain an initial recovery. Aspirin, typically available in tablets, in combination with alcohol can increase the risk of stomach bleeding and ulcers, especially if taken regularly or in high doses. For example, polyphenols found in red wine have been suggested to have mild anticoagulant properties, potentially contributing to blood-thinning effects. All information provided in featured rehab listings is verified by the facility officials.

And if you have an underlying health condition such as diabetes or kidney disease, ask your doctor whether it’s safe for you to drink at all. In people who drink moderately, the effect of alcohol on platelets is short-lived. Because alcohol depresses your CNS, you might not respond as quickly as you should if your start losing large amounts of blood while on a blood thinner. If you or a loved one is struggling to stop using alcohol, contact Restore Mental Health today. Our multidisciplinary team can help you with every step of the process, from medical detox to long-term help with your sobriety at home. Ark Behavioral Health offers 100% confidential substance abuse assessment and treatment placement tailored to your individual needs.

Ignoring this medical advice could cause complications during the procedure. It first reduces the number of platelets in the blood by getting in the way of blood cell production. It then makes the platelets less sticky so it’s harder for them to stick together and form clots. Alcohol Addiction Center is a free, web-based resource helping to bring education and information to the world of alcohol addiction.

There are also other blood thinners that you can try, provided that you have gained the clearance from your doctor, such as pradaxa, Xarelto, or eliquis. It’s advisable to avoid heavy and binge drinking while taking Eliquis, as it can increase the risk of bleeding. Limit alcohol consumption to no more than 14 units per week to minimize potential complications. Alcohol thins the blood by increasing the activity of clotting factors like factor VII, leading to a higher risk of blood clots. Research has found that alcohol affects the process of blood coagulation.