Understanding the effects of alcohol on your body

From our livers to our brains, our mental health and everything in between - discover more about the short- and long-term health impacts of drinking alcohol to help us make informed choices and get healthier.

On this page:

Understanding alcohol and your body

Alcohol affects the body in many different ways, and its impact can vary from person to person. Find our more through our informative hubs and guides.

The effects of alcohol on your body

Watch our video explainer on how alcohol effects our body and how making even small reductions to our drinking can lower our health risks.

Alcohol and your body

Drinking alcohol can affect your body in all sorts of different ways; explore some of the most common effects on our body map.

Understanding alcohol intolerance

Millions of people around the world experience warm red skin after drinking even a small amount of alcohol, including thousands of the UK’s East Asian population.

How alcohol affects the brain

When we think about alcohol’s effect on the body, the words intoxication, alcohol dependence and withdrawal are often in the mix – but what does it all really mean when we look closer?

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Neurodiversity and alcohol

There’s been a huge amount of debate and discussion in recent years about neurodiversity.

Alcohol and neurodiversity– Q&A with Neurodiversity UK

January 2026 | 18 minutes

We are here to cover some common questions about alcohol and neurodiversity.

Taking a break from alcohol

Many people notice changes in their bodies when they take a break from drinking. This page explores what can happen after one week, two weeks, three weeks and a month alcohol‑free.

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What happens to your body when you take a break from alcohol?

Taking a break from alcohol or stopping drinking altogether brings lots of amazing benefits for our body, mind, and overall wellbeing.

Your stories of alcohol and your body

"I have so much more energy, I sleep like a baby, my skin, eyes, hair are so much better. My hormonal symptoms have dramatically reduced."

Lynn's story*

Our bodies respond to alcohol in different ways. These stories share first‑hand experiences of the physical changes people noticed when they cut back, took a break, or stopped drinking.

George's story: “Since going alcohol-free my fitness levels have transformed”

February 2025 | 10 minutes

Read George's story on how giving up drinking transformed his physical fitness.

Lynn's story*: “My anxiety is much reduced, I feel healthy, and I sleep well”

May 2025 | 11 minutes

Read Lynn's story on how doing a month alcohol-free helped her sleep better and feel better.

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Beckie's story: “I cannot begin to describe the difference to my life”

January 2025 | 11 minutes

Read Beckie's story on how doing the Dry January® challenge helped her feel better physically and lose weight.

Alcohol and other health conditions

Alcohol can affect vital organs such as the heart, liver and brain. These resources explain what’s known about alcohol’s impact on different body systems, using clear and evidence‑based information.

Alcohol and cancer

Drinking alcohol is a risk factor contributing to seven types of cancer.

Alcohol and diabetes

If you have diabetes, moderating your alcohol intake is an important element of diabetes management.

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Alcohol and the heart

Cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest causes of death and ill-health in the UK.

Alcohol and the liver

The liver is a robust organ that can usually process small amounts of alcohol, but heavy drinking can cause damage.

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Alcohol and the brain

There are various ways alcohol can affect the health of your brain.

Alcohol-related brain damage

This page pulls together all our factsheets and publications on alcohol-related brain damage.

Alcohol and fitness

Alcohol can influence physical performance, recovery and energy levels. These pages explore how alcohol can affect our fitness, movement and nutrition.