Categories

• Abused Drugs
• Academics
• Addiction Recovery
• Addiction Research
• Addiction Research & News
• Alcohol Abuse
• Alcohol Addiction
• Alcoholism
• Alcoholism Treatment
• Binge Drinking
• Children of Alcoholics
• Crime
• Depression
• Drug Addiction
• Drunk Driving
• Eating Disorder
• Marketing Alcohol
• Mental Health
• News
• Other Drugs
• Other Types of Addiction
• Parties
• Prescription Drugs
• Prevention
• Research
• Resources
• Smoking
• Social Networking
• Stimulants
• Stress
• Teens
• Underage Drinking
• Women & Alcohol
• Young Adults

College Binge Drinking Tags

About Us

• About Us

Long-Term Bone Damage in Teens Who Binge Drink

Teens who binge drink often struggle to understand the possible risks of drinking. For instance, an alcohol-related accident seems so far removed from them that they get in a car without concern. Developing an addiction or suffering a serious injury seems impossible to teens that choose to drink, and they believe that their drinking is completely within their control.

A new study says there may be consequences far down the road, consequences that even the most level-headed teens may have a hard time visualizing. Osteoporosis may be a risk associated with binge drinking during the teen years, according to researchers at Loyola University Health System in Chicago.

The study, published in the July-August issue of the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism, identified long-lasting disruptions in genes involved in bone formation in rats. The bone-related disruptions are linked to lifestyle-related damage occurring during young adulthood. The damage may last decades, according to study author John Callaci.

Though animal research models do not directly generalize to people, the results often suggest areas of concern for humans that should be explored further.

Throughout adulthood, bone mass deteriorates as a part of the normal aging process. The risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures increases when bone mass growth is inhibited during adolescence and young adulthood, the prime years for building up bone mass.

The researchers intoxicated the rats by injecting alcohol to result in a blood alcohol level of 0.28. A control group was injected with saline solution. The rats were given the alcohol both at an acute binge rate (three consecutive days) and at a chronic binge rate (three consecutive days for four weeks).

Binge drinking among teenagers usually begins around age 13 and peaks between 18 and 22 before it gradually decreases. Teens who binge drink typically consume four or five drinks on one occasion, while heavy binge drinking is defined as 10 to 15 drinks.

According to data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about a third of youths aged 18 to 20 participated in at least one binge-drinking episode in the last month.

Callaci explains that the findings indicate the importance of teens opting to drink moderately or not drinking at all.

While this information is important for understanding the factors involving bone loss that leads to osteoporosis, strategic education will be required to help teenagers understand the risks they are taking by binge drinking.