What are the long-term effects of alcohol?

Alcohol consumed in moderation (no more than 1 drink per day for women or 2 drinks per day for men) has a low risk of long term effects. However, drinking in excess of these limits can be detrimental to your health. Long term excessive drinking can affect your heart and liver. One of the devastating effects of long term excessive alcohol consumption is alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a kind of heart failure caused by alcohol damaging the heart. Another serious consequence of excessive drinking is alcoholic cirrhosis, liver failure due to alcohol damaging the liver. While no amount of alcohol consumption is 100% safe, drinking in moderation can help avoid long term health effects. If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, you should not consume alcohol at all.