Cold beer, wine, and iced cocktails can quickly cause dehydration and heat-related illness. This warning comes from Alexander Polikarpov, a psychotherapist, psychiatrist-narcologist, and the head doctor of the AlkoSpas clinic.
One of the main risks of alcohol in the summer is dehydration. The danger rises in hot weather: more sweating, the body overheating, and organs working under greater strain. When alcohol is added, the body’s stress level climbs even higher, Polikarpov notes.
The doctor explains that alcohol elevates thirst, burdens the cardiovascular system, and disrupts the water-salt balance inside the body.
Alcohol acts as a diuretic, causing the kidneys to work harder. This leads to rapid fluid loss from cells and drains both vitamins and minerals with the fluid lost in urine or sweat.
Polikarpov warns that the risk of heat stroke increases because of this diuretic effect of alcohol.
Staying in the sun for extended periods without adequate water can trigger sunburn, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. In such circumstances, brain function can be impaired, with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, convulsions, severe headache, and weakness. Drinking alcohol can worsen these signs and dramatically raise the risk of heat illness.
The doctor adds that intoxicated individuals often misjudge their own health, which raises the odds of dehydration and heat-related danger, potentially leading them to spend more time in the sun than is safe.
Best hydration choices are water or unsweetened cold tea. Sweet drinks do not quench thirst and may even increase it, making them largely ineffective for rehydration in hot conditions.
Former medical guidance emphasizes practical steps to quit smoking, but the focus here remains on hydration and safe behavior in hot weather rather than tobacco cessation strategies.