Is Drinking Gin Good For You? | Potential Benefits & Risks

Gin is among the most popular types of liquor. It appears in a number of cocktails, such as the gin martini and the gin and tonic. 

Although some people claim that gin benefits your health, the drink isn’t necessarily good for you.

Health Benefits Of Gin

The main ingredient in gin is juniper berries. These berries are often described as “superfoods,” meaning they offer numerous health benefits. 

Health Benefits Of Juniper Berries

Juniper berries contain flavonoids, which are compounds that can improve blood circulation and prevent heart disease.

In addition, juniper berries are rich in antioxidants. These substances have a variety of health benefits. For instance, they can:

• prevent chronic illnesses such as cancer
• promote healthy skin
• decrease joint pain associated with arthritis
• strengthen vision
• reduce the risk of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety
• increase lifespan

Juniper berries also act as a diuretic. That means they increase urine production, which prevents urinary tract infections, and decrease water retention, which prevents bloating.

Finally, juniper berries feature a significant amount of vitamin C, which can lower your risk of infection.  

Is Gin Healthy?

Many people assume that gin is just as healthy as juniper berries. However, the health benefits of juniper berries likely don’t survive the fermentation process (the process in which juniper berries become gin). In other words, gin may not provide any of the advantages listed above. 

Still, in some cases, gin may be healthier than other alcoholic beverages. 

For example, the drink has fewer histamines than beer and red wine. Histamines are chemicals that cause allergic reactions, such as runny noses, itchy eyes, and sore throats. Thus, if you’re suffering from hay fever and want an alcoholic drink, gin is less likely to intensify your symptoms. 

Also, compared to beer and wine, gin is low-calorie, low-carb, and sugar-free (unless you combine it with mixers that contain added sugar). That means it may support weight loss. It’s also less likely to disrupt blood sugar levels, making it a safer choice for people with diabetes. 

Health Risks Of Gin

Like other alcoholic beverages, gin poses a number of short-term and long-term health risks.

Short-Term Risks

Drinking gin (or any type of alcohol) impairs your judgment. With impaired judgment, you face a higher risk of injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings. You’re also more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors, such as:

• driving while drunk, which can lead to motor vehicle car crashes
• risky sexual behavior (such as unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners), which can lead to sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies
• physical fights
• suicide or homicide

In addition, if you drink a large amount of gin in a short amount of time, you may experience alcohol poisoning (also called alcohol overdose). When left untreated, this condition can be fatal. 

That’s why you should immediately seek medical help if you or someone you know experiences symptoms of alcohol poisoning. These symptoms include:

• slurred speech
• trouble walking
• slowed breathing or heart rate
• stomach pain
• vomiting
• confusion
• loss of consciousness

Long-Term Risks

People who regularly drink gin may experience long-term health problems such as:

• high blood pressure
• cardiovascular disease
• digestive issues
• liver disease
• certain cancers, including cancer of the breast, mouth, liver, and rectum
• mental health issues like depression and anxiety
• learning and memory issues
• weakened immune system, which increases your risk of various illnesses 

Frequent gin use can also lead to alcohol use disorder. This disease makes you feel unable to stop drinking alcohol. Common symptoms of alcohol use disorder include:

• frequently craving alcohol
• drinking more or for longer than intended
• withdrawing from friends and family to spend more time drinking alcohol
• avoiding activities once enjoyed to spend more time drinking alcohol 
• needing increasingly larger or more frequent drinks to feel the desired effects (also called tolerance)
• experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms (such as shakiness or insomnia) when you don’t drink alcohol (also called physical dependence)

Without professional treatment, alcohol use disorder can cause serious problems in your personal and professional life. 

If you or a loved one struggles with gin abuse or addiction, please contact an Ark Behavioral Health specialist. Our inpatient and outpatient treatment programs offer recovery-focused services such as medical detox, therapy, and support groups.