Blood and Immune System

Long-term effects of alcohol use

Chronic heavy alcohol use can cause abnormalities in the blood, leading to anaemia (low haemoglobin, the component of blood that carries oxygen around the body) and low platelets (platelets help prevent bleeding).[30] Chronic heavy alcohol use also suppresses the immune system (such as affecting the white blood cells that fight infections), making it more difficult for the body to fight off both viral and bacterial infections. People who drink heavily over a long time are more likely to suffer from infections after surgery, burns or trauma, hepatitis C infection, HIV/AIDS, meningitis, tuberculosis and pneumonia (acute inflammation of the lung, usually due to infection).[4, 37, 38]
 

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