Archaeologists believe that people have been drinking alcohol for millennia. This is evidenced by finds from China, which are between seven and nine thousand years old, ARD reports. Alcohol was produced from fruit, rice or wheat with the help of yeast. And it became a hit.
Alcohol replaces water if it is not drinkable
One explanation for the interest in alcohol in the past is the lack of clean drinking water. "It was constantly contaminated with bacteria", says pharmacologist Professor Gregor Fuhrmann from the "Friedrich Alexander" University in Erlangen and Nuremberg. "But if the water ferments, i.e. "When it is made into beer or wine, it becomes pure and therefore safe," he adds.
Alcohol is becoming a commodity. "Sometimes it was used as a means of payment, sometimes as a reward," says Gabriele Kohler, a professor of psychiatry at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich.
Here's how alcohol affects the body
But what makes the drink so appealing? Ethanol - its chemical name - mainly affects the action of three neurotransmitters in the brain: gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine and glutamate. They have many effects, explains Furmann. "GABA has a calming effect. Glutamate increases alertness, and dopamine makes us happy."
"But ethanol becomes a poison in our bodies," says Sally Marlowe of King's College London, who has been studying the effects of alcohol on health for years. "In the liver, alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde, which is a very toxic substance that then spreads throughout the blood," she explains. That's why the German Nutrition Society and the World Health Organization (WHO) say that "there is no safe amount or safe level of consumption".
According to a study by the WHO, over 200 diseases are linked to excessive alcohol consumption. These include diseases of the liver, circulatory and nervous systems, dementia, depression and anxiety disorders. According to the German Cancer Research Center, alcohol is also the main culprit for about 20,000 new oncological diseases every year, making it a major risk factor along with overweight and smoking.
The insidiousness of addiction
Alcohol is also highly addictive, ARD recalls. "The biggest problem with addiction is that a person does not realize it, but continues to say to themselves: "I don't really have a problem", explains psychiatrist Kohler. "I have the feeling that the more addicted people are, the less they realize that they are addicted." Excessive alcohol consumption also leads to social consequences - violence, traffic accidents, disability and the inability to work. A recent study revealed that the damage to German society from alcohol consumption is over 57 billion euros per year.
But alcohol also performs specific functions in society: "It acts as a social bond", says Professor Marlow. Studies have shown that after a few sips of vodka, people are more likely to start conversations with strangers and laugh more. Alcohol consumption has been associated with celebrations and rituals for millennia, with a sense of community and communication in general.
Philosopher Robert Pfaler from the University of Art and Design in Linz describes alcohol as a "transgressive substance" that helps us cross boundaries. We usually make sure we get enough sleep, get enough rest, etc. But in moments of celebration, we forget this and tend to be much more wasteful with our resources."
Prohibitions provoke protests and sabotage
Politicians constantly try to limit alcohol consumption, but restrictions often meet with resistance. One example is the Munich Beer Revolution, when citizens revolted in March 1844 over the rise in beer prices under King Ludwig I.
Anti-alcohol campaigns have even contributed to the downfall of political systems - such as Gorbachev's campaign in the mid-1980s, which met with mass resistance. "It's clear - people decide that their good life is at stake," says Pfaler. "It's a kind of last bastion of awareness that we are human beings, not machines or workhorses who are only here to work."
However, in most European countries, people are already drinking less: per capita consumption of pure alcohol has fallen from almost 13 liters in 1980 to 9.8 liters in 2024. Gabriele Kohler attributes this to increased awareness of the dangers of alcohol consumption.
However, researcher Marlowe still sees a great need for additional measures: "As a society, we want to enjoy the benefits of alcohol, and we blame individuals for the problems". The only effective measures against excessive alcohol consumption have long been known: "Reduce availability, increase prices". However, in many places, they are met with resistance.