Credits: Social Media
Doctor warns against drinking alcohol on the plane if you have heart and lung issues
Most travelers can’t imagine a plane journey without a drink or two. But a naturopathic doctor highlights the health risks alcohol can pose while flying.
The benefits and disadvantages of alcohol are long-debated. A survey shows a significant decrease in alcohol consumption among young adults compared to the older population in the past two decades. Still, health experts recommend against the occasional drink on a long flight especially owing to high risks.
Why you should avoid alcohol on the plane
Naturopathic doctor Janine Bowring explains in one of her TikTok videos the serious health consequences of drinking alcohol on a flight journey – as less as four hours.
She says consuming alcohol while on a plane can be “very risky”, especially if you have an underlying health condition such as a cardiovascular or lung issue.
“This is because, when you drink and then go to sleep, it lowers your oxygen levels and actually increases your heart rate,” she says while quoting the data from a paper published in Thorax titled: “Effects of moderate alcohol consumption and hypobaric hypoxia: implications for passengers sleep, oxygen saturation and heart rate on long-haul flights.”
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She suggests abstaining from alcohol on a long-haul flight, anything over four hours, in addition to avoiding the food served on the plane as it “may not be the best thing for your health.”
General alcohol and flying guidelines for pilots
The Federal Aviation Administration has a set of guidelines for pilots to abide by, including the risk of having alcohol in their system while flying. The general rules include:
- Minimum gap of eight hours between their last drink and flying hours, also known as “bottle to throttle.”
- Shouldn’t fly under the influence of alcohol or any drug that adversely affects safety.
- A “more comprehensive approach” is to wait at least 24 hours after the last use of alcohol.
- Should consider the effects of a hangover as eight hours of gap doesn’t guarantee blood alcohol concentration is below the legal limits.
The government organization encourages pilots to be mindful of their drinking habits and use good judgment as following the guidelines alone doesn’t guarantee that problems won’t occur.
Dr. Janine Bowring is a Naturopathic doctor, best known for her presence on TikTok with over 983,000 followers. She has over 25 years of experience.
She graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Science in 1994 and earned her Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine Degree from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
