I am 21 year old male. Play football week in week out. Maybe sometimes 3 times a week. I have been drinking from the age of 16 and have had many messy nights as the youngsters describe them. But as soon as I hit 21 years I suffer with racing heart as soon as I have 2 or more pints of lager. I am talking in the region of 120 - 150 BPM. Is this dangerous? Thank you.
Rossi

Ever think of stopping alcohol altogether? You could have some underlying heart problem that alcohol or any stimulant like that has an adverse effect on your heart. Does your heart race after exercise like that? If not, then it's no alcohol for you. Sorry.

Is alcohol is stimulant?

No. Alcohol is a depressant. Stimulants are characterized by a feeling of having more energy. Depressants give one a feeling of being slow or sleepy.

From:WikiAnswers - Is alcohol is stimulant (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_alcohol_is_stimulant)

Why does alcohol make my heart beat faster?

Several reasons, 1. it is a vasodialator-or makes the diameter of the veins larger, thus requiring more work to get the blood to move through the veins, 2. It is a poisen and it will work harder to try to move it through to an area that can eliminate it, 3, Blood thinner-as a result doesn't carry oxygen that well and has to work harder to get the oxygenated blood to the cells, 4. With prolonged drinking-over years the heart increases in size and thus has to work even harder to move the blood. You probably are also having a reaction to the alcohol which is a bit unusual, but not unheard of. Faster heart rate is usually associated with stimulants, not depressents (alcohol is the most commonly used depressent). However, upon withdrawal or sobering up-the heart will increase its beat to make up for the slowed beating while under the influence. This is what makes alcohol withdrawal fatal to long-term alcoholics. Exceptions do exist and these are based on individual body chemistry and functioning. Kind of like the hyper kid on Ritalin (it is a form of speed). This slows the child down enough for him to be able to concentrate and do his work. If you have a sluggish chemistry, then the depressent effect could trigger a stimulent response by the body so that it could maintain some form of equilibrium.

From:http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=A0LEVVSf5UBMgVkBZG4PxQt.;_ylu=X3oD