Alcohol is among the most abused drugs in the world. Many people consume alcohol regularly. But, excessive alcohol consumption, even if it’s once in a while, can affect the human body negatively in many ways. That’s why people have always been advised to drink moderately. But, what is moderate drinking?
Moderate drinking can be described as having not more than 2 drinks per day for men and not more than 1 drink per day for women. It’s important to note that drinking up to 7 drinks in a single day and abstaining from alcohol all other days of the week can have worse effects on your health despite averaging to the same consumption level.
Binge drinking or consuming more than the recommended amount of alcohol can lead to alcoholism. You’ve probably come across people that started with a few drinks per day and are now struggling with how to quit drinking (Addiction Resource provides tips). That’s because alcohol is addictive and once a person becomes alcohol-dependent, quitting might require professional assistance. What’s more, the more alcohol an individual consumes, the more the effects it has on their body. Here are some of the non-obvious ways alcohol affects the human body.
1. Reducing the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease
Alcohol consumption in low doses can reduce the risk of blood pressure and coronary heart disease. However, the effects of excessive alcohol consumption can be the opposite. Research has shown that moderate consumption of alcohol, regardless of the type of beverages consumed, can reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease among older women and men. That’s because ethanol, which is the main ingredient of alcoholic beverages, can be related to the low risk of coronary heart disease through changes in hemostatic factors and lipids.
Alcohol helps in clearing fat from the blood-transporting arteries. It also reduces the tendency of blood to clot. These effects of alcohol lower the chances of developing heart disease and having a heart attack. When arteries are inflamed, blood flow is blocked. This is problematic for the human heart because oxygen is not delivered properly. Moderate alcohol consumption ensures that blood flows smoothly thereby lowering the chances of developing heart disease.
Additionally, red wine can lower the levels of cholesterol in the body. However, only red wine has this benefit.
2. Interference with How Medications Work
Maybe you want to know how to stop drinking because your doctor has asked you to avoid alcohol when taking some medications. Alcohol is known to interfere with most medications. Even moderate alcohol consumption can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications. Drinking alcohol when under medication is potentially dangerous.
Your liver is responsible for processing alcohol. When the liver has other compounds like medications to process and then you drink, alcohol is given priority. This implies that the liver will not break down medications as quickly as it should. Consequently, you might feel the effects of medication more strongly later.
Drinking becomes a problem when the body gets accustomed to filtering out alcohol more consistently. The liver is required to work harder. And, if you stop drinking for some days, your liver will break down medication too quickly. This can have serious negative effects on your body especially for people taking medication for conditions like seizures.
3. The Diuretic Effect of Alcohol
Alcohol is diuretic. That means it makes water leave the body of the drinker more quickly. This is one of the major, immediate effects of alcohol on the human body. When a person drinks heavily, alcohol can cause dehydration. It’s the diuretic effect of alcohol that makes drinkers go to the washrooms frequently during drinking sessions.
The diuretic effect of alcohol is not harmful if it is consumed in modest amounts. However, if a person starts drinking when already dehydrated from working out or even natural heat, the effect can be more apparent. Beer has the strongest diuretic effect. However, this effect is less obvious for wine or hard alcohol.
Additionally, most drinkers tend to eat salty foods while drinking. This is another reason why alcohol is associated with dehydration. Salty foods contribute to dehydration too.
4. Brain Damage
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol interferes with the communication pathways of the human brain. It can also affect how the brain works and looks. Once alcohol reaches the human brain, it affects its ability to control body functions and behavior. The increased alcohol concentration in the bloodstream changes behaviors and body functions.
If a person does not stop drinking alcohol excessively, its effects on their brain become extensive. These effects can include simple memory slips and permanent, debilitating conditions. It’s important to note that even moderate drinking can cause short-term impairment.
5. Stomach Irritation
Alcohol molecules are very small and the stomach doesn’t have to digest them before absorption. Therefore, alcohol passes through the lining of the stomach with ease. Its absorption is particularly faster when a person drinks on an empty stomach. But, if a person eats, especially high protein food before drinking, the rate at which alcohol is absorbed is slowed down. Alcohol absorption is also enhanced by alcoholic beverages’ carbonation.
When a person consumes a small amount of alcohol, it stimulates appetite by increasing the rate at which stomach juices flow. But, the production of stomach juices in large amounts can dull appetite if more alcohol is consumed. This can lead to malnutrition.
Excessive consumption of alcohol stimulates gastric juices to flow in the stomach. When this is combined with a high amount of alcohol, it can irritate the stomach lining and cause ulcers. High amounts of gastric juices and alcohol escalate irritation of the stomach lining and this causes vomiting as a reflex action. This occurs when the body tries to relieve itself of the irritation.
The Bottom Line
Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the human body. If you or a loved one is already suffering the negative effects of alcohol on the body, it’s wise to consider quitting. Quitting alcohol can reverse some of its negative effects on the body. However, quitting might not be easy for some individuals due to the painful withdrawal symptoms. Some people with alcohol use disorders need professional treatment to quit safely.
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