Every adult and child knows that alcohol is harmful not only to physical but also to mental health. Death is not uncommon for drunken alcoholics who did not want to be treated or simply did not have time to contact specialists. Even in cases where we are not talking about alcoholism, alcoholic beverages are directly harmful to human health. Every citizen who cares about his health, as well as the health of his family and loved ones, should know what the consequences of drinking strong drinks are for the human body and his psyche. The City Center for Medical Prevention (Ekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk region) tells in more detail about how alcohol affects the human body.
Scientists say that even small doses of alcohol can cause significant harm to the health of adults and children. In addition, there are now results of clinical studies that confirm the harmful effects of alcohol on the organs and systems of the human body. It is no secret that people are not always inclined to believe the abstract assurances of doctors that alcohol is poison. To make sure that alcohol is not beneficial, you need to understand in detail how alcohol affects the body.
Alcohol and its effect on the brain
The destructive effect on the brain is one of the most terrible consequences of the influence of alcoholic beverages on humans. Much is known about the importance of the brain for the functioning of the human body, but some mysteries of our body have not yet been solved. Despite this, it is absolutely clear that the brain is one of the most important centers that plays a primary role in the correct and adequate functioning of the body. The brain controls breathing, heartbeat, swallowing and many other more or less important life functions.
Alcohol consumed on a regular basis causes irreversible changes in the brain that prevent the body from functioning properly. It is worth noting that the more and more often the patient drinks alcohol, the worse will be the consequences that are provoked by the use of intoxicating alcohol. The irreversible consequences that arise from constantly abusing citizens are currently a topic of research for many scientists. It is worth noting separately that the changes depend entirely on how often and intensely the alcoholic drinks.
Among the factors that influence the brain of a drinker, experts list the following:
the dose of alcohol consumed and the frequency of its consumption;
age at which the patient began drinking alcohol;
the duration of the time period when the patient intensively consumes the selected drink;
age, gender of the patient;
the patient's occupation and current profession;
the presence of alcoholism in the family among close and distant relatives;
the presence of alcoholism in the mother, which provokes congenital alcohol dependence;
the alcoholic's overall current level of health.
It is known that even a small amount of alcohol can lead to the following consequences:
clouding of consciousness;
memory gaps;
inability to control the situation.
This can happen not only to children or women, who are more susceptible to the influence of alcohol due to physiological reasons, but also to men, who have a greater resistance to alcohol. It has been proven that alcohol, consumed even in small doses, can cause disproportionately more harm to women and children than to men, who (according to statistics) drink alcohol more often and in large quantities.
The harm of alcoholic drinks for women has long been proven.
The following physiological factors cause the female body to react more strongly to alcohol:
increased sensitivity of a woman’s brain to alcohol;
faster development of heart pathologies;
rapid onset of cirrhosis or other liver diseases;
severe damage to the nervous system.
The combination of these factors makes ladies an easy target for liquor manufacturers. If we also remember that the reason for drinking alcohol for women is often also a psychological factor, then it becomes clear how dangerous alcohol is for representatives of the fair half of humanity.
Long-term alcohol abuse is dangerous because it inevitably destroys the patient’s brain cells. This leads to disturbances and abnormalities in the functioning of the brain. It is known that disturbances in the functioning of the brain arise both as a consequence of the direct use of alcohol, and as a result of the consequences that alcohol provokes. Additional factors that affect brain function include:
the occurrence of serious liver diseases;
decreased body resistance;
a decline in general health as a result of drunkenness.
It is difficult to find an organ or system of the human body on which alcohol would not have a destructive effect, and the fact that the brain is one of the first to suffer from alcohol leaves no doubt.
Thiamine deficiency in patients with alcohol dependence
Thiamine is a substance necessary for the adequate functioning of the body. It is more popularly known as vitamin B1. B vitamins are extremely important for the human body, and their deficiency can often cause a variety of pathological conditions. The brain is one of those organs for which an adequate supply of vitamin B1 is critical.
As a rule, in alcoholics, a deficiency of this vitamin occurs when there is poor nutrition, as well as metabolic disorders in the body caused by alcohol abuse.
Wernicke's syndrome is one of those diseases that often occurs as a result of a deficiency of thiamine B1.
After the onset of Wernicke encephalopathy, patients develop Korsakoff's psychosis in 80-90% of cases. At this stage, serious memory lapses begin to occur, and difficulties arise in remembering new data. Patients suffering from Korsakov's psychosis differ due to the following symptoms:
excessive irritability;
constant stay in a depressed state;
hot temper;
difficulty walking;
impaired coordination of movements.
Patients suffering from Wernicke-Korsakoff disease are usually forgetful, easily irritated, and often cannot leave the room on their own. In addition, alcoholics with Wernicke-Korsakoff often cannot correctly reproduce information that was told to them before the onset of their illness. There are cases when patients forgot what happened to them ten minutes ago. It also often happens that an alcoholic reproduces information in fragments or voices distorted and incorrect data.
Liver diseases
The liver is another one of those organs that suffers primarily from alcoholism. Many people know that the liver, kidneys, heart and brain, as a rule, are the first to feel the harmful effects of alcohol and this is true. Serious liver diseases are exactly what alcoholism leads to. In addition, excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver damage. It is no secret that the liver is the organ that is forced to fight the entry of alcohol into the human body. The point is that it is the liver that is forced to produce substances that are directly involved in the metabolism of alcohol.
The liver, as an organ that is forced to break down alcohol, was not originally designed for this. As a result, it turns out that the liver gradually “wears out”, exhausts its resource, which results in its gradual fatty degeneration. The destroyed areas of this organ are filled not with new hepatocytes, but with fragments of adipose tissue. As a result, the working surface of the liver is significantly reduced. Hepatic encephalopathy is dangerous, but the fact that it can provoke additional disorders of the brain makes this disease even more dangerous.
The essence of the effect of a diseased liver on the brain is that affected hepatocytes begin to secrete harmful substances in large quantities, which can have a detrimental effect on brain cells. When released substances enter the brain through the bloodstream, this is exactly what happens: under the influence of substances from the liver, brain cells die. The consequence is that alcohol not only causes direct harm to the brain, but also has an indirect destructive effect on it due to the diseased liver.
Hepatic encephalopathy has the following symptoms:
sleep disturbances in the patient;
mood swings in an alcoholic;
deterioration of character (appearance of irritability, moodiness, etc.);
manifestation of anxiety and depression;
disorder of the patient's cognitive function;
deterioration of concentration;
inability to coordinate one's own movements.
It is also worth knowing that a damaged liver can cause death for an alcoholic. We are talking about the so-called hepatic coma, which, as a rule, becomes the cause of death for the patient.
It already occurs in the oral cavity. Then the alcohol begins to be absorbed by the stomach at maximum speed. The first blow is taken by the digestive system. There is a decrease in the defensive function of the digestive organs, because the mucous membrane is destroyed by alcohol. With prolonged consumption of alcoholic beverages, the development of gastritis, esophagitis, and peptic ulcers is observed. The worst thing is the possibility of cancer.
The effect of alcohol on the body also manifests itself in damage to the pancreas. Digestive enzymes are not produced in the required volume, which contributes to poor breakdown of food. Inactive enzymes are found in the pancreas. Intake contributes to their activation, and as a result, the development of pancreatitis. In addition, it produces insulin. Chronic pancreatitis kills insulin cells, so a person develops diabetes. Acute pancreatitis can be fatal.
The effect of alcohol on the body is characterized by the gradual destruction of the liver. It is in this vital organ that the oxidation of alcohol occurs, the product of which is acetaldehyde. This substance is toxic. When it oxidizes, acetic acid is formed, which breaks down into carbon dioxide and water. Acetaldehyde destroys liver cells, which is indicated by a decrease in enzymes.
Chronic alcohol consumption contributes to the development of hepatitis, hepatosis and cirrhosis. Low-quality alcohol can cause acute hepatitis or jaundice. In this case, it is necessary to hospitalize the patient.
Once in the blood, alcohol destroys red blood cells. Hemoglobin loses its properties as a “carrier” of oxygen because cell membranes open. Thus, alcohol enters all organs and cells of the body.
The enhanced effect of alcohol on the human brain occurs due to good blood supply to this organ. This contributes to the accumulation of ethanol, the removal of which requires a long time. Neurons are destroyed like liver cells.
The effect of alcohol on the body can also be seen in the cardiovascular system. The first signs of cardiac dysfunction are shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and heart failure. When taking an ECG, the doctor can position the enlargement of the organ. The heart enlarges due to the expansion of the cavities, so it cannot function properly.
The effect of alcohol on the body also affects spermatogenesis in men. When excreted from the body, concentrated ethanol in a toxic form is found in the tissues of the testicles. This contributes to decreased sperm production, increases the number of deformed forms, and reduces speed. Testosterone is produced in smaller quantities. Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages contributes to the development of infertility and impotence.
Women have a limited supply of eggs. It is impossible to determine the onset of menopause. Eggs are destroyed by ethanol, which speeds up the “withering” of the female body. In addition, it contributes to the development of infertility.
The threshold for alcoholism is defined as daily consumption of 20-40 grams of ethanol. It is not necessary to drink every day; it is enough to add up what you drink over the entire period and calculate the average to determine your proximity to the alcohol threshold.
The effect of alcohol on a person is not only negative. For example, drinking good red wine in small quantities helps strengthen the immune system and cardiovascular system. Consumption of mulled wine will serve as a good prevention against colds and infections.
Scientists have been studying alcohol and its effects on human health for a long time.
Ethanol, the main component of alcohol, slowly but surely destroys health. Not only chronic alcoholics, but also those who regularly drink strong drinks in moderation become victims of alcohol.
Alcohol is a killer
In Russia, alcohol is a direct or indirect cause of almost half a million deaths a year: from poisoning, accidents, domestic violence and chronic diseases caused by regular consumption of alcoholic beverages.
About 30% of deaths among men and 15% among women are caused by alcohol consumption.
1/3 of all suicides are committed under the influence of alcohol.
50% of road accidents involve drivers who are intoxicated.
The life of people who drink is shortened by 10-15 years.
Alcohol: safe consumption
Scientists have long developed a formula for the safe use of ethanol. If these standards are observed, alcohol does not cause harm to health.
- You can drink alcoholic beverages no more than 3 days a week.
- The maximum daily dose of ethanol for men is 20 g. This corresponds to 30 ml of vodka, 100 ml of wine, 300 ml of beer.
- A single dose of ethanol for women should not exceed 10 g: 15 ml of vodka, 50 ml of wine, 150 ml of beer.
Exceeding the established doses causes obvious damage to the body - it is not able to neutralize the effects of alcohol on its systems and organs.
When consumed correctly, high-quality alcohol can be beneficial.
- Red wine (natural) strengthens the immune system and blood vessels, removes toxins and toxic substances from the body.
- Natural white wine and champagne have a positive effect on the cardiac system.
- Mulled wine strengthens the body in the fight against colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
- Beer slows down the aging process, reduces the risk of heart disease, and helps prevent cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
- Vodka reduces cholesterol levels in the blood.
Alcohol: what is the danger?
Only 5% of alcohol is eliminated from the body directly: through sweating and urination. The remaining 95% of ethanol enters the digestive tract, circulatory system, nerve cells and brain, liver and kidneys. Inside the body, ethanol is oxidized and processed. The oxidation process destroys the body's own cells and tissues. They become damaged: they become covered with ulcers, scars, burns, and die. This is clearly seen when studying the internal organs of a chronic alcoholic.
There is also a deadly dose of alcohol - this is 1 - 1 ¼ liters of alcohol for an adult.
How does alcohol harm human health?
Digestive tract
Initially, alcohol enters the esophagus and stomach. Ethanol damages and destroys the internal mucous membranes of these organs, causing them to burn and become necrosis. At the same time, the death of the glands that produce digestive enzymes begins: gastric juice, bile, insulin. As a result, the stomach stops working effectively: food remains inside for a long time, nutrients are not retained in the body.
What digestive diseases are caused by alcohol consumption?
Indigestion (stomach and abdominal pain)
Pancreatitis
Inflammation of the pancreas when it begins to “digest” itself. Toxins released by the pancreas enter the circulatory system, brain, liver and kidneys - this causes dangerous intoxication of the body. Treatment of pancreatitis is carried out only inpatiently.
Gastritis
Inflammatory process and death of the inner lining of the stomach. Gastritis is a precancerous condition and requires annual hospital treatment.
Stomach and duodenal ulcers
The disease in its acute form can only be treated inpatiently.
Cancer of the stomach, esophagus, oral cavity
Malignant tumor of the mucous membranes of the stomach is the most common cancer, which annually claims about 800 thousand lives worldwide.
In 80% of fatal cases, cancer of the oral cavity and esophagus is caused by alcohol abuse.
Endocrine glands
Diabetes
A chronic disease in which blood glucose levels are constantly elevated. Diabetes mellitus affects all systems of the body and can lead to blindness, coma, purulent lesions of the lower extremities and other complications.
Alcohol impotence
1/3 of men who drink experience impotence, which leads to neuroses and depression.
In women who drink, menstruation stops early and infertility occurs.
Muscles and skin
A third of people who drink develop various skin diseases - this is due to intoxication of the body and digestive disorders.
Alcohol causes atony (dystrophy) of muscle tissue.
Heart and blood vessels
From the stomach, ethanol enters the blood and affects the circulatory organs. Alcohol destroys red blood cells - red blood cells. As a result, the oxygen supply to all organs and tissues of the body is disrupted. Oxygen starvation leads to the following diseases.
Cardiac ischemia
Damage to the myocardium (this is the middle muscular layer of the heart, which makes up its bulk) caused by a lack of oxygen. Manifests itself in the form of angina attacks or in the form of myocardial infarction.
Atherosclerosis
Deposits and plaques appear in the arteries, the walls of the vessels harden, and blood circulation is impaired. Atherosclerosis leads to the occurrence of ischemic heart disease.
Arrhythmias
Disruption of the normal rhythm of heart contractions. An attack of arrhythmia leads the patient to a state of complete helplessness. With an abnormal acceleration of the heartbeat, rupture of the heart muscle may follow - this occurs within 2 minutes. The patient can only be saved if he is already in the intensive care unit.
"Bull's Heart"
A common occurrence among young beer drinkers. Excessive consumption of beer leads to an increase in the volume of the heart and an increase in its frequency and contractions. "Bull's heart" leads to the appearance of chronic hypertension and various arrhythmias.
Brain and nerve cells
The effect of ethanol on the nervous system is obvious. In a state of alcoholic intoxication, a person does not look like himself, his behavior completely changes. Most violent crimes and domestic homicides are committed after drinking alcoholic beverages.
The brain suffers most from ethanol - this toxic substance “kills” the cerebral cortex.
In a photograph of the brain of a person suffering from alcoholism, we see the following:
- the brain is wrinkled and shrinks in size;
- the surface of the brain is covered with swelling, scars, ulcers;
- dead areas of the brain are covered with cysts;
- brain vessels are clearly dilated, many are ruptured.
How does alcohol affect the nervous system?
- memory and attention are impaired;
- thought processes weaken;
- unmotivated aggression appears;
- personality degradation occurs.
Excretory organs
Liver
Alcohol places a huge burden on the liver. This organ protects the body from toxins, “neutralizing” them into substances that are safe for the body. Inside the liver, ethanol is oxidized to acetaldehyde, a highly toxic compound.
Under the influence of alcohol, the liver decreases in size and its internal vessels narrow. Liver cells - hepatocytes - die and are replaced by scar tissue, which cannot protect the body from toxic effects. Systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages over a period of 10-15 years causes the appearance of liver cirrhosis. Liver cirrhosis annually claims about 300 thousand lives worldwide.
Kidneys
The kidneys filter all fluids that enter the body, including alcohol. Small doses of alcohol act on the body as a diuretic, as they irritate the kidney tissue. Long-term exposure to alcohol on the kidneys leads to chronic diseases.
Nephritis
Inflammatory kidney disease. Treatment of the disease occurs in a hospital, complete recovery takes 2-3 months.
Stones in the kidneys
The immune system
Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages has a detrimental effect on the immune system. At the same time, all organs and systems are weakened under the influence of ethanol. In this condition, any serious illness poses a serious threat to health. It is difficult for the body to cope even with the flu or a cold. If a person who abuses alcohol gets sick from pneumonia, tuberculosis or another serious illness, death is quite possible.
Against the background of a weakened immune system, the body is susceptible to frequent colds and allergic manifestations.
Regular consumption of alcohol causes disruption of the functioning of all organs and systems of the body.
Ethanol is present in low proportions in human blood and is a natural metabolite. To understand how alcohol affects the human body, it is necessary to imagine the process of its processing. When ethanol enters the body with food, it is oxidized into acetaldehyde, which is 30 times more toxic than alcohols. The breakdown processes take place in the liver. An excess of ethanol inevitably entails the accumulation of acetaldehyde, which in this case does not have time to be converted into acetate. Intoxication occurs, poisoning of the body, which leads to a sharp deterioration in health, loss of consciousness, and there is a possibility of death.
What organs does alcohol affect?
Now we will try to more carefully study how alcohol affects the body, which organs it affects. Ethanol is quickly absorbed into the blood and distributed to all nodes. The maximum effect of alcohols occurs 50 – 70 minutes after ingestion. During this time, ethanol is absorbed into the blood through the small intestine and gastric mucosa. The central nervous system is damaged, the membrane of which is destroyed.
10% alcohol is excreted through the kidneys and lungs, through breathing. This is the reason why it is easy to determine the degree of intoxication using a breathalyzer. The remaining 90% is processed by the liver.
According to research, alcohol is the most harmful drug in the world. British pharmacologist and psychotherapist David Nutt puts the dangers of alcohol on a par with heroin. According to his own research, cocaine is twice as effective, LSD is ten times worse.
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In some cases, alcohol causes the blood vessels in the esophagus to dilate. Veins become deformed and lose their effectiveness, and the walls become thinner. There is a high risk of internal hemorrhage. Hemorrhagic shock and acute blood loss occurs. Medical attention is urgently needed and there is a high risk of death.
Ethanol actively destroys the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. First of all, the microflora suffers, which to a certain extent forms the immune system. The intestinal mucosa is covered with numerous erosions and dying tissues. Subsequently, ulcers and malignant tumors appear.
Ethanol that gets into the heart literally corrodes the muscle structure, destroying cells. Microscars form on the tissues, and elasticity is significantly reduced. The heart does not have time to push blood. The liver does not have time to process glucose. Monosaccharides remain in the body and are converted into fatty tissues that cover the heart and other organs.
The liver takes on the main dose of ethanol. Healthy cells and hepatocytes die. Replacement occurs with fatty and connective tissues, which leads to hepatosis. The disease is characterized by a serious metabolic disorder in the liver. This is the initial stage of cirrhosis. The latter is one of the six leading causes of death for people aged 30 to 60 years. In some cases, cirrhosis leads to cancer.
Ethanol stimulates the active release of enzymes in the stomach. As a result, the walls begin to digest themselves. The decomposition of internal tissues and food begins. The acid-base balance is disrupted. Gastritis occurs, followed by ulcers and cancer.
Alcohol, once in the pancreas, causes spasm of the ducts. There is an accumulation of enzymes that begin to digest the organ tissue from the inside. The gland swells greatly, which characterizes the onset of inflammatory processes. Tissue death begins, followed by decomposition. The result is pancreatitis, which is a fatal disease.
Which organs are affected most by alcohol? – this issue does not cause controversy in medical circles. The effects of ethanol on the brain are irreparable when other damage can be restored to varying degrees. But, it is impossible to completely or even half rid the body of the consequences.
How alcohol affects the brain
The human nervous system consists mainly of receptors and microcapillaries. When ethanol enters the blood, red blood cells stick together, forming blood clots. Clots block the thinnest blood capillaries. The vessels burst, forming numerous microhemorrhages. Tens of thousands of brain cells are irreversibly destroyed. In the morning, a person feels a characteristic headache.
Disturbance in the functioning of the blood vessels of the brain leads to its oxygen starvation. Drowsiness occurs and mental activity decreases. Since alcohol affects the brain and microcapillaries, the risk of stroke increases. Internal hemorrhage often leads to complete or partial paralysis, often to death.
Dead cells are excreted in urine and sweat. Redness of the eyeballs and swollen blood vessels are observed. The stronger the pain, the more damage is done to the lining of the brain. The effect of alcohol on the central nervous system causes severe dependence - a neurotransmitter metabolic disorder in the brain. The disorder is accompanied by satisfaction deficit syndrome. As a result, a person feels a constant or regular need for alcoholic beverages.
How does alcohol affect the blood?
Ethanol promotes the adhesion of red blood cells and blood cells. As a result, blood clots form. Blood clots, similar to flakes, instantly spread throughout the body. Many vessels and capillaries remain clogged, which reduces the nutrition of certain organs. Severe dehydration occurs. Adhesives cannot function as an oxygen carrier.
Clogged capillaries located in the nasal cavity do not provide the tissue with the required amount of nutrients. Tissues that die as a result of starvation turn blue and become covered with a characteristic purple color. As a result, drinkers' noses turn blue, their faces swell, and their skin loses its elasticity.
As alcohol affects the blood and brain, causing addiction, the need for treatment arises. A timely visit to a drug treatment clinic in most cases helps to exclude cancer and other forms of pathogenesis. In the most advanced cases, complete cleansing of the blood from toxins and blood clots is necessary.
How difficult is it to get rid of alcoholism?
Complex psychoneurological disorders may require complex treatment for drug addiction. Most clients have difficulty with how to persuade a loved one to seek help. This is due to the peculiarities of the human defense mechanism. A careful approach is required so as not to run into complete denial or aggression. There is no need to apply pressure. Unfortunately, you can only persuade a loved one if he himself wants to fight the disease. Ultimate demands more often lead to the breakdown of families than to a positive result.
First of all, you should put yourself in the place of a person in trouble. In most cases, the patient is aware of the harm that alcohol has on the body and on the social level. It makes sense to explain how alcohol affects the human brain and body. The patient should be made to understand how significant his importance is in society and in the family, and how strong drinks destroy that very importance. It is important that a person at least partially assess his situation with an outside sober look.
The next step is to prove to the patient that there are effective methods to overcome alcoholism. Bring to the attention of the severity of the physical and psychological condition of a person suffering from alcohol addiction. That the help of specialists will not be a waste of time and effort.
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Content
Drinking alcohol-containing drinks in large doses has a negative impact on health; as a rule, the pathophysiological effect of alcohol on the human body is due to its strength and numerous harmful impurities. Alcoholism develops with regular drinking of alcoholic beverages. This mental illness greatly impairs health, and a person’s ability to work and moral values decrease.
What is alcohol
The modern market in our country is replete with a variety of alcoholic drinks, which differ in strength, manufacturer and composition. As a rule, the effect of alcohol on the human body is always negative, because when it gets inside, it quickly spreads through the blood to all organs, often causing their destruction. Ethanol (ethyl alcohol), C2H5OH, is a toxin, when taken, the liver tries to neutralize it. This volatile transparent liquid, which has a characteristic odor and pungent taste, is easily diluted with water.
This yeast fermentation product can be produced chemically. It burns well, is easily ignited, and is used as a technical brake fluid, as a solvent or fuel. Often a disease such as alcoholism is hereditary; if both parents drank in the family and they were not given proper treatment, then their child may also become an alcoholic in the future.
How alcohol affects the human body
People who love strong drinks are often interested in the question of how alcohol affects the human body? Ethanol tends to concentrate in the brain and liver and can quickly kill cells in these organs. In addition, alcohol is a mutagen. As a rule, in an adult body, mutant cells are eliminated by the immune system, but if it fails, then people with alcoholism develop cancer of the stomach, oral cavity, liver, and esophagus. Alcohol also affects
in the following way:
- Disturbs fetal development. The brain often suffers, the child’s heart is affected, and limbs are underdeveloped.
- Activates receptors for the amino acid GABA, the main inhibitory transmitter in the nervous system. As a result, cell excitability decreases.
- High ethanol content enhances the synthesis of endorphins and dopamine. The patient experiences euphoria.
- Disturbs metabolism in the body. This factor provokes the development of a psychological syndrome.
- Toxic effect. As a rule, it is determined by an increase in pulse, lack of air, and disruption of the heart.
- Systematic consumption of strong drinks provokes fatty degeneration and inflammation of the liver. Hepatocytes are destroyed and cirrhosis occurs.
- Provokes alcoholic encephalopathy. The disease begins with mental disorders with static or monotonous visual illusions and hallucinations.
Lethal dose
The harmful effects of alcohol on human health are impossible only when a man or woman does not drink strong drinks at all. Everyone else, as a rule, experiences the harmful effects of drinking ethyl alcohol. Alcohol is good for the body only in small doses, but if you drink a little too much, there will be more harm than good. Each person has their own lethal dose of alcohol. For a 70 kg man who does not drink, this is:
- 750 ml of vodka, drunk over five hours;
- 300 ml of pure alcohol drunk over five hours.
For women it is:
- 450 ml of vodka, drunk over five hours.
If a person constantly drinks alcohol, he can die from 3 bottles of vodka or 600 ml of pure alcohol, drunk in 5 hours or less. Blood can normally contain 0.4 ppm (‰) and this is an acceptable level. When the alcohol concentration is more than 3.8 ppm, paralysis of the respiratory tract can occur, resulting in death. Death is still possible when the concentration reaches 2.2-3.2‰.
What does alcohol affect?
People are often interested in the question of what organs are affected by alcohol? Based on research, doctors say that it negatively affects the entire body, but to varying degrees. The basis of alcoholic beverages is ethanol, a compound that has a toxic effect. When it enters the body as part of vodka, beer, wine or another drink, it is quickly absorbed from the intestines. Then ethanol is distributed to all internal organs. At the same time, alcohol has a devastating effect on the heart, brain, stomach and reproductive system.
On the respiratory system
It is known that breathing is life. When alcohol affects the lungs and bronchi, the functioning of the lung tissue is disrupted, which leads to a malfunction of the entire respiratory system. The mucous membranes dry out, the body's immunity weakens, and there is a high risk of tuberculosis. The first sign of its appearance is a severe cough, which can occur on the second day after excessive drinking. In addition, the negative effects of alcohol on the respiratory system can cause the following diseases:
- emphysema;
- tracheobronchitis;
- Chronical bronchitis.
On the stomach
Alcoholic drinks have a detrimental effect on the cells of the digestive organs, destroying them, causing burns, and resulting in tissue necrosis. In this case, the pancreas atrophies, and the cells that produce insulin die. This contributes to the fact that the absorption of beneficial nutrients is disrupted, the secretion of enzymes is inhibited, and food stagnation occurs in the intestines and stomach. As a rule, the negative effects of alcohol on the stomach can cause:
- diabetes;
- chronic stage of pancreatitis;
- gastritis;
- stomach cancer;
- severe abdominal pain.
To the reproductive system
Strong drinks are considered especially dangerous for girls and women, because their dependence on alcohol occurs quickly. Girls suffering from alcoholism are susceptible to damage to the ovaries, which ultimately disrupts menstruation. Representatives of the stronger half of humanity also suffer from excessive drinking of strong drinks. The harmful effect of alcohol on the male reproductive system is expressed in a decrease in libido, the development of impotence and infertility. Drunkenness also provokes testicular atrophy, leading to the birth of an unhealthy child.
On the human cardiovascular system
Alcoholic drinks provoke the destruction of blood cells - red blood cells. This causes deformation of the red cells, and they do not transfer the required amount of oxygen from the lungs to other tissues. In addition, sugar regulation is disrupted, which causes irreversible consequences: improper brain function, diabetes, vascular problems. The effect of alcohol on the human cardiovascular system has negative consequences. The following diseases may indicate this:
- high blood pressure;
- atherosclerosis;
- arrhythmia;
- ischemic heart disease.
How does alcohol affect the brain?
The central nervous system and brain are most often affected by ethyl alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in such organs after consumption becomes higher than in the entire body. Alcohol is toxic to brain tissue, so intoxication can often occur after drinking strong drinks. Alcohol can cause destruction, numbness and death of the cerebral cortex. Negative effects of how alcohol affects the brain:
- endocrine functions are disrupted;
- brain centers that regulate vascular tone are affected;
- the reaction of vegetative origin changes;
- problems arise with the psyche, memory, and mental development.
Effect on skin and muscle condition
Chronic consumption of strong drinks often provokes weakening and wasting of muscles. In addition, 50% of alcoholics develop skin diseases, because the immune system only works halfway and cannot cope with various viruses. The liver also does not cleanse the body to its full potential, so ulcers, boils, allergic rashes and pimples begin to appear on the surface of the skin. Alcohol's effect on the skin and muscle condition is manifested in the following:
- dehydration occurs;
- testosterone decreases;
- estrogen increases;
- muscle mass decreases;
- muscles weaken, atrophy, lose tone;
- protein synthesis decreases;
- there is a deficiency of minerals (phosphorus, calcium, zinc) and vitamins (A, B and C);
- there is an uncontrolled replenishment of calories in the body.
Positive effects of alcohol on the human body
Few people believe that the effect of ethyl alcohol on the human body can be positive. Indeed, in small dosages, ethanol is beneficial for humans. For example, red wine contains trace elements and antioxidants that the body needs. In this case, you should drink no more than three glasses a week. In addition, red wine removes waste and toxins, normalizes metabolism, and is an excellent preventative against atherosclerosis. Based on the drink, we can highlight the positive effects:
- champagne can be taken in small doses for a weak heart;
- mulled wine supports the body during bronchitis, colds, pneumonia, and flu;
- vodka can lower cholesterol;
- beer slows down the aging process and reduces the risk of heart disease.
But what dose of alcohol is good for a person? Doctors recommend that men drink no more than 20 g of pure alcohol, and women - 10 g. As a rule, this amount is contained in 100 grams of wine, 30 grams of vodka and 300 ml of beer. Taking one spoon of alcohol twice a week can act as a mobilizer for the body, i.e., a hormesis effect occurs. This method helps a person to shake himself up quickly. It is strictly forbidden to give strong drinks to a child. If alcohol accidentally enters the child’s body, urgent rinsing should be done and a doctor should be called.
Video: The effects of alcohol
Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.
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How alcohol affects the human body - toxic effects on organs and systems