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Damaged DNA can cause a cell to grow out of control, which results in cancerous tumors. Heavy drinking, including binge drinking, is a high-risk activity. The evidence for moderate alcohol use in healthy adults is still being studied.
But more recent research suggests there’s really no “safe” amount of alcohol since even moderate drinking can negatively impact brain health. Many people assume the occasional beer or glass of wine at mealtimes or special occasions doesn’t pose much cause for concern. But drinking any amount of alcohol can potentially lead to unwanted health consequences.
What is considered 1 drink?
Fatal alcohol-related injuries tend to occur in relatively younger age groups. Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries. The harmful use of alcohol causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences.
Your central nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, and neurons that communicate messages throughout your body. It powers key functions and processes like movement, memory, speech, thought processes, and more. A comprehensive 2015 review found that alcohol use is one of the leading contributors to pancreatitis because it causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances.
Alcohol use disorder
To keep it all going smoothly, you need them in the right balance. For example, some studies suggest that moderate alcohol drinking can affect fertility for some women. Research also shows that heavy drinking by men may lower testosterone levels and affect the making of sperm. In the second-largest category, mental and behavioral issues, alcohol dependence syndrome was attributed as the cause of the vast majority of deaths.
Doctors advise not drinking again within 48 hours of a heavy drinking session, to allow the body to recover. Many of the symptoms are caused by dehydration, but some chemicals in alcoholic drinks can cause a reaction in the blood vessels and the brain that make symptoms worse. Whether you’re a light, moderate, or heavy drinker, alcohol can reduce bone mass. Alcohol use can damage the hippocampus, the part of your brain responsible for memory and learning. Some studies have found that even light or moderate drinking can lead to some deterioration of the hippocampus. We can all experience temporary and long-term effects of alcohol, depending on our consumption.
What Does Alcohol Do to Your Body? 9 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health
While the liver is one of the best-known organs affected by heavy or prolonged drinking, alcohol can also cause permanent damage to the heart, pancreas, digestive system, and nervous system. Alcohol can impact various parts of the body, including the brain, heart, liver, and pancreas, as well as essential body systems like the immune and digestive systems. Alcohol use can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, cognitive decline, liver disease, mental health conditions, and more.
From the first sip, alcohol impacts the body—even if you don’t realize it. Any amount of alcohol can diminish your judgment and functioning, and even low or moderate alcohol use can have harmful effects on different organs. Some people who drink eventually develop a tolerance to alcohol.
Alcohol misuse
Don’t try to make the person vomit because they could choke on it. To prevent choking, turn them on to their side and put a cushion https://ecosoberhouse.com/ under their head. Long-term alcohol misuse can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to serious infections.
So, the alcohol builds up quite quickly,” explains addiction psychiatrist Akhil Anand, MD. In some people, the initial reaction may feel like an increase in energy. But as you continue to drink, you become drowsy and have less control over your actions. Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Surrogate and illegally produced alcohols can bring an extra health risk from toxic contaminants. Alcohol as an intoxicant affects a wide range of structures and processes in the central nervous system and increases the risk for intentional and unintentional injuries and adverse social consequences. Alcohol has considerable toxic effects on the digestive and cardiovascular systems.
