Margrette Dolores R Lopez
8 – Malikhain
Alcohol
What is alcohol?
The main psychoactive ingredient in alcoholic beverages is ethanol. Generally referred to as
“alcohol,” ethanol is the substance that makes you drunk. It’s produced by yeasts that digest
sugar in certain carb-rich foods, such as grapes — used to make wine — or grains — used to
make beer.
Alcohol is one of the most popular psychoactive substances in the world. It can have powerful
effects on your mood and mental state. By reducing self-consciousness and shyness, alcohol
may encourage people to act without inhibition. At the same time, it impairs judgment and
promotes behavior people may end up regretting.
Some people drink small amounts at a time, while others tend to binge drink. Binge drinking
involves drinking large amounts at a time to get drunk.
Effects of Alcohol Consumption in the body
Impact on Your Brain:
Excessive alcohol consumption can have numerous adverse effects on your brain. Ethanol
reduces communication between brain cells — a short-term effect responsible for many of the
symptoms of being drunk. Binge drinking may even lead to a blackout, a phenomenon
characterized by memory loss, or amnesia, during a heavy drinking episode. These effects are
only temporary, but chronic alcohol abuse may cause permanent changes in your brain, often
leading to impaired brain function.
Because your brain is very sensitive to damage, chronic alcohol abuse may increase your risk of
dementia and cause brain shrinkage in middle-aged and older adults. In worst-case scenarios,
severe alcohol-induced brain damage may impair people’s ability to lead an independent life.
Conversely, drinking moderately has been linked to a reduced risk of dementia — especially in
older adults.
Your liver is a remarkable organ with hundreds of essential functions. One of its main roles is to
neutralize various toxic substances you consume. For this reason, your liver is particularly
vulnerable to damage by alcohol intake. Liver diseases caused by alcohol consumption are
collectively known as alcoholic liver diseases. The first of these to appear is fatty liver,
characterized by increased fat inside liver cells. Fatty liver gradually develops in 90% of those
who drink more than a 1/2 ounce (15 ml) of alcohol per day and is usually symptomless and
fully reversible.
In heavy drinkers, binge drinking may cause your liver to become inflamed. In worst-case
scenarios, liver cells die and get replaced with scar tissue, leading to a serious condition called
cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is irreversible and associated with many serious health problems. In
advanced cirrhosis, a liver transplant may be the only option.
Depression
Alcohol intake and depression are closely but complexly associated. While alcohol intake and
depression seem to increase the risk of one another simultaneously, alcohol abuse may be the
stronger causal factor. Many people facing anxiety and depression drink intentionally to reduce
stress and improve mood. While drinking may provide a few hours of relief, it will worsen your
overall mental health and spark a vicious cycle. In fact, because heavy drinking is a major cause
of depression in some individuals, treating the underlying alcohol abuse leads to big
improvements.
Body Weight
Obesity is a serious health concern. Alcohol is the second most calorie-rich nutrient after fat —
packing about 7 calories per gram. Beer has a similar number of calories as sugary soft drinks,
ounce for ounce, whereas red wine has twice as much (28, 29, 30). However, studies
investigating the link between alcohol and weight have provided inconsistent results. It seems
that drinking habits and preferences may play a role. For example, moderate drinking is linked
to reduced weight gain, whereas heavy drinking is linked to increased weight gain. In fact —
while drinking beer regularly may cause weight gain — wine consumption may cause weight
loss.
Heart Health
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in modern society. It is a broad category of diseases,
the most common of which are heart attacks and strokes. The relationship between alcohol and
heart disease is complex and depends on several factors. Light to moderate drinking is linked to
a reduced risk of heart disease, while heavy drinking appears to increase the risk. There are
several possible reasons for the beneficial effects of drinking moderately.
Moderate alcohol consumption may:
Raise “good” HDL cholesterol in your bloodstream.
Decrease blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.
Lower your blood concentration of fibrinogen, a substance that contributes to blood clots.
Cut the risk of diabetes, another major risk factor for heart disease.
Reduce stress and anxiety temporarily.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes affects about 8% of the world’s population. Characterized by abnormally high
blood sugar, type 2 diabetes is caused by a reduced uptake of glucose, or blood sugar, by your
cells — a phenomenon known as insulin resistance. Drinking alcohol in moderation appears to
reduce insulin resistance, fighting the main symptoms of diabetes.
As a result, drinking alcohol with meals may cut the rise in blood sugar by 16–37% more than
water. Blood sugar between meals — known as fasting blood glucose — may also decline. In
fact, your overall diabetes risk tends to drop with moderate alcohol consumption. However,
when it comes to heavy drinking and binge drinking, your risk rises
Cancer
Cancer is a serious disease caused by abnormal growth of cells. Alcohol consumption is a risk
factor for cancers of the mouth, throat, colon, breast and liver. The cells lining your mouth and
throat are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of alcohol. Even light alcohol
consumption — up to one drink per day — is linked to a 20% increased risk of mouth and throat
cancer. Your risk increases the more you consume. More than four drinks daily appear to cause
a fivefold increase in your risk of mouth and throat cancer, as well as an increase in your risk of
breast, colon and liver cancer.
May Cause Birth Defects
Alcohol abuse during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of birth defects in the US.
Binge drinking early in pregnancy is particularly risky for the developing baby. In fact, it may
have adverse effects on development, growth, intelligence and behavior — which may affect
the child for the rest of its life.
Risk of Death
It may be hard to believe, but alcohol may help you live longer. Studies suggest that light and
moderate consumption of alcohol may cut the risk of premature death — especially in Western
societies. Simultaneously, alcohol abuse is the third main cause of preventable death in the US,
as it’s a large factor in chronic diseases, accidents, traffic crashes and social problems,
Dangers of Addiction
Some people become addicted to the effects of alcohol, a condition known as alcohol
dependence or alcoholism. An estimated 12% of Americans are believed to have been
dependent on alcohol at some point in their life. Alcohol dependence is one of the main causes
of alcohol abuse and disability in the US and a strong risk factor for various diseases.
Numerous factors can predispose people to problematic drinking, such as family history, social
environment, mental health and genetics. Many different subtypes of alcohol dependence
exist, characterized by alcohol cravings, inability to abstain or loss of self-control when drinking.
As a rule of thumb, if alcohol is adversely affecting your quality of life, you may have a problem
with alcohol dependence or alcoholism.
Abuse Is Disastrous for Health
Heavy drinking is the most common form of drug abuse. Chronic alcohol abuse can have
catastrophic health effects, impacting your entire body and causing a range of health problems.
For example, it can cause liver damage — including cirrhosis — brain damage, heart failure,
diabetes, cancer and infections. If you are a heavy drinker, following a healthy diet and exercise
routine should be the least of your worries. Getting your alcohol consumption under control, or
abstaining completely, should be your first priority.
