What are the Effects of Alcohol on Health?
What are the Effects of Alcohol on Health?
Alcohol is the intoxicating ingredient that is present in wine, beer, and spirits. Specifically, it is a depressant, which means that when it reaches the brain, it slows down the body’s systems. Furthermore, the short-term effects of alcohol depend on multiple factors.
In addition, it can also be difficult for the body to process, putting extra pressure on the liver, the digestive system, the cardiovascular system, and other functions.
Moreover, alcohol is a legal recreational substance for adults and one of the most commonly used drugs in the United States. Consequently, people consume alcohol to socialize, to relax, and to celebrate.
However, it can be misused among individuals of all ages, which may result in significant health, legal, and socio-economic damage.
Facts About Alcohol
- Alcohol is the number one abused drug by minors in the U.S.
- Pure alcohol is a colorless, odorless, and flammable liquid.
- Fruits and grains are the foods most commonly used foods to make alcohol.
- The liver can only oxidize about one drink per hour.
- Alcohol is known to be harmful to developing brains, from before birth to adolescence.
- Combined with other medications, whether over-the-counter (OTC) or prescribed, alcohol’s effects can be deadly.
- No amount of alcohol consumption can be considered safe during pregnancy.
Short Term Effects of Alcohol
Within minutes of consuming alcohol, it is absorbed into the bloodstream by blood vessels in the stomach lining and small intestine.
Subsequently, it then travels to the brain, where it quickly produces its effects.
The short-term effects of alcohol depend on:
- How much is consumed
- The weight, sex, and body fat percentage of the individual
- Whether or not they have eaten
- How quickly
However, drinking with a meal slows the rate of absorption, resulting in fewer side effects and less intoxication.
Signs of Intoxication
At first, the person may feel relaxed, uninhibited, or giddy. However, as they consume more alcohol, intoxication may result.
Furthermore, other signs of intoxication include:
- Drowsiness
- Clumsiness and unsteady gait
- Headache
- Distortion of senses and perception
- Loss of consciousness
- Slurred speech
- Lapses in memory
- Vomiting
How much Alcohol?
One drink is the equivalent of:
- 12 ounces of beer that is around 5 percent alcohol, depending on the type
- 5 ounces of wine that is around 12 percent alcohol
- 1.5-ounces of spirits, or a “shot,” at about 40 percent alcohol
- 8 ounces of malt liquor, at around 7 percent alcohol
In other words, these servings all contain the same amount of alcohol: 0.6 ounces.
Additionally, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. Specifically, it is expressed as the weight of ethanol in grams per 100 milliliters (ml) of blood.
Furthermore, the body absorbs alcohol relatively quickly; however, it takes longer to get the alcohol out of the body. In fact, the liver needs about 1 hour to process one drink.
Consequently, consuming several drinks in a short time causes the alcohol to build up in the body. As a result, this puts the body’s systems under pressure. Ultimately, it can lead to illness and, in severe cases, death.
Moreover, it also increases the risk of blackouts, especially on an empty stomach. During this time, for instance, a person may do things that they do not remember later.
Binge drinking is defined as drinking within 2 hours:
- First, five or more drinks for a man
- Second, four or more drinks for a woman
This is because women and men metabolize alcohol differently.
Consequently, intoxication impairs judgment and can result in inappropriate and illegal behaviors such as sexual promiscuity, disorderly conduct, driving while intoxicated and acts of violence.
Alcohol Toxicity
When the amount of alcohol in the blood exceeds a certain level, this can lead to alcohol toxicity, or poisoning. Consequently, this is a dangerous condition.
Furthermore, since alcohol is a depressant, it can slow breathing, leading to a lack of oxygen to the brain.
Signs and symptoms include:
Alcohol Intolerance
Some people will feel unwell immediately after drinking alcohol. For instance, they may have an intolerance, insensitivity, or allergy to alcohol or another ingredient in a drink.
Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea
- Facial flushing
- Nausea and vomiting
- Low blood pressure
- Worsening of asthma
Furthermore, combining alcohol with other depressant-type medications—whether over-the-counter preparations, prescription, or recreational drugs—can have serious effects on the respiratory and central nervous systems.
Moreover, it is especially dangerous to mix alcohol with GHB, rohypnol, ketamine, tranquilizers, and sleeping pills.
Hangover
After drinking too much in an evening, a person may continue to feel the effects of the alcohol on waking up, with what is commonly called a “hangover.”
This is because alcohol is toxic to the body, and the body is still working to get rid of the toxin.
Moreover, many of the symptoms are the result of dehydration, however, some chemicals in alcoholic drinks can cause a reaction in the blood vessels and the brain that make symptoms worse.
Signs and Symptoms of a Hangover
Symptoms include the following:
- Diarrhea
- Dry mouth and eyes
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Restlessness
- Nausea
- Racing heart (palpitations)
Around 20% of alcohol is absorbed through the stomach. In addition, most of the remaining 80 percent is absorbed through the small intestine. Furthermore, around 5 percent of the alcohol consumed leaves through the lungs, kidneys and the skin. Consequently, the liver removes the rest.
Moreover, the liver can only process the equivalent of one drink at a time, the body may remain saturated with the alcohol that has not yet left the body.
Specifically, it can take from 2 to 3 hours for the body to metabolize alcohol from one to two drinks, and up to 24 hours to process the alcohol from eight to ten drinks.
As a result a hangover can last up to 24 hours or longer.
Long-term effects of Alcohol on Health
Alcohol contributes to over 200 diseases and injury-related health conditions including dependence and addiction, liver cirrhosis, cancers, and unintentional injuries such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, burns, assaults, and drowning.
Furthermore, long-term alcohol misuse is associated with the following health problems:
- Brain and nerve damage
- Cardiomyopathy, or damage to the heart muscle
- Cancer
- immune system dysfunction
- Liver disease
- Osteoporosis
- Other cardiovascular problems
- Pancreatitis
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Stomach ulcers
- Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression
- Vitamin deficiency
Additionally, alcohol affects every body system, so it can cause health problems throughout the body.
Effects of Alcohol on Women
Research shows that women who drink more alcohol than is recommended on a regular basis tend to develop liver disease, cardiomyopathy and nerve damage after fewer years than men who do the same.
Furthermore, alcohol can have a serious effect on the developing brain, from fetal development to the end of adolescence. Moreover, if a woman consumes alcohol during pregnancy, the child may be born with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Addiction and Withdrawal
If a person consumes large amounts of alcohol regularly, their tolerance can increase, consequently the body requires more alcohol to achieve the desired effect.
As the body adapts to the presence of the drug, dependency and addiction can result. Moreover, if consumption stops suddenly, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms.
Furthermore, alcohol addiction is a disease characterized by a strong craving for alcohol, and continued use despite a negative impact on health, interpersonal relationships, and ability to work. Thus if the person stops drinking, they will experience withdrawal symptoms.
In addition, signs and symptoms of withdrawal generally peak at around 72 hours after last intake. They may last up to 5 days.
Withdrawal Symptoms
They may include:
Many people will take a drink to stop the discomfort of withdrawal.
However, in more severe cases, the person may experience Delirium tremens, or “the DTs.”
Delirium Tremens
This condition involves:
- Fast heart rate (Tachycardia)
- Changes in mental status
- Confusion
- Extreme sleepiness
- High blood pressure
- Shaking
- Seizures that can result in death
- Elevated blood pressure
Delirium tremens is a medical emergency. Therefore, anyone with an alcohol dependency disorder who desires to stop drinking should seek professional medical care or a treatment center specializing in safe alcohol detoxification.
Treatment for Alcohol use Disorder
The treatment of alcohol dependency involves a variety of interventions, and it requires medical, social, and family support.
Strategies include the following:
- A detoxification program in a hospital or medical facility is another option for those who need a higher level of careindividual and group counseling
- Medication, such as disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone and acamprosate (Campral)
- participation in support networks such as Alcoholics Anonymous
Contacts for Help
If anyone is concerned about their own or a loved one’s drinking habits, they can call or contact the following organizations for confidential help:
- Alcohol and Drug Helpline: 800-527-5344
- National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.: 800-622-2255
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
Making screening part of regular health visits can help with making an early diagnosis.
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