The harm of alcohol on the human body is great. All organs and systems of the human body are affected. The negative impact does not spare the younger generations, women and men. It is worth understanding: whether alcohol is harmful to a person; what impact it has on any life support system; how harmful alcohol is to the body.
Alcoholism and its consequences
The effect of alcohol and its effect on the body has been well studied. Absolutely all human organs and systems are affected by ethanol: organs of the digestive system, central nervous system, cardiovascular, genitourinary, respiratory systems, musculoskeletal system, organs of vision, etc. Alcohol harms the liver, heart and brain the most (memory training).
The effect of alcohol on the body is manifested as follows:
- adversely affects organ cells;
- stimulates mutation and oncology;
- when used during pregnancy, can lead to irreversible consequences for the fetus;
- is a drug;
- disrupts normal metabolism;
- reduces immunity.
Impact on the liver
The effect of alcohol on the liver is associated with its main function - cleansing the body of toxins and harmful substances. Prolonged alcohol consumption leads to liver damage with ethanol and disruption of its work. When the liver cannot cope with the filtering function, all the toxic substances enter the bloodstream into other organs.
The effect of alcohol on the liver is manifested by the appearance of the disease:
- Acute alcoholic hepatitis. Symptoms: depression, deterioration of general well-being, decreased or lost appetite, fever, jaundice, blurred consciousness. This disease is curable provided that the use of products containing ethanol is stopped and the treatment is timely and correct.
- Cirrhosis of the liver occurs with symptoms of indigestion, abdominal pain, weight loss, weakness. It can develop asymptomatically. Cirrhosis is characterized by the growth of connective tissue, which begins to destroy liver cells. The liver slowly stops functioning. In the later stages, cirrhosis of the liver may be accompanied by increased pressure in the vessels of the liver, encephalopathy and oncology.
- fatty hepatosis. It occurs in the absence of symptoms, the presence of which is determined by a biochemical blood test. Hepatosis is not treated with drugs, which is the main way to stop drinking alcohol.
The effect of alcohol on the brain
Many people drink alcohol after a hard day at work, holidays or just a day off. However, it is worth noting that not every person has a sense of proportion. And sooner or later, such a harmless hobby becomes a bad habit. And about whatalcohol is harmfulI know and write for a long time. To date, there has been a lot of discussion about italcohol is the cause of many diseases. To destroy the liver cells, and it is not able to perform its functions. To damage the functioning of the brain. As a result, a person's memory and brain activity deteriorate. This happens because when drinking alcohol, that is, alcohol, which is absorbed into the bloodstream and moves through the bloodstream to the brain, where the process of its active destruction takes place.
The human brain consists of 15 billion neurons, ie nerve cells that die in interaction with alcohol. That is, every time and every new sip of alcohol, the number of dead nerve cells in the area of the skull is increasing.
And how does it all go? Once in the body, ethanol is absorbed into the blood and its current is transmitted through the organs. Excessive consumption affects the hypothalamus and reduces the production of vasopressin, leading to dehydration. Ethanol in the blood begins to act on red blood cells, tearing their membranes. These two processes cause the red blood cells to stick together and form blood clots. Blood clots gradually increase and block the patency of blood vessels - there is oxygen in the brain and brain cells die. Lack of oxygen leads to acidification and tissue hypoxia gradually occurs.
When doctors opened the brains of people who died from alcohol poisoning or who abused alcohol during their lifetime, they found that this person's brain was completely destroyed. After that, scientists came to the conclusion that alcohol is the most powerful means of depriving a person of reason. As is already known and scientifically proven, alcohol kills brain cells. However, it is worth considering the fact that it affects each person in different ways. Because in some people, the first thing that is susceptible to the destructive effects of alcohol is the back of the brain. In this case, they are rocking hard. And in the second case, the moral center itself is subject to destruction. The latter case is considered the most dangerous condition because alcohol kills the brain cells that control behavior. As practice has shown, a person in this condition can destroy not only his own, but also someone else's life. However, there is a third case in which a person's memory is destroyed. That is, in the morning, the person simply does not remember what happened yesterday, where he was and what he did.
Scientists have discovered that one glass of alcohol kills approximately 1000-2000 cells. Which, in turn, begin to rot and decompose in the cerebral cortex. In this case, the person experiences a severe headache, which is popularly called a hangover. As these cells poison the brain, protective processes begin to act in the human body. Which in turn contributes to pumping large amounts of fluid through the skull. After that, this fluid, together with dead cells, leaves the human body through the urethra. Alcohol is harmful to a person in any form and in any dose. It disrupts the work of all metabolic processes in the human body and affects its genetic code.
The described processes lead to damage to the parts of the brain responsible for the vestibular apparatus, human behavior, as well as memory and attention. With regular consumption of alcohol, there is a change in thought and mental processes - degeneration.
Impact on the psyche and nervous system
The influence of alcohol on the functioning of the central nervous system is expressed as follows:
- It causes insomnia and nightmares. Night terrors can be annoying, and it is not uncommon for alcoholics to have a fear of sleep. Taking sleeping pills or antidepressants only makes the situation worse or leads to serious side effects.
- Violates thought processes, negatively affects memory. First memory occurs in fragments, then ethanol destroys neural connections and gradually the person stops remembering the past and is unable to remember something new.
- The consequences of drinking alcohol are manifested in the weakening of the intellect: a person stops thinking logically, emotions, feelings, perceptions disappear.
- Polyneuritis is a complication of a neurological nature. It is manifested by inflammation of the nerves of the arms and legs. Symptoms: numbness, tingling and weakness in the limbs.
Mental consequences of alcoholism:
- Psychosis - ethanol causes inhibition of metabolic processes and oxygen starvation. There is a blurring of the mind, a phobia, the person gradually isolates himself and begins to live in a world he has created himself.
- Delirium tremens. It is manifested by sleep disorders, convulsions, depression, sudden changes in feelings of fear and joy, auditory and visual hallucinations.
- Alcoholic encephalopathy develops in the third phase of alcoholism. It is characterized by symptoms of delirium tremens, which is accompanied by weakness, lack of appetite, tremors, blurred consciousness, coma. High chances of death.
- Alcohol paralysis - encephalopathy in the chronic phase. Loss of reality, neuritis of the extremities.
- The impact of alcohol on the human psyche in the later stages of alcoholism leads to alcoholic epilepsy and alcohol degradation.
Impact on the cardiovascular system
Consequences of excessive alcohol consumption on the cardiovascular system:
- Violation of vascular tone and flexibility of the circulatory system due to oxygen starvation and thrombosis.
- myocardial dystrophy. The pathology is caused by a violation of interstitial metabolism.
- Myocardial hypertrophy and cardiac obesity.
- The formation and accumulation of blood clots by aggregation of red blood cells leads to the death of heart cells, leading to heart attack.
- Clogging of blood vessels leads to the appearance of blood stains on the skin of the face.
Effects on the organs of the urinary system
Ethanol, which is part of alcoholic beverages, leads to a change in the sensitivity of the renal pelvis, which leads to a decrease in protective mechanisms. Increases the likelihood of inflammatory processes in the kidneys, urethra and bladder - pyelonephritis, nephritis, glomerulonephritis, urethritis, cystitis.
With long-term use of alcohol, a protein precipitate is formed in the urine. Minerals washed out by ethanol are deposited and accumulate in the kidneys, forming stones - urolithiasis develops.
If the metabolism is disturbed under the influence of alcohol, the structure of the kidneys is damaged, harmful substances and toxins accumulate, and renal dystrophy occurs. In the absence of treatment and further alcohol consumption, one of these diseases causes kidney failure.
Effects on digestive organs
Alcohol, by entering the oral cavity, disrupts the work of the salivary glands in the oral cavity and causes the viscosity of saliva, which reduces its protective ability. Ethanol begins to destroy the walls of the esophagus. Later, in chronic alcoholics, swallowing is impaired.
There is a gradual deterioration of secretory function, in case of violation of which there is an attack of the pancreas. Alcoholic gastritis develops, which gradually turns into pancreatitis.
Also, alcohol contributes to the production of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid, which corrode the walls of the digestive organs and cause ulcers, which over time can cause oncology of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, alcohol clogs capillaries and thus disrupts the absorption of vitamins, which is harmful to the human body.
The spleen cleanses the body of dead blood cells. In the case of alcohol poisoning, the work of the spleen and the ability to cleanse the body is impaired. Disorders in the work of the spleen are also caused by the effect of alcohol on the liver, pancreas and circulatory system and a disorder of their work.
As a result of alcohol abuse, blood flow to the spleen is disrupted, resulting in tissue infarction and suppuration of the spleen capsule - spleen abscess.
Impact on immunity
Influence of alcohol on the defense mechanisms of the human body:
- Reduces innate and acquired immunity.
- Reduced immunity stops producing enough white blood cells, impaired ability to resist disease.
- It violates the synthesis of cytokines, the excess of which leads to tissue destruction, lack of common diseases.
- It suppresses the work of T-cells, which increases the risk of oncology.
- Alcohol reduces immunity and increases the risk of pneumonia, tuberculosis and HIV.
Effect on the musculoskeletal system
Ethanol is known to dehydrate the body. Water is essential for cell function. Lack of fluid leads to metabolic disorders. As a result, breakdown products and harmful compounds accumulate in muscle tissues, causing discomfort. Alcoholism leads to disorders of the endocrine system - the production of testosterone and glycogen is suppressed. Their lack leads to degradation of muscle tissue.
The effect of alcohol on the joints
- With alcoholism, arthrosis and arthrosis develop - thinning of cartilage tissue, with regular abuse, its disappearance. The protective mechanism against friction disappears, the joints begin to ache.
- Joint pain after alcohol can cause compression of the pineal gland and impaired blood flow, resulting in bone ischemia.
- Aseptic necrosis - death of bone tissue
- Gout is an inflammation of the joints.
- After alcohol, joints and knees ache due to fluid retention in tissues and increased intra-articular fluid pressure.
Impact on appearance
How alcohol affects appearance:
- Alcoholic beverages are high in calories, in combination with high-calorie snacks and disturbed metabolism, they lead to obesity and the appearance of cellulite.
- Effect of alcohol on the skin: dehydration leads to aging and wrinkles of the skin.
- Ethanol washes away vitamins, minerals and nutrients, disrupts blood flow - the face is covered with acne and capillaries.
- The body is covered with papules and scales of non-infectious nature - psoriasis develops.
- Vinegar aldehyde dilates blood vessels and as a result the facial skin becomes brown.
- Skin cancer is possible in the last stages of alcoholism.
Effects on the endocrine system
Alcohol inhibits the work of the endocrine system, which includes the endocrine glands:
- Alcohol and the thyroid gland: hormonal activity is disturbed, which negatively affects the ability to reproduce. In women suffering from alcoholism, there are frequent cases of infertility, abortion, premature birth.
- Alcohol and pancreas: Ethanol inhibits the pancreas and, against a background of reduced immunity, pancreatitis develops.
- Alcohol reduces insulin production - diabetes develops. Cases of latent disease are not uncommon.
- The adrenal glands are responsible for the metabolism of carbohydrates and minerals, the production of sex hormones and the functioning of the cardiovascular system. In the case of violation of the adrenal glands suffers the whole body, the biggest blow falls on reproductive function.
- Alcoholism disrupts the connection between the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. The production of tropical hormones decreases and the synthesis of hormones of the opposite sex increases - the appearance gradually begins to change.
Effects on the lungs
Alcohol is not excreted from the body only through the digestive and excretory system. The lungs are actively involved in this process. The organs of the respiratory system are not adapted to such a load, so the lung tissue gradually hardens and expands. Connective tissue fibrosis occurs. Mucus and sputum begin to accumulate in the lungs. It causes pneumonia and other diseases of the lower respiratory system.
Alcohol also leads to dehydration of the mucous membranes, and defense mechanisms are impaired, a person is more often exposed to viral and infectious diseases. Alcoholics often have tuberculosis. Clogging of blood vessels leads to a lack of oxygen.
Impact on vision
With regular use of alcohol, it is not uncommon for the eyes to hurt - this is due to:
- The formation of blood clots in the vessels of the optic nerve and oculomotor muscles disrupts the blood supply to the entire visual system.
- Decreased oxygen in the blood, leading to darkening of the eyes, can lead to blindness.
- Increase in intraocular pressure, which causes rupture of blood vessels and bleeding.
- Vision is poorly adapted to changing conditions and lighting. Objects in the field of view are moving away and blurring. Alcohol-induced disorders in the eye center of the brain cause double vision.
- In the last stage, under the influence of alcohol, the optic nerves atrophy.
Alcohol negatively affects the whole body without exception. Injuries to the digestive, excretory, cardiovascular, endocrine and other body systems occur. Adverse effects on organ function lead to the development of serious diseases, some of which cannot be treated.