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 generation, women and men. It is worth understanding: is alcohol harmful to a person? what impact does it have on each life support system; how harmful alcohol is to the body.
Alcoholism and its consequences.
The effect of alcohol and its effect on the body is well studied. Absolutely all human organs and systems fall under the blow, which is part of ethanol: organs of the digestive system, central nervous system, cardiovascular, genitourinary, respiratory system, musculoskeletal system, organs of vision, etc. Alcohol is the most damaging to the liver, heart and brain (memory training).
The effect of alcohol on the body is manifested as follows:
- negatively affects the cells of the organs;
- promotes mutation and the formation of oncology;
- when used during pregnancy, it can have irreversible consequences for the fetus;
- it is a drug;
- disrupts normal metabolism;
- reduces immunity.
Effect on the liver
The effect of alcohol on the liver is associated with its main function - to cleanse the body of toxins and harmful substances. Prolonged alcohol intake causes ethanol damage to the liver and disruption of its function. When the liver cannot cope with the filtering function, all toxic substances enter the bloodstream to other organs.
The effect of alcohol on the liver is manifested by the appearance of diseases:
- Acute alcoholic hepatitis. Symptoms: depression, deterioration of general well-being, decrease or loss of appetite, fever, jaundice, clouding of consciousness. This disease is curable as long as the use of products containing ethanol is discontinued and the treatment is timely and correct.
- Liver cirrhosis presents with symptoms of digestive disorders, 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 working. In the later stages, an increase in pressure in the vessels of the liver, encephalopathy and oncology can join cirrhosis of the liver.
- fatty hepatosis. It occurs in the absence of symptoms, the presence of which is established by a biochemical blood test. Hepatitis is not treated with medication, the main way to stop drinking alcohol.
The effect of alcohol on the brain.
Many people drink alcoholic beverages after a hard day at work, on vacation, or just after a day off. However, it is worth noting that not all people have a sense of proportion. And sooner or later such a harmless hobby turns into a bad habit. And about whatalcohol is harmfulknow and write for a long time. To date, there has been much debate about thealcohol is the cause of many diseases. That destroys liver cells and is not able to perform its functions. It also impairs brain function. As a result, a person's memory and brain activity deteriorate. This happens because when drinking an alcoholic beverage, that is, alcohol, which is absorbed into the bloodstream and travels with the bloodstream to the brain, where the process of its active destruction takes place.
The human brain consists of 15 billion neurons, that is, nerve cells that die when interacting with alcohol. That is, with each and every new sip of an alcoholic beverage, the number of dead nerve cells in the skull area increases more and more.
And how is everything? Once in the body, ethanol is absorbed into the blood and with its current is transported through the organs. Excessive consumption acts on the hypothalamus and reduces the production of vasopressin, which leads to dehydration. Ethanol in the blood begins to act on red blood cells, breaking down their membranes. These two processes cause red blood cells to stick together to form blood clots. Blood clots gradually increase in size and block the patency of blood vessels - a lack of oxygen occurs in the brain, and brain cells die. Oxygen starvation leads to acidification, and tissue hypoxia gradually sets in.
When doctors opened the brains of people who had died of alcohol poisoning or who had abused alcohol heavily during their lives, they found that this person's brain was completely destroyed. After that, scientists came to the conclusion that alcohol is the most powerful tool that deprives a person of reason. As is known and scientifically proven, alcohol kills brain cells. However, it is worth considering the fact that it affects each person in different ways. Since in some people the first thing that is subject to the destructive effect of alcoholic beverages is the back of the brain. In this case, they are strongly influenced. And in the second case, the moral center itself is subject to destruction. This last case is considered the most dangerous condition, since alcohol kills the brain cells that control behavior. As practice has shown, a person in this state can destroy not only his own life, but also that of another person. However, there is also a third case where a person's memory is destroyed. That is, in the morning a 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 1, 000 to 2, 000 cells. Which, in turn, in the cerebral cortex begin to rot and decay. In this case, a person experiences a severe headache, which is popularly called a hangover. Since these cells poison the brain, protective processes begin to work in the human body. Which, in turn, contribute to the pumping of a large amount of fluid through the skull. After that, this fluid, along with dead cells, leaves the human body through the urethra. For a person, alcohol is harmful 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 processes described cause damage to the parts of the brain responsible for the vestibular apparatus, human behavior, as well as memory and attention. With regular alcohol abuse, a change in thinking and mental processes occurs - degeneration.
Influence on the psyche and the nervous system.
The effect of alcohol on the functioning of the central nervous system is expressed as follows:
- Causes insomnia and nightmares. Night terrors can be excruciating, and it's not uncommon for alcoholics to be afraid to sleep. Taking sleeping pills or antidepressants only aggravates the situation or causes serious side effects.
- Violates thought processes, negatively affects memory. First, the memorization occurs in fragments, then the ethanol destroys the neural connections, and gradually the person stops remembering the past and cannot remember something new.
- The consequences of drinking alcohol are manifested in the weakening of the intellect: a person stops thinking logically, emotions, feelings and perceptions disappear.
- Polyneuritis is a complication of a neurological nature. It manifests itself in inflammation of the nerves of the arms and legs. Symptoms: numbness, burning and weakness in the extremities.
Mental consequences of alcoholism:
- Psychosis - ethanol causes inhibition of metabolic processes and lack of oxygen. There is a clouding of reason, phobias, a person gradually isolates himself and begins to live in a world created by himself.
- Delirium tremens. It is manifested by sleep disturbances, seizures, depression, sudden changes in feelings of fear and joy, auditory and visual hallucinations.
- Alcoholic encephalopathy develops in the third stage of alcoholism. It is characterized by symptoms of delirium tremens, which is accompanied by weakness, lack of appetite, tremors, clouding of consciousness, coma. High probability of death.
- Alcoholic paralysis - encephalopathy in the chronic stage. Loss of reality, neuritis of the extremities.
- The influence of alcohol on the human psyche in the later stages of alcoholism leads to alcoholic epilepsy and alcohol degradation.
Effect on the cardiovascular system
Consequences of excessive alcohol consumption on the cardiovascular system:
- Violation of vascular tone and flexibility of the blood flow system due to oxygen starvation and thrombosis.
- myocardial dystrophy. Pathology is caused by a violation of interstitial metabolism.
- Myocardial hypertrophy and obesity of the heart.
- The formation and accumulation of blood clots by the aggregation of red blood cells leads to the death of heart cells, resulting in heart attacks.
- Blockage of blood vessels leads to the manifestation of blood streaks on the skin of the face.
Influence on the organs of the urinary system.
Ethanol, which is part of alcoholic beverages, causes 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 prolonged use of alcohol, a protein precipitate forms in the urine. Ethanol-washed minerals settle 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 accumulate, toxins develop renal dystrophy. In the absence of treatment and increased alcohol consumption, one of the listed diseases develops kidney failure.
Influence on the digestive organs.
Alcohol, getting into the oral cavity, disrupts the salivary glands in the oral cavity and causes the viscosity of saliva, which reduces its protective ability. The ethanol begins to destroy the walls of the esophagus. Later, in chronic alcoholics, swallowing is impaired.
Gradually, there is a deterioration in the secretory function, in case of violation of which the pancreas is attacked. Alcoholic gastritis develops, which gradually turns into pancreatitis.
In addition, alcohol contributes to the production of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid, which corrode the walls of the digestive organs and lead to ulcers, which over time can cause oncology of the gastrointestinal tract. Also, alcohol clogs the 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 case of alcohol intoxication of the body, the work of the spleen and the ability to cleanse the body are disrupted. Disturbances in the work of the spleen are also caused by the effect of alcohol on the liver, pancreas and circulatory system and disruption of their work.
As a result of alcohol abuse, blood flow to the spleen is disturbed, which leads to infarction of the tissue and suppuration of the spleen capsule - spleen abscess.
Impact on immunity
The effect of alcohol on the defense mechanisms of the human body:
- Suppresses innate and acquired immunity.
- Reduced immunity stops producing enough white blood cells, the ability to resist disease is affected.
- Violates the synthesis of cytokines, the excess of which leads to tissue destruction, the lack of frequent diseases.
- Suppresses the work of T cells, which increases the risk of oncology.
- Alcohol lowers immunity and increases the risk of pneumonia, tuberculosis, and HIV.
Impact 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, decomposition products and harmful compounds accumulate in muscle tissues and cause discomfort. Alcoholism leads to disruption of the endocrine system: the production of testosterone and glycogen is suppressed. Its deficiency leads to the 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 mechanism of protection against friction disappears, the joints begin to ache.
- Joint pain after alcohol can cause compression of the epiphyses and impaired blood flow, and as a result, ischemia of bone tissue develops.
- Aseptic necrosis: death of bone tissue
- Gout is inflammation of the joints.
- After alcohol, the joints and knees ache due to fluid retention in the tissues and increased intra-articular fluid pressure.
impact on appearance
How alcohol affects appearance:
- Alcoholic beverages are high in calories, combined with a high-calorie snack and impaired metabolism, lead to obesity and the appearance of cellulite.
- The effect of alcohol on the skin: dehydration causes aging and the appearance of wrinkles on the skin.
- Ethanol removes vitamins, minerals and nutrients, disrupts blood flow - the face becomes covered with acne and capillaries.
- The body is covered with papules and scales of a non-infectious nature - psoriasis develops.
- Acetic aldehyde dilates blood vessels, and as a result, the skin on the face turns brown.
- In the later stages of alcoholism, skin cancer is possible.
Influence 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 possibility of procreation. In women suffering from alcoholism, there are often cases of infertility, miscarriage, premature birth.
- Alcohol and the pancreas: Ethanol inhibits the pancreas, and against the background of reduced immunity, pancreatitis develops.
- Alcohol reduces insulin production: diabetes develops. Cases of latent course of the disease are not rare.
- 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 case of violation of the work of the adrenal glands, the whole body suffers, the biggest blow falls on the reproductive function.
- Alcoholism disrupts the connection between the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. The production of tropic hormones decreases and the synthesis of hormones of the opposite sex increases - the appearance gradually begins to change.
Effects on the lungs
Alcohol is excreted from the body not only through the digestive and excretory systems. The lungs take an active part in this process. The organs of the respiratory system are not adapted to such a load, so the lung tissue gradually hardens and expands. Fibrosis of connective tissue occurs. Mucus and sputum begin to accumulate in the lungs. This causes pneumonia and other diseases of the lower organs of the respiratory system.
Alcohol also leads to dehydration of the mucous membranes and defense mechanisms are violated, a person is more exposed to viral and infectious diseases. Alcoholics often have tuberculosis. Blockage of the 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 optic nerve vessels and oculomotor muscles disrupts the blood supply to the entire visual system.
- A decrease in oxygen in the blood, which causes the eyes to darken, can lead to blindness.
- An increase in eye pressure, which causes blood vessels to rupture and hemorrhage.
- Vision does not adapt well to changing conditions and lighting. Objects in the field of view recede and become blurred. Alcohol-induced disturbances 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 entire body without exception. There is a violation of the digestive, excretory, cardiovascular, endocrine and other systems of the body. The detrimental effect on the functioning of the organs leads to the development of serious diseases, some of which are not treatable.