Moderate alcohol consumption encourages social interactions and provides feelings of euphoria and relaxation. Even medical profession supports a glass of red wine with dinner. However, the question of moderate intake is most important. Some people are prone to alcohol addiction and significant risks are involved causing problems in life. Few of these are brought to your attention.
Alcohol effects on the kidneys
Alcohol depresses the brain’s production of the antidiuretic hormone therefore thirst occurs because of loss of water. The only fluid that will relieve dehydration is water, but if the only drink is alcohol again, it makes the thirst worst.
The water loss due to hormone depression depletes important minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to fluid balance and to nerve and muscle coordination. These losses must be made up the next day, otherwise deficiencies will advance. This brief explanation clearly points out the necessity of alcoholics to have a jug filled with a soft drink to continuously replace the water loss.
The fattening power of alcohol
When the body is presented with fat and alcohol, the body stores harmless fat and rids itself of the toxic alcohol by burning it off as fuel. Alcohol promotes fat storage mainly in the central abdominal area, leading to the “beer belly.” The rule of thumb indicated that calories in each ounce of alcohol represents about half and ounce of fat. The mirror look confirms the fact.
Alcohol effects on the brain
Brain cells are particularly sensitive to extensive exposure of alcohol. The brain shrinks, even in moderate drinking. The shrinkage is directly proportional to the amount one drinks. Prolonged drinking over years can do severe and irreversible harm to vision, memory, learning ability and other functions. However, abstinence together with good nutrition reverses some of the brain damage, if heavy drinking has not continued for more than a few years.
Alcohol effects on the liver
All alcohol is processed through liver cells. It removes toxic substances before they reach the heart and the brain. The liver makes two enzymes with break alcohol such as alcohol dehydrogenase, which handles about 80 percent of the alcohol in the body. Other enzymes called MEOS handle about ten percent and the remaining ten percent is excreted by the breath and urine. Since alcohol in the breath is directly proportional to the alcohol in the blood, the breath analyzer reveals accurately how intoxicated the person is.
If more molecules of alcohol arrive at the liver cells than enzymes can handle, the extra alcohol circulates again and again through the brain, liver and other organs, continuing to damage them. Empty stomachs reduce alcohol metabolism by half, therefore, slow drinking with food in the stomach allows for alcohol molecules to move to the liver more slowly so the enzymes can handle the load.
Alcohol effects on the immune system
Immunity is a security against any particular disease which helps to resist or overcome an infection. Continuous consumption of alcohol lowers immunity, thus providing a situation of frequent susceptibility to infections and various diseases known in alcoholism.
The hangover
Awful feelings of headache pain, an unpleasant sensation in the mouth and nausea the morning after drinking too much is a mild form of withdrawl. Tremor of the hands and noticeable and severe tremors present the danger of death and demands medical attention.
Hangovers are caused by several factors. One if the toxic effects of congeners that accompany alcohol. Because they differ in strength in various alcoholic drinks, mixing drinks is not recommended. Dehydration of the brain is the second factor. Alcohol reduces water content of the brain cells. When they re-hydrate the next morning, nerve pain accompanies their swelling back to the normal size.
There is time to sober up
A new study recently published in the journal BRIAN suggests that remarkable regeneration of the brain occurs with regained functioning when sobriety is chosen. The cognitive function improves most robustly in the early days of an alcoholic’s recovery.
Another study from the University of Wurzburg, Germany provided evidence about brain volume increasing in alcoholics by 1.85 percent when a two month period without alcohol was maintained. The brain cells relayed messages faster by 20 percent.
Quit now and enjoy the benefits of the brain’s capability to restore numerous functions provided for successful life without alcohol.
Dr. Ladislav Novak is former anthropology professor at SMU. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
