The effects of alcohol on the body. The effects of alcoholic beverages on the human body

Alcohol consumption is an integral element of social life at any time. Surrounded by economic and social instability, modern people often try to isolate themselves from stress through alcohol.

There is an opinion that in small doses, alcohol is harmless and is only a means to relieve psycho-emotional stress, stiffness and fear. Temporary relaxation and euphoria are the reasons why both adults and young people in our country drink alcohol. But this is a serious misconception.

Alcohol, not a helper, is poison. Behind the apparent fun lies a dangerous enemy that is steadily destroying our entire body.

Blood continuously supplies the tissues of the human body with oxygen and elements necessary for life. Entering the bloodstream through the digestive system, alcohol quickly penetrates every organ and poisons it.

The human brain has an extensive blood supply system. Therefore, saturation, and as a result, damage, with alcohol occurs faster and more actively.

Intoxication, which seems harmless at first glance, is an initial numbness, and then the death of the immediate areas of the cerebral cortex. At the same time, the level of neurotransmitters decreases - substances that transmit impulses from neurons to muscle tissue.

They are responsible for our ability to remember and analyze information, control coordination and emotions. The brain contains from 14 to 17 billion such cells. With moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, several thousand cells are destroyed, and with systematic consumption - several million.

Even after completely quitting alcohol, poisoned nerve cells in the brain are not restored, they die irrevocably.

With regular drinking, deep, irreversible transformations in the structure of the brain gradually occur. The cortex becomes thinner, both hemispheres decrease in size, and blood vessels are destroyed.

This invariably entails mental disorders and deterioration of a person’s character. If you don’t stop in time, you will never be able to reverse personal degradation.

The effect of alcohol on the nervous system

The main danger of alcohol is that we are not afraid of it. We are accustomed to its presence in our lives and do not even think about the fact that its effect on health is similar to the effect of any drug known to us.

Like drugs, addiction to alcohol quickly develops. To get the desired effect, the dose and frequency increase with each dose.

The effect of alcohol on the nervous system is divided into several stages:

1. Mental processes slow down. A feeling of joy appears.
2. Motor activity first accelerates as inhibitory impulses weaken. The person moves actively and gesticulates a lot. As time passes, movements become slower. Coordination in space deteriorates.
3. Concentration and visual and hearing acuity decreases. Taste sensations are distorted. The body's reaction to external stimuli slows down - pain, cold, heat, etc.
4. Paralysis of the nerve centers leads to a weakening of the factors that inhibit emotions. A person becomes more emotional and self-confident, ready for rash, irrational actions and aggression.
5. A high concentration of alcohol in the blood leads to impairment or loss of consciousness. The person becomes sleepy and involuntary urination occurs. If the concentration of alcohol in the blood reaches or exceeds the maximum possible level (0.6-0.7%), death occurs.

A single dose of alcohol rolls back the mental and psychological development of the drinker by a week, or even a month. Previous intellectual abilities and reflexes are fully restored only after 12-20 days. Repeated administration increases this period, depending on the dose, by 8-20 days.

With regular abuse of alcoholic beverages, it is alcohol that becomes the root cause of such psychological diseases as:

1. • visual and auditory hallucinations;
   • numbness of body parts, mainly lower extremities;
   • memory impairment;
   • disorientation in time and space;
   • epileptic seizures;
   • delirium delirium – “delirium tremens”;
   • delusional psychoses;
   • prolonged depression.

Treatment of these psychological disorders is long and requires serious drug therapy.

The effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular system of the body

Once alcohol enters the circulatory system, it stays there for at least 6 hours. During this time, it manages to cause significant harm to our heart. Heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute.

Arrhythmia develops - a pathology characterized by a disturbance in the normal rhythm of the heartbeat. Blood pressure rises abruptly.

The heart of a constantly drinking person works with increased load, expands and becomes covered with fatty tissue. After all, the blood becomes thicker, and it becomes more and more difficult to pump it.

In parallel, alcohol toxins directly affect the muscle fibers of the heart, causing metabolic disorders within the tissues, which can lead to thinning of the myocardium or the formation of microscars on it.

The next day after the feast, you feel chest pain, difficulty breathing, sweating or dizziness, immediately seek help from a medical facility. These are the first signs of an angina attack or heart attack.

The heart of a constantly drinking person has a number of pathologies. In medicine there is even a special term for it - “alcoholic heart”. Its symptoms are as follows:

• shortness of breath, even at rest;
• arrhythmia;
• when listening, dull tones are clearly audible;
• tingling in the heart area or between the shoulder blades, attacks of suffocating cough.

When the last signs appear, pathological changes in the myocardium are no longer reversible.

The effect of alcohol on the body's vascular system

When alcohol enters the bloodstream, it actively destroys erythrocytes - red blood cells.

They move oxygen from the lungs to all tissues and organs, and also remove carbon dioxide. In a state of intoxication, the tissues and organs of the entire body, including the heart, do not receive enough life-giving oxygen. Oxygen starvation sets in.

Destroyed blood cells stick together, forming blood clots. Their accumulation in large vessels leads to disruption of the blood supply to organs. First of all, the brain and heart suffer from this. To push blood through, blood pressure rises, and with it the likelihood of stroke, heart attack and hypertensive crisis.

Obstructed blood flow in the legs leads to stagnation. The veins become inflated, then the blocked areas become hard. Varicose veins lead to the following pathologies:

• dermatitis
• trophic ulcers;
• thrombophlebitis;
• deep vein thrombosis;
• profuse bleeding when a varicose node protruding above the skin is injured.

Due to anatomical features, even women who do not drink are susceptible to the above diseases, but an alcoholic woman will certainly develop them.

In people who abuse alcohol, the walls of blood vessels are depleted, therefore they are very fragile and easily burst. Disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory system are visible to the naked eye - a network of red veins on the nose, cheekbones and ears.

The more you drink, the redder and denser the mesh is and the larger the area on the face it occupies. If alcohol poisoning continues day after day, the nose becomes bluish in color and swells, significantly increasing in size.

A red nose is an alcohol mark; once it appears, it does not disappear even with complete abstinence from alcohol and persists for life. This indicates that disorders of the circulatory system provoked by “fire water” are not reversible.

The effect of alcohol on the body's digestive system

Alcohol is partially absorbed in the mouth and when passing through the esophagus into the stomach. These organs are the first to be damaged. A microburn appears on them. The stronger the drink, the more significant the damage.

The mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach is capable of self-healing. But for this the body needs time. With constant consumption of alcohol, the protective shell loses its ability to regenerate. Subsequently, this leads to stomach ulcers or cancer.

To dilute the alcohol and thereby reduce its traumatic effect on the mucous membranes, the glands begin to actively secrete gastric juice. This process does not stop until the alcohol concentration drops to 5%. But the gastric juice released under the influence of ethanol differs from its usual composition. It contains a lot of acids and almost no digestive enzymes.

Frequent intake of strong alcohol leads to absolute inhibition of even those enzymes that were initially isolated. The ducts of the pancreas become clogged, and the enzymes necessary for high-quality digestion do not enter the intestines, but into the organ itself. Thus destroying it. Pancreatitis occurs on this favorable soil.

People suffering from alcoholism have no appetite; they drink and do not eat. The food that enters their stomach is almost not digested. In this form, it enters the intestines. Gastritis occurs. If left untreated it can transform into cancer.

From the stomach, ethanol enters the intestines. There it is quickly absorbed into the blood. About 20% of the total volume of alcohol consumed is absorbed in the duodenum. The degree of injury to this organ is similar to similar injuries to the stomach.

Effects of alcohol on the liver

The liver is a vital organ of the human body. Its physiological functions are diverse.

Let's look at the main ones:

• it is a large digestive gland - it produces bile, synthesizes bile acids and bilirubin;
• it produces red blood cells in the fetus during pregnancy - the function of hematopoiesis;
• barrier function - it neutralizes and removes toxins, allergens, poisons, intermediate and final metabolic products;
• participates in the metabolism of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, PP and folic acid;
• regulates the lipid barrier, synthesizes cholesterol and glucose.

This is a multifunctional organ. Any, even the slightest damage to it leads to serious disruptions in the body. Poor environment, unhealthy lifestyle, lack of diet, alcohol and smoking trigger dangerous degenerative processes in liver tissue.

After a feast, only a small portion of what you drink is excreted from the body in its pure form.

The overwhelming volume of alcohol (up to 90%) is broken down and eliminated by the liver. This is a complex process, because passing through the stomach and intestines, the alcohol molecule remains unchanged.

All major chemical reactions occur in the liver. There, special cells convert alcohol into acetaldehyde, then into acetic acid, then it is divided into water and carbon dioxide. The liver can process up to 200 ml of alcohol safely. Consumption beyond this limit leads to inevitable death of liver cells.

Alcohol causes three types of damage to the liver gland:

• steatosis – accumulation of fat (fatty degeneration);
• alcoholic hepatitis - inflammation of liver cells;
• Cirrhosis is a chronic and irreversible disease accompanied by structural changes in the liver with the formation of scar tissue.

The liver has a unique ability - it can restore its original size and function. Therefore, the main step in the treatment of alcoholic damage to this gland is a complete abstinence from alcohol.

In women who drink frequently, liver disease can be triggered by 10 g (a glass of wine, beer or 50 g of vodka) of pure alcohol per day, in the strong half of the population – 50 g (0.5 l of wine, 1.25 l of beer or 200 g of vodka) ), and for teenagers 15-20 g (0.5 l of beer) will be enough.

The likelihood and degree of development of diseases of the main “filter” directly depends on heredity, frequency, quantity and strength of alcohol consumed. With regular, but not heavy drinking, steatosis develops after 5-10 years, cirrhosis after 15-20 years.

Kidneys and alcohol

The kidneys are the liver’s main assistants in the fight against alcohol intoxication in the body. They complete its work, finally filter and remove everything harmful and unnecessary from the body through urine, including the breakdown products of alcohol.

To cleanse the body of poison, the kidneys work harder and gradually wear out. In addition to this, aggressive alcohol toxins gradually destroy their delicate structure.

Alcoholic drinks provoke the following changes in the urinary system:

• inflammation of the renal pelvis;
• formation of kidney stones;
• acute renal failure - the organ ceases to fully or partially perform its functions;
• kidney dystrophy.

Drinking beer in large quantities is especially dangerous for the kidneys. This drink has a strong diuretic effect, so it significantly increases the load on the kidneys. Constantly working in this mode, they do not have time to recover. Gradually decrease in size and wrinkle. If you do not give up alcohol at this stage, the kidney will die.

Reproductive system and alcohol

Wandering through the body, alcohol also affects the endocrine system, which is responsible for reproductive function. This applies more to women. Their body is more susceptible to alcohol intoxication and the consequences of its action appear faster and more clearly.

Changes in the body primarily affect hormonal levels. The level of the male hormone testosterone increases, and the level of the female hormone estradiol, on the contrary, decreases.

Libido and maternal instinct decrease. The menstrual cycle and ovulation are disrupted.

The ovaries produce immature eggs, which subsequently die.

This sooner or later occurs even in women who drink moderately, significantly reducing their ability to become pregnant in the future. And if conception does occur, the risk of miscarriage increases significantly.

As for men who drink alcohol, most of them suffer from impotence. Changes in the gonads lead to the fact that they partially or completely lose the ability to produce sperm. Testosterone levels drop.

One fun evening significantly reduces the level of male hormone in the blood for several days in advance. Problems with erection appear and control of ejaculation becomes difficult. Against the background of sexual impotence, men may experience psychological disorders.

Excessive beer consumption changes a man's appearance. The amount of hair on the body decreases, the timbre of the voice and figure changes, a “beer belly” appears, and fat deposits directly on the waist and hips increase.

But the harmful effects that alcohol has on the human body do not end there. There is not a single organ, not a single tissue that is not affected by its effects. The incidence of tuberculosis, the development of malignant tumors and psychological disorders in people suffering from alcoholism is tens of times higher than the average for the rest of the population.

FEDOR GRIGORIEVICH UGLOV
student of the outstanding Russian doctor N. N. Petrov, the founder of domestic oncology,
Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences,
full and honorary member of the Petrovsky Academy of Sciences and Arts,
Vice-President of the International Slavic Academy,
President of the State Orthodox Foundation,
Honorary Doctor of the St. Petersburg State Medical University named after. I. P. Pavlova,
Honorary Member of the Board of the Surgical Society named after. Pirogov.
editor-in-chief of the journal “Bulletin of Surgery named after. I. I. Grekova" (since 1953).
member of the editorial board of the magazine "Protection and Security"
member of the Russian Writers' Union,
honorary member of many domestic and foreign scientific societies.

F.G. Angles performed more than 6,500 operations, in 1994 he was included in the “ Guinness Book of Records"as the oldest practicing surgeon in the history of world medicine. Author of 8 monographs and 600 scientific articles on surgical treatment of diseases of the lungs and mediastinal organs.
His glorious life path and selfless work cannot but arouse admiration, his books captivate the reader from the very first pages with their benevolence and sincerity, and his constant scientific research and extraordinary patience helped save thousands of human lives.
Today Fedor Grigorievich Uglov is the chairman of the Union for the Struggle for National Sobriety, lives and works in St. Petersburg. On October 5, 2007 he turned 103 years old! And he achieved such an amazing longevity thanks to his unshakable life principles.

The effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular system

This is what happens when alcohol it enters the blood through the stomach and intestines: in the normal state, the outer surface of red blood cells is covered with a thin layer of “lubricant”, which becomes electrified when rubbed against the walls of blood vessels. Each of the red blood cells carries a unipolar negative charge, and therefore they have the initial property of repelling each other. Alcohol, a good solvent, removes this protective layer and relieves electrical stress. As a result, red blood cells, instead of being repelled, begin to stick together, forming larger formations. The process follows the principle of a snowball, the size of which increases with the amount of alcohol consumed.

The diameter of capillaries in certain parts of the body (brain, retina) is sometimes so small that red blood cells literally “squeeze” through them one by one, often pushing the walls of the capillaries apart. The smallest diameter of a capillary is 50 times thinner than a human hair, equal to 8 microns (0.008 mm), the smallest diameter of a red blood cell is 7 microns (0.007 mm). Therefore, it is clear that a formation containing several red blood cells is not capable of moving through the capillaries. Moving along branching arteries, and then through arterioles of ever smaller caliber, it eventually reaches an arteriole with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the clot and blocks it, completely stopping the blood flow in it, therefore, the blood supply to individual groups of neurons in the brain stops. The clots have an irregular shape and contain an average of 200 - 500 red blood cells, their average size is 60 microns. There are individual clots containing thousands of red blood cells. Of course, blood clots of this size block arterioles of not the smallest caliber.

For large vessels (in the arm, in the leg), the gluing of red blood cells in the initial stages of drinking alcohol does not pose any particular danger. The insidiousness of alcohol Another reason is that a young person’s body has a significant, approximately 10-fold supply of capillaries, so in youth, disorders of the circulatory system and their consequences do not appear as clearly as in later years.

However, over time, the “reserve” of capillaries is gradually exhausted, and the consequences of alcohol poisoning become more and more noticeable. At the current level of alcohol consumption, the “average” man in this regard “suddenly” faces a wide variety of ailments at the age of about 30 years. These are diseases of the stomach, liver, cardiovascular system, neuroses, and sexual disorders. However, diseases can be the most unexpected: after all, the effect of alcohol is universal, it affects all organs and systems of the human body. After 100 grams of vodka, at least 8 thousand actively working cells die forever.

As for drinking beer, the very fact of entering a large amount of liquid into the body (and young people now swallow beer in such doses - a person would not drink so much water or tea!) adversely affects the functioning of not only the cardiovascular system, but also the kidneys. Fans of the intoxicating “drink” develop a so-called bull or beer heart - an expansion of its boundaries, while the heart rate increases, arrhythmias occur, and blood pressure rises.

The effect of alcohol on the brain and nervous system

There is no such organ in the human body that would not be destroyed by any doses of alcohol. But the brain suffers the most. If blood alcohol concentration taken as one, then in the liver it will be 1.45, in the cerebrospinal fluid - 1.50, and in the brain - 1.75. It is there that this poison tends to accumulate. After drinking a mug of beer, a glass of wine, 100 grams of vodka, the alcohol contained in them is absorbed into the blood, goes with the bloodstream to the brain, and the person begins the process of intensive destruction of his cortex.

The human brain is made up of 15 billion nerve cells (neurons). Each cell is supplied with blood by its own microcapillary. This microcapillary is so thin that for normal nutrition of a given neuron, red blood cells can squeeze through only one row. And when it approaches the base of the microcapillary alcoholic adhesion of red blood cells, then it clogs it, 7-9 minutes pass - and another human brain cell dies irrevocably.

Due to the fact that oxygen stops flowing to the brain cells, hypoxia begins, that is, oxygen starvation (oxygen deficiency). It is hypoxia that is perceived by a person as a supposedly harmless state of intoxication. And this leads to numbness and then death of parts of the brain. All this is subjectively perceived by the drinker as “relaxation”, “freedom” from the outside world, similar to the euphoria of being released from prison after a long period of sitting. In reality, just part of the brain is artificially disconnected from the perception of often “unpleasant” information from the outside.

After each so-called “moderate” drink, a new cemetery of dead nerve cells (neurons) appears in a person’s head. And when pathologists open the skull of any so-called “moderate drinker,” they all see the same picture - "shrunken brain", smaller in volume, the entire surface of the cortex of which is covered with microscars, microulcers, and loss of structures.

It is in the brain that the greatest changes are found at autopsy. The dura mater is tense, the soft membranes are swollen and full of blood. The brain is severely swollen, the vessels are dilated, there are many small cysts with a diameter of 1-2 mm. These small cysts formed in places of hemorrhage and necrosis (death) of areas of the brain.

This is how a Kiev pathologist describes the brain of a “merry fellow” and a “joker”, who, according to friends, drank “moderately” and “culturedly”: “Changes in the frontal lobes of the brain are visible even without a microscope, the convolutions are smoothed out, atrophied, there are many small hemorrhages. Under a microscope, voids filled with serous fluid are visible. The cerebral cortex resembles the earth after bombs have been dropped on it - all in craters. Every drink here has left its mark.”

Similar changes in the brain occur in people whose death is not necessarily due to alcohol-related causes.

More subtle brain examination of a person who died from acute alcohol intoxication shows that changes in the protoplasm and nucleus have occurred in the nerve cells, just as pronounced as in case of poisoning with other strong poisons. In this case, the cells of the cerebral cortex are affected much more than the subcortical parts, that is, alcohol has a stronger effect on the cells of higher centers than lower ones. In the brain there was a strong overflow of blood, often with rupture of blood vessels in the meninges and on the surface of the cerebral convolutions.

In cases non-fatal acute alcohol poisoning The same processes occur in the brain and in the nerve cells of the cortex. The perception of the victim becomes difficult and slows down, attention and memory are impaired. As a result of these changes, as well as the constant influence of the alcoholic and drinking climate on a person, profound changes in his character and psyche begin.

In addition to the gradual destruction of certain aspects of the mental and mental aspects of brain activity, alcohol increasingly leads to a complete shutdown of normal brain function. The personality changes, the processes of its degradation begin. If you do not stop drinking at this time, full restoration of moral qualities may never occur.

When taking even larger doses, severe dysfunction of the entire central nervous system occurs, involving the spinal cord and medulla oblongata. Deep anesthesia and coma develop. When taking a dose equal to 7.8 g alcohol per kilogram of weight, which is approximately equals 1-1.25 liters of vodka, death occurs for an adult. For children lethal dose is 4-5 times less, per kilogram of weight.

In the experiments of Academician I.P. Pavlov it was established that after taking small doses of alcohol reflexes disappear and are restored only on days 8-12. But reflexes are the lowest forms of brain function. Alcohol acts primarily on its higher forms. Experiments carried out on educated people have proven that after taking so-called “moderate” doses, that is, 25-40 g of alcohol, higher brain functions are restored only on days 12-20. Thus, if you drink alcohol more often than once every two weeks, the brain will not be able to free itself from the drug poison and will remain in a poisoned state all the time. In case of continuous exposure of the brain to alcohol, the damage caused to it will be undeniable.

How does alcohol work?

First of all, it has narcotic properties: one gets used to it very quickly, and the need for repeated doses arises, the more frequently and in large doses alcoholic “drinks” are taken; as it is consumed, an increasingly larger dose is required each time to obtain the same effect.

How does this drug in various doses affect the mental and mental activity of the brain?

Specially conducted experiments and observations on humans, who drank an average dose, that is, one to one and a half glasses of vodka, it has been established that in all cases without exception alcohol acts in the same way, namely: it slows down and complicates mental processes, while at first it accelerates and then slows down motor acts. In this case, more complex mental processes suffer first and the simplest mental functions, especially those associated with motor ideas, last longer.

Paralysis of the centers of mental functions primarily affects those processes that we call judgment and criticism. As they weaken, feelings begin to prevail, not moderated or restrained by criticism. Observations show that those who drink do not become smarter, and if they think otherwise, it depends on the beginning of the weakening of the higher activity of their brain: as criticism weakens, self-confidence increases. Lively body movements, gestures and restless boasting of one’s strength are also a consequence of the onset of paralysis of consciousness and will: the correct, reasonable barriers that keep a sober person from useless movements and thoughtless, absurd waste of strength have been removed.

In numerous experiments conducted by leading experts in this field, it turned out that in all cases, without exception, under the influence alcohol the simplest mental functions (perceptions) are disturbed and slowed down not as much as more complex ones (associations). These latter suffer in two ways: firstly, their formation is slowed down and weakened, and, secondly, their quality changes significantly: the lowest forms of associations, namely motor or mechanically learned associations, most easily arise in the mind, often without the slightest attitude to the matter and, once appearing, stubbornly hold on, emerging again and again, but completely inappropriately. In this regard, such persistent associations resemble a purely pathological phenomenon, noticeable in neurasthenia and severe psychoses.

As for motor acts, they are accelerated, but this acceleration depends on the relaxation of inhibitory impulses, and in them an inaccuracy of work is immediately noticeable, namely, the phenomenon of a premature reaction.

Upon re-appointment alcohol damage to higher centers of brain activity lasts from 8 to 20 days. If drink alcohol for a long time, then the work of these centers has not been restored.

Based on scientific data, it has been proven that first of all, the most recent, most recent achievements obtained by mental stress, say, over the last week, month, are lost, and a person, after drinking alcohol, returns to the level of mental development that he had a week or month ago.

If alcohol poisoning happens often, the subject remains mentally immobile, and thinking is ordinary and stereotyped. Subsequently, older, stronger, stronger associations weaken and perceptions weaken. As a result, mental processes become narrowed, devoid of freshness and originality.

Numerous animal experiments conducted by Ivan Petrovich Pavlov showed that after relatively small doses of alcohol The dog's developed conditioned reflexes go out and are restored only after six days. Experiences from later years confirm the negative effects of alcohol on the nervous system. A typist who was given twenty-five grams of vodka to drink before starting work made fifteen to twenty percent more mistakes than usual. Drivers of cars missed prohibiting signs, the shooter could not accurately hit the target.

The effect of alcohol on the stomach and pancreas

Upon admission alcohol Internally, it is primarily the stomach that suffers. And what stronger alcoholic products, the more severe his defeat is.

Profound changes occur in the entire glandular apparatus of the digestive canal: the glands located in the wall of the stomach and producing gastric juice containing pepsin, hydrochloric acid and various enzymes necessary for digesting food, under the influence of irritation, first secrete a lot of mucus, and then atrophy. Arises gastritis, which, if its cause is not eliminated and treated, can develop into stomach cancer.

Sclerotic changes also occur in the pancreas. Autopsies of persons aged 30-40 years who drank wine in large doses or for a long time showed profound changes in the pancreas, which explains the frequent complaints of drinkers about poor digestion, severe abdominal pain, etc.

These same patients often experience diabetes due to the death of special cells located in the pancreas that produce insulin. Pancreatitis and diabetes due to alcohol are usually irreversible phenomena, which is why people are doomed to constant pain and illness. Not only that, pancreatitis worsens at the slightest violation of the diet.

The effect of alcohol on the liver

Passing through the liver barrier, ethyl alcohol has a negative effect on liver cells who die under the influence of the destructive effects of this toxic product. In their place, connective tissue forms, or simply a scar that does not perform liver function. The liver gradually decreases in size, that is, it shrinks, the liver vessels are compressed, the blood stagnates in them, the pressure increases 3-4 times. And if a vessel ruptures, heavy bleeding begins, from which patients often die. According to WHO, about 80% of patients die within a year after the first bleeding. The changes described above are called cirrhosis of the liver. The level of alcoholism in a particular country is determined by the number of patients with cirrhosis.

Alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver- one of the most severe and hopeless human diseases in terms of treatment. Cirrhosis of the liver as a consequence of alcohol consumption, according to WHO data published in 1982, it has become one of the leading causes of death.

The figure shows for comparison the liver of a healthy person (top) and the liver of a person who “culturally” drinks alcohol (bottom).

Development of alcoholism

Chronic alcoholism develops with prolonged use of alcoholic drinks., which has its own clinical picture, which varies in degree, but with a characteristic characteristic of all drinkers - they strive to find a reason to drink, and if there is no reason, they drink without it.

Experiments and observations of drinking people have established that the higher the concentration of alcohol, the more toxic it is. This explains the unfavorable effect of strong alcoholic drinks on the development of alcoholism.

No matter how severe the consequences of alcoholism are, it is not the whole tragedy of this problem. The tragedy is in alcohol consumption itself.

Thus, alcohol products spoil the life of a person and the whole society.

Fatalities from alcohol consumption

Like any poison, alcohol taken in a certain dose is fatal.. Through numerous experiments, the smallest amount of poison per kilogram of body weight that is necessary for poisoning and death of an animal has been established. This is the so-called toxic equivalent. From observations of human poisoning ethyl alcohol a toxic equivalent for humans has been derived. It is equal to 7-8 g. For a person weighing 64 kg, the lethal dose will be equal to 500 g of pure alcohol.

The speed of administration has a significant impact on the course of poisoning. Slow administration reduces the danger. When a lethal dose enters the body? body temperature decreases by 3-4 degrees. Death occurs within 12-40 hours. If you do the calculations for vodka 40°, it turns out that the lethal dose is 1200g.

Acute alcohol poisoning, or the so-called “drunken” death, is not taken into account in modern statistics, so we can judge their frequency based on pre-revolutionary statistics. Death from alcohol depends on the per capita consumption of alcohol and the strength of the “drinks.” Analysis of sudden and accidental deaths shows that alcohol is one of the leading causes of accidents.

It has been established that death from booze in the Russian Empire occurred 3-5 times more often than in other European countries. Based on these data, scientists make a completely fair conclusion that there are special conditions here that cause alcohol-related mortality unparalleled in comparison with other countries, even with more low average per capita alcohol consumption.

It has been scientifically proven that the lower the average annual temperature of a particular region, the more severe the effect of alcohol consumption on the human body. The influence of climate is so significant that scientists equate it to an additional dose of alcohol taken, that is, in a cold climate, a dose of alcohol has the same effect as in a warmer climate - a double dose.

Alcoholism is one of the most difficult problems of modern society. Alcohol and its effect on the body is the subject of discussion among scientists from various specialties who are trying to establish the reasons for the rapid increase in incidence, ways to remove people from this condition, as well as risk factors for developing a tendency to regularly drink alcohol. The harmful effects of alcohol on the body begin to appear after the first few days of systematic intake of the toxic substance.

At first, alcohol-induced changes in internal organs are not characterized by a sharp disruption of their functionality. But over time, the influence of alcohol on a person increases, leading to acute disorders in the activity of vital systems of the body and breaking the chain of complex mechanisms of its neurohumoral regulation.

Features of the mechanism of action

How does alcohol affect the body? Once in the human stomach, alcohol is absorbed almost instantly into the bloodstream. Few people know, but alcoholic drinks begin to decompose in the oral cavity, so the blood is saturated with alcohol from the first minute of its contact with the body. From this moment the harmful effects of alcohol on human organs begin. About 20% of alcohol is neutralized by the liver enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which deactivates substances containing alcohol toxins.

The bulk of alcohol continues to act in the small intestine. It is from here that alcohol penetrates into all aqueous areas of the body, in order to be partially excreted through sweat, urine, saliva, etc., and partially oxidize and accumulate in most organs for several days. During this period, alcohol works like poison, slowly poisoning all the cells of the body, affecting the development of a person, the state of his psyche and the functionality of internal structures.

Effect of alcohol on the central nervous system

The human brain is one of the most important organs of the body, which is constantly exposed to harmful external factors, in particular alcohol. When drinking alcoholic beverages, few people think about the serious harm it causes to the nervous system. Each glass of alcohol is a kind of blow to the head, which leads to mental disorders, partial memory loss, imaginary anxiety, hallucinations and much more.

Among the most severe brain diseases provoked by the effects of alcohol on the body is alcoholic encephalopathy. This pathological condition is a complex psychosis of a complex nature, which is expressed in numerous mental disorders, accompanied by classic neurological and somatic symptoms of alcoholism. Alcoholic encephalopathy is manifested by the following set of symptoms:

• the patient develops the so-called short-term alcoholic paralysis, during which all the muscles of the body are under severe tension;
• The disease is characterized by motor agitation, which manifests itself in the form of rhythmic and monotonous actions;
• patients suffer from hallucinations, anxiety, depressive moods, and mania;
• incoherent speech and memory impairment are often diagnosed;
• It is impossible to have a constructive dialogue with such people.

In addition, alcoholic encephalopathy, which rapidly progresses against the background of regular abuse of strong alcoholic drinks, sooner or later ends in deep cerebral coma. It is extremely difficult to bring a sick person out of such a state, so most often he dies. Patients who survive this pathological condition are left with persistent mental, motor function and sensitivity disorders that do not allow them to return to a full life.

It is important to understand that damage to the central nervous system tissues by the active toxin begins from the first glass, regardless of what kind of drinks a person drinks: strong or low-alcohol. According to research, severe forms of encephalopathy develop within 3-5 years of systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages. The effect of alcohol on the body often causes the development of life-threatening conditions, among which cerebral strokes deserve special attention.

Alcohol harms the liver

Alcoholism is the first doctor of the liver. The glandular organ, which performs an antitoxic function in the human body, begins to degenerate under the harmful influence of alcohol, changing its structure. Depending on the duration of alcohol consumption and the severity of liver disorders, doctors distinguish three main stages of alcoholic degeneration of the gland:

1. alcoholic fatty degeneration of the organ, which in clinical practice is manifested by attacks of heaviness in the area of ​​​​the liver projection, pain in the right hypochondrium, general weakness and poor health;
2. toxic alcoholic hepatitis, which is characterized by signs of hepatomegaly, pain in the right side, yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes, as well as changes in appetite and digestion;
3. alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, as a rule, occurs in the late stages of the disease, provoked by the harmful effects of alcohol on human organs, and is manifested by the classic symptoms of portal hypertension, increasing ascites, excessive thinness of the patient, frequent nausea and vomiting, a sharp increase in the size of the liver, and severe disruption of digestive function , apathy and general malaise.

Reversible changes are characteristic only of the first stage of alcoholic liver damage, while hepatitis and cirrhosis have an irreversible destructive effect on the gland, resistant to all types of modern therapeutic techniques. And if patients with hepatitis have a chance of partial recovery with long-term remission, then people with cirrhosis are simply doomed, since they have already experienced liver degeneration with a violation of the organ’s architecture. Cirrhosis is characterized by a high mortality rate within the first three years after diagnosis.

The effects of alcohol on other systems and organs

The harmful effects of alcohol on the human body are expressed not only in dysfunction of the brain and liver. Alcoholism has a negative effect on all organs and systems of the human body. In short, regular consumption of alcoholic beverages completely destroys the model of normal functioning of the patient’s body, has a detrimental effect on his full functioning and is one of the main causes of mortality among people of working age.

The harmful effects of alcohol on the human body largely relate to its effects on the cardiovascular system. Systemic alcoholics significantly increase the risk of developing deadly forms of acute myocardial ischemia, stroke, and hypertensive crisis. Doctors have proven that even small concentrations of alcohol provoke the appearance of arrhythmic activity of the heart, an increase in blood pressure and a strong dilation of blood vessels, followed by a reflex spasm. Over time, such effects can negatively affect the myocardium, as they can develop myocardial dystrophy and hypertrophy of the heart chambers.

When answering the question of how alcohol affects the human body, one cannot ignore the problem of respiratory disorders. Alcoholics are more often diagnosed with tuberculosis, bronchial obstruction, inflammatory processes in the lung tissue and emphysema than other people. The gastrointestinal tract also suffers from the negative effects of alcohol. In particular, the gastric mucosa is exposed to the aggressive action of toxins that provoke the development of gastritis, enteritis, peptic ulcers, and the like. The pancreas and kidneys are very sensitive to alcohol poisons. Under their influence, these organs become inflamed and cease to function normally.

Alcohol affects the function of the immune system and contributes to the development of allergic reactions. In patients who drink alcohol, a number of disorders of the endocrine glands, deterioration of the skin, and weakening of muscles are determined. Patients suffering from alcoholism sometimes complain of sexual disorders, note sexual impotence, decreased libido, and infertility.

Impact on the psyche

Probably each of us knows how alcohol affects the human psyche. Heavy drinkers may experience hallucinations, an overwhelming feeling of anxiety, apathy, and prolonged depression. Alcoholics completely lose their own self. These people become asocial, pay little attention to their appearance, they stop worrying about everyday human worries, caring for their family, and the like.

It is important to note that the harmful effects of alcohol are expressed in its systemic effect on the human body and the triggering of the mechanisms of its premature aging. The life expectancy of people who drink alcohol is reduced by about 15 years compared to the average. All this means that if it is possible to drink a glass of alcohol, a person should think about his health and replace alcohol with healthy juice or a glass of milk.

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Many decades ago, having studied the effect of alcohol on human organs, scientists compared it to a cancerous tumor that destroys human health. But years have passed, and such a comparison has lost its relevance. Modern medicine has learned to cure many types of cancer and return patients to a full life. How does alcohol influence and act on the human body? What organs does alcohol affect? You will learn from this article.

The situation with alcohol is critical; it has been and remains an unresolved medical and social problem. Even if it is possible to cope with addiction and a person stops drinking, the harm caused by the effects of alcohol on the body remains for life. Avid lovers of “fun” drinks who have not yet crossed this line need to know about this and should reconsider their attitude towards alcohol.

How alcohol affects the human body (briefly)

Among the variety of human diseases, about 7% of them arise as a result of the influence of alcohol, and among all those who die annually from diseases and injuries, 6% are alcohol lovers - that’s almost 3.5 million people. This data is provided by the World Health Organization.

As a result of the influence of alcohol on a person, it becomes the cause of diseases leading to death, as a result of its impact on almost all organs and systems:

The effects of alcohol on human body systems:

• Nervous – central and peripheral;
• Cardiovascular;
• Respiratory;
• Digestive;
• Endocrine;
• Urinary;
• Genitourinary and reproductive.

Alcohol itself (ethanol) in its pure form is a narcotic drug that depresses the central nervous system.

Alcohol disrupts metabolic processes in the body's cells and contributes to the development of hypoxia - oxygen starvation.

Only 3% of drunk ethanol functions in the body in its pure form and does its “dirty work”. The remaining amount is decomposed in the liver and other tissues under the influence of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase to acetaldehyde, which is then converted into acetic acid.

It is these 2 substances that circulate throughout the body and cause the greatest harm to it.

The effect of alcoholic drinks on the brain

The most vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and its breakdown products is nervous tissue - brain cells. In their composition, they contain fatty substances (lipids) up to 70%, they are most concentrated in the protective cell membranes.

Ethanol, by its chemical nature, interacts with fats and is their solvent. At the first stage, pure alcohol, absorbed from the stomach, acts, disrupting the structure and functionality of the nervous tissue.

Over time, toxic breakdown products of ethanol enter the brain with the blood.– acetaldehyde, acetic acid. Deprived of fatty protection, vulnerable nerve cells are easily exposed to toxic effects, life processes in them are sharply disrupted, many of them cease to exist - they die.

According to scientific research, drinking 40g of pure alcohol, which is equivalent to 100 ml of vodka, 300-400 ml of wine or 800-1000 ml of beer, leads to the death of an average of 8 thousand neurons. It is easy to calculate that regular feasts take away hundreds of thousands of neurons from life.

And although their total number in humans is about 15 billion, pronounced disturbances in nerve function occur both due to loss and due to damage and decreased functionality of the remaining cells.

Unlike liver cells, which can partially regenerate, dead neurons are not restored.

The following morphological changes occur in the brain:

• Reducing its total volume;
• Formation of ulcers, voids and scar tissue at the site of dead cells;
• Smoothing the surface of the convolutions;
• Accumulation of fluid in the formed cavities, increased intracranial pressure.

Where do dead neurons go? No matter how blasphemous it may sound, the expression “an alcoholic urinates his brains” is very accurate, because the remnants of decomposed nerve cells are actually excreted in the urine the very next day.

The consequences of the influence of alcohol on the brain are pathological and anatomical changes, and they invariably affect its work, but it is not only the main department of the entire nervous system, but also contains centers that control all functions of the body.

The effect of alcohol on the nervous system

So, brain cells are damaged by alcohol - this is clear. What is the nervous system? It is divided into 2 sections - central and peripheral. The central one includes the brain with all its control centers, the spinal cord, consisting of many pathways that connect the brain with the entire body.

The peripheral system is the nerve branches, extending from the spinal cord to all parts of the body, tissues and organs, forming autonomous systems, nerve plexuses and ganglia (nodes) there.

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All these structures are connected into a single system, and most importantly, they have a similar anatomical structure, equally susceptible to the effects of alcohol. Just like brain cells, the substance of the spinal cord, pathways, and nerve fibers of various calibers, down to the smallest branches, suffer.

Not only do they not receive normal impulses from the affected brain, they themselves lose the ability to conduct it from the organs to the brain and vice versa.

As a result, the following symptom complex of pathological changes develops:

• Deterioration of vision, hearing, memory loss;
• Indifference to people, immoral behavior;
• Decreased thinking ability;
• The appearance of neuralgic symptoms: pain and numbness in the extremities, muscle wasting, sensory disturbances (dysesthesia), decreased reflexes, thinning of the skin;
• Poor orientation in space, unsteadiness of gait;
• Loss of critical attitude towards oneself;
• Speech disorders;
• Mental disorders - hallucinations, unmotivated anger, aggression, depression;
• Dysfunction of internal organs (secretory, motor).

Doctors call this effect of alcohol on human health - alcoholic polyneuropathy syndrome, that is, damage to the entire nervous system as a whole.

Effects on the cardiovascular system

The effect of alcohol on the human body is negative and detrimental to the cardiovascular system. Alcohol has a triple effect: on the heart muscle itself, on the wall of blood vessels, and on the blood.

The heart muscle suffers from toxic effects, with its frequent repetition, the muscle fibers atrophy, gradually being replaced by connective tissue. Myocardial dystrophy develops with a decrease in myocardial contractile function.

Ethanol is a vascular poison; at first it causes a temporary dilation of blood vessels, which is followed by their narrowing, loss of elasticity, and increased blood pressure. This also increases the load on the heart, forcing it to contract with greater force to push blood through the resistance of the narrowed blood vessels.

The blood circulating through the vessels becomes more viscous due to the removal of fluid by alcohol and damage to the walls of red blood cells and platelets. Impaired circulation leads to the formation of “plugs” in arterioles and capillaries, impossibility of normal oxygen delivery to tissues. As a result, hypoxia develops, including in the myocardium.

It turns out that in any case, the heart becomes a “beating boy” with regular and excessive alcohol consumption. While its compensatory reserves are not exhausted, it gradually restores its function within a few days after alcohol is removed from the body.

With systematic alcohol consumption, the heart does not have time to recover, and irreversible changes in the walls of blood vessels gradually develop, hypoxia becomes chronic, and such disorders occur.

The harmful effects of alcohol on the human body, in particular on the cardiovascular system, are expressed in the following disorders:

• Tachycardia, interruptions in the heart area (arrhythmia);
• Attacks of angina– compressive pain behind the sternum, a sign of coronary artery disease; against this background, myocardial infarction may develop;
• Phenomena of heart failure– congestion in the lungs (cough, difficulty breathing), swelling in the legs, face, feeling of heaviness, general weakness, shortness of breath during exercise, walking.

According to world medical statistics, the majority of cases of heart attack, acute heart failure, cardiac arrest, severe arrhythmia with fibrillation and clinical death are registered in people who regularly drink alcohol.

This is confirmed by the fact that most of these cases occur with men who are addicted to alcohol more than women.

Another important factor, the influence of alcohol, contributes to the development of coronary heart disease– stimulation of the formation of cholesterol and saturated (harmful) fatty acids under the influence of acetaldehyde and acetic acid. Dense cholesterol settles on the walls of damaged vessels, forming atherosclerotic plaques, vascular patency worsens even more, and hypoxia increases.

Negative effects of ethanol on blood vessels

Alcohol has a pathological effect on both types of blood vessels - arteries and veins.

On the artery

Ethanol, circulating through the vessels, affects their inner lining - the endothelium (intima), destroying the fatty substances of the cell membranes of the cells. Its surface becomes corroded and uneven. The arteries react with a reflex spasm, which is gradually replaced by a persistent narrowing of their lumen.

Red blood cells and platelets easily settle on damaged vascular intima, forming clusters, they are precursors of a blood clot. In addition to them, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are deposited - the same “harmful” type of cholesterol that forms atherosclerotic plaques. Both processes occur in the vessels of any part of the body and organ, causing circulatory disorders.

In the coronary vessels of the heart, this leads to coronary disease, heart attack, damage to the cerebral vessels causes cerebrovascular accident, stroke.

When the arteries of the extremities are damaged, obliterating atherosclerosis develops with gradual tissue atrophy, often ending in gangrene.

As a result of the influence of alcohol on the arteries of the abdominal cavity, they narrow and cause a serious condition - thrombosis of the mesenteric artery, when intestinal necrosis occurs.

To venous vessels

Veins differ from arteries in having a thinner wall and a much smaller number of muscle fibers. Therefore, when alcohol damages their inner lining, they cannot react with spasm; on the contrary, their walls become thinner under the influence of the toxin, venous tone decreases, and the lumen of the veins expands.

Blood flow in the veins has a much lower speed and pressure than in the arteries, and the expansion of their lumen slows it down even more. This creates conditions for the aggregation of blood elements and the formation of blood clots. They can come off, get into the cavity of the heart, and from there into the lungs.

Veins also have valves that prevent blood from returning.

As a result of the influence of alcohol, the toxic effect weakens the valves, blood returns, and venous pressure increases. The result is expansion and thinning of the wall, the development of varicose veins.

How does the liver suffer from drinking alcohol?

The liver, as is well known, is the main “cleansing station” of the body., and everything that enters it is neutralized in its cells. You might be interested... That is why the liver takes the main blow when intoxicated; 90% of the alcohol that enters the body passes through it. Absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, ethanol enters the portal vein with the blood and is distributed in the parenchyma of the organ.

Liver cells, hepatocytes, begin to produce the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which breaks down ethyl alcohol to acetaldehyde. Then, when its concentration increases, the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase is activated, breaking it down into acetic acid.

These substances have a detrimental effect on liver cells, which is accompanied by poor circulation and increased load on hepatocytes.

The consequence of alcohol consumption on the human body, and specifically the liver, is the gradual death of liver cells, and adipose tissue forms in their place. This process is called fatty hepatosis or liver steatosis - the “first signs” warning that there is a high probability of cirrhosis.

If a person stops drinking alcohol at this stage, liver tissue is restored, organ function is normalized. If libations continue, dense connective scar tissue develops in place of both adipose tissue and parenchyma - fibrosis, it displaces the parenchyma, this is cirrhosis - irreversible changes.

Weakened hepatocytes reduce their ability to recover, and the developing fibrous tissue compresses both the hepatic bile ducts and narrows the liver vessels. As a result, a serious complication occurs - portal hypertension, when the pressure in the veins of the liver is several times higher than normal.

The body, trying to find workarounds for the outflow of blood from the liver, “turns on” anastomoses (connections) between the portal vein and the inferior vena cava, which are located in the esophagus, stomach, and abdominal wall.

Due to increased venous pressure, these anastomoses expand, forming varicose nodes in the esophagus and stomach, which are dangerous due to severe bleeding, often leading to the death of the patient.

Developing liver failure leads to intoxication of the body, decreased protein synthesis, enzymes, anemia, impaired carbohydrate and fat metabolism. In addition, cirrhosis develops into liver cancer in 30% of cases.

The consequences of drinking alcohol for the kidneys

Alcohol sharply increases the load on the kidneys, because ultimately everything is eliminated from the body through them: both the breakdown products of nerve and liver cells, and alcohol toxins. The water load also increases, because acetic acid is hydrophilic and carries with it a large amount of water. As a result, the thin renal glomeruli and tubules cannot cope with the overload; they allow protein to pass through, which appears in the urine.

The remnants of toxic substances collect in the cavities of the kidneys, which form crystals in the form of sand and then stones. As a result, the influence of alcohol leads to the fact that, against the background of a body weakened by alcohol, an infection develops, and inflammation develops in the overloaded kidneys.

Damage to the urinary system can be easily judged by the swelling of a drinker when the kidneys cannot cope with the elimination of fluid and toxins. Against this background, chronic or acute renal failure, urolithiasis, and nephritis may develop.

The effect of alcohol on the pancreas

Pancreatic parenchyma cells are very vulnerable and sensitive to any impact and overload. Their main enzyme is amylase, which breaks down carbohydrates, and there is a lot of them in alcohol, especially in beer and sweet dessert wines. The vessels of the gland and the glandular cells themselves are also affected under the influence of ethanol products.

The result is chronic pancreatitis with impaired enzyme function, indigestion. With too much alcohol, severe acute pancreatitis can develop, often with pancreatic necrosis, requiring urgent surgery.

In the tail part of the gland there are endocrine cells that produce insulin. Under the influence of alcohol, they are damaged, which leads to a lack of insulin and the development of diabetes. There is also a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer against the background of chronic alcoholic pancreatitis.

Features of the impact on the female and male body

The female body differs from the male body in the characteristics of its neuro-hormonal system. On the one hand, there are many times fewer women who drink than men, this is explained by their social status - responsibility for children, taking care of the home, and so on. On the other hand, if a woman becomes addicted to alcohol, her addiction is much more severe than that of a man.

Fewer enzymes that break down alcohol are produced in the female body. therefore, a woman remains intoxicated longer. During this time, alcohol manages to cause a lot of trouble. Sex hormones are synthesized on the basis of adipose tissue, which is destroyed by alcohol.

IN the effect of alcohol on the human reproductive system – menstrual irregularities, miscarriages, infertility, increased risk of developing cervical and breast cancer. A drinking woman gradually loses the features that distinguish the fair half of humanity and ages early.

The endocrine system of men who drink remains invulnerable longer, but the consequence is the effect of alcohol on the male body is decrease in its hormonal levels. Which leads to a decrease in sexual activity, spermatogenesis and fertility of a man, often to complete impotence, creating a favorable background for the development of prostate cancer.

Any capable person should be struck by the thought of how stupid it is to conduct an experiment with alcohol at the cost of one’s health and life and prove what has long been proven by science and confirmed by sad statistics. The influence of alcohol has a negative impact on human health.

Have you ever thought about how many people drink alcohol?

According to statistics from the American Institute on Alcoholism, 87% of people 18 years of age and older have consumed alcohol in their lifetime. 71% drank alcohol during the last year, 56% during the last month.

Generalized statistics for the world are not so easy to find, so we will focus on US data.

Every second person drinks alcohol periodically.

If we take into account the harm to the person himself and others, alcohol is the most harmful in the world. More harmful than heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine. This is primarily due to the amount of product consumed. Alcohol is more popular than any other drug.

These data were obtained as a result of research by David Nutt, a British psychiatrist and pharmacologist who studies the effects of drugs on our bodies.

We're used to alcohol, and it's scary.

News reports cover drug-related crimes, but no one pays attention to alcohol-related crimes. This is reminiscent of the situation with accidents. No one cares about car accidents, but as soon as a ship runs aground or a plane crashes, all these events spread across the Internet.

Taking alcohol for granted, we forget that slurred tongue, fun, etc. are not the only effect of alcoholic drinks on our body.

How alcohol affects the body

Approximately 20% of alcohol consumed is absorbed by the stomach. The remaining 80% goes to the small intestine. How quickly alcohol is absorbed depends on its concentration in the drink. The higher it is, the faster intoxication will occur. Vodka, for example, is absorbed much faster than beer. A full stomach also slows down absorption and the onset of the intoxicating effect.

Once alcohol enters the stomach and small intestine, it travels through the bloodstream throughout the body. At this time, our body tries to remove it.

More than 10% of alcohol is excreted by the kidneys and lungs through urine and breathing. That is why breathalyzers can determine whether you have been drinking or not.

The liver handles the rest of the alcohol, which is why it is the organ that suffers the most damage. There are two main reasons why alcohol harms the liver:

1. Oxidative (oxidative) stress. As a result of the chemical reactions that accompany the removal of alcohol through the liver, its cells may be damaged. The organ will try to heal itself, and this may cause inflammation or scarring.
2. Toxins in intestinal bacteria. Alcohol can damage the intestines, causing gut bacteria to enter the liver and lead to inflammation.

The alcohol effect does not occur immediately, but only after several doses. It occurs when the amount of alcohol taken in exceeds the amount excreted by the body.

How alcohol affects the brain

A slurred tongue, unruly body parts and memory loss are all symptoms on the brain. People who frequently drink alcohol begin to experience problems with coordination, balance and common sense. One of the main symptoms is a slow reaction, so drivers are prohibited from driving while intoxicated.

The effect of alcohol on the brain is that it changes the level of neurotransmitters - substances that transmit impulses from neurons to muscle tissue.

Neurotransmitters are responsible for processing external stimuli, emotions and behavior. They can either stimulate electrical activity in the brain or inhibit it.

One of the most important inhibitory neurotransmitters is gamma-aminobutyric acid. Alcohol enhances its effect, thereby making the movements and speech of drunk people slow.

How to reduce the negative effects of alcohol

But you are unlikely to decide to do this.

Therefore, here are some gentler tips that will help reduce the effect of alcohol on the body:

1. Drink plenty of water. Alcohol removes fluid from the body. Ideally, you should have one or two if you know you're going to drink alcohol.
2. Eat. As already mentioned, a full stomach slows down the absorption of alcohol, thereby giving the body time to gradually eliminate it.
3. Don't overeat on fatty foods. Yes, fats create a film that prevents the stomach from absorbing alcohol, but excessive amounts of fatty foods are more likely to do harm than good.
4. Avoid carbonated drinks. The carbon dioxide they contain accelerates the absorption of alcohol.
5. If you just want to support the company and are not going to get drunk, then the best option is one strong drink per hour. By following this rule, you will give your body time to eliminate alcohol.