The effect of alcohol on the body

The harm of alcohol to the human body is great. All organs and systems of the human body are affected. Negative impact does not spare the younger generation, women and men. It is worth understanding: is alcohol 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 fall under the shock, which is part of ethanol: organs of the digestive system, central nervous system, cardiovascular, genitourinary, respiratory systems, musculoskeletal system, visual organs, etc. Alcohol further damages the liver, heart and brain (memory training).

The effect of alcohol on the body is manifested as follows:

• adversely affects organ cells;
• promotes mutation and the formation of oncology;
• when used during pregnancy, may lead to irreversible consequences for the fetus;
• is a medicine;
• disrupts normal metabolism;
• reduces immunity.

Effect on the liver

The effect of alcohol on the liver is related to its main function - cleansing the body of toxins and harmful substances. Prolonged alcohol intake leads to damage to the liver by ethanol and impairment of its performance. When the liver can not cope with the filtering function, all the toxic substances enter the bloodstream to other organs.

The effect of alcohol on the liver is manifested by the appearance of diseases:

1. Acute alcoholic hepatitis. Symptoms: depression, deterioration of general well-being, decreased or lost appetite, fever, jaundice, disturbance of consciousness. This disease is curable provided that the use of products containing ethanol is stopped and the treatment is timely and correct.
2. Cirrhosis of the liver appears with symptoms of digestive disorders, abdominal pain, weight loss, weakness. May develop asymptomatically. Cirrhosis is characterized by the growth of connective tissue, which begins to destroy liver cells. The liver slowly ceases to function. In later stages, an increase in pressure in the liver vessels, encephalopathy, and oncology may be associated with cirrhosis of the liver.
3. fatty hepatosis. Occurs in the absence of symptoms, the presence of which is confirmed using a biochemical blood test. Hepatosis is not treated with medication, the main way to stop drinking alcohol.

The effect of alcohol on the brain

Many people drink alcohol after a hard day at work or on vacation 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 for whatalcohol is harmfulknow and write for a long time. To date, there has been a lot of discussion aboutalcohol is the cause of many diseases. That destroys liver cells and is unable to perform its functions. It also impairs brain function. As a result, a person's memory and brain activity deteriorate. This is because when an alcoholic beverage is drunk, in other words, alcohol, which is absorbed into the bloodstream and moves with the bloodstream to the brain, where the process of its active destruction takes place.

The human brain is made up of 15 billion neurons, meaning nerve cells that die when they interact with alcohol. This means that, each time and with each new sip of an alcoholic beverage, the number of dead nerve cells in the skull area becomes more and more.

And how is everything going? Upon entering the body, ethanol is absorbed into the bloodstream and carried by its current through the organs. Excessive consumption affects the hypothalamus and reduces the production of vasopressin, which leads to dehydration. Ethanol in the blood begins to act on red blood cells, dividing 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 passage of blood vessels - the brain starts starving from oxygen and the brain cells die. Lack of oxygen leads to acidification and gradually tissue hypoxia begins.

When doctors opened the brains of people who had died from alcohol poisoning or had seriously abused alcohol during their lifetime, they discovered that this person's brain had been completely destroyed. After that, scientists came to the conclusion that alcohol is the most powerful tool that deprives 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 undergoes the destructive effect of alcohol is the back of the brain. In this case, they are strongly oscillating. And in the second case, the moral center itself is subject to destruction. The latter case is considered the most dangerous condition, as alcohol kills the brain cells that control behavior. As practice has shown, a person in this condition is able to destroy not only his own life, but also someone else. However, there is a third case in which human 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 a glass of alcohol kills approximately 1000-2000 cells. Which, in turn, in the cerebral cortex begin to rot and decompose. In this case, a person experiences a severe headache, which in the people is called hangover. As these cells poison the brain, defense processes begin to function 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 the 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 lead to damage to the parts of the brain responsible for the vestibular apparatus, human behavior, as well as memory and attention. With regular alcohol abuse, there is a change in thinking and mental processes - degeneration.

Impact on the psyche and nervous system

The effect of alcohol on the functioning of the central nervous system is expressed as follows:

1. Causes insomnia and anxiety. Night terrors can be torturous and it is not uncommon for alcoholics to be afraid of sleep. Taking sleeping pills or antidepressants only makes the situation worse or leads to serious side effects.
2. Violates the thought processes, negatively affects memory. First, memorization occurs in fragments, then ethanol destroys neural connections and gradually a person ceases to remember the past and is unable to remember anything new.
3. The consequences of drinking alcohol are manifested in the weakening of the intellect: a person stops thinking logically, emotions, feelings, perceptions disappear.
4. Polyneuritis is a complication of a neurological nature. Appears in inflammation of the nerves of the arms and legs. Symptoms: numbness, burning and weakness in the limbs.

Mental consequences of alcoholism:

1. Psychosis - ethanol causes inhibition of metabolic processes and oxygen starvation. There is a fog of reason, phobia, a person gradually becomes isolated and begins to live in a self-created world.
2. Delirium tremens. Manifested by sleep disorders, convulsions, depression, sudden changes in feelings of fear and joy, auditory and visual hallucinations.
3. Alcoholic encephalopathy develops in the third stage of alcoholism. It is characterized by symptoms of delirium tremens, which is accompanied by weakness, loss of appetite, tremors, disturbance of consciousness, coma. High chance of death.
4. Alcoholic paralysis - encephalopathy in the chronic stage. Loss of reality, neuritis of the extremities.
5. The impact 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 in the cardiovascular system:

1. Violation of vascular tone and flexibility of the circulatory system due to oxygen starvation and thrombosis.
2. myocardial dystrophy. The pathology is caused by a violation of interstitial metabolism.
3. Myocardial hypertrophy and obesity of the heart.
4. The formation and accumulation of blood clots from the accumulation of red blood cells leads to the death of heart cells, which leads to heart attacks.
5. Blockage of blood vessels leads to the appearance of blood streaks on the skin of the face.

Impact 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 defense mechanisms. Increases the likelihood of inflammatory processes in the kidneys, urethra and bladder - pyelonephritis, nephritis, glomerulonephritis, urethra, cyst.

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 metabolism is disrupted under the influence of alcohol, the structure of the kidneys is damaged, harmful substances accumulate and toxins develop renal dystrophy. In the absence of treatment and further alcohol consumption, one of the listed diseases develops renal failure.

Impact on the digestive organs

Alcohol, entering the oral cavity, disrupts 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 disturbed.

Gradually, there is a deterioration of secretory function, in case of violation of which the pancreas is attacked. Alcoholic gastritis develops, which gradually turns into pancreatitis.

Alcohol also contributes to the production of gastric juice and hydrochloric acid, which erode the walls of the digestive organs and cause ulcers, which over time can cause oncology of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, alcohol blocks 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 poisoning of the body by alcohol, the work of the spleen and the ability to cleanse the body is disrupted. Disorders in the work of the spleen are also caused by the effect of alcohol on the liver, pancreas and circulatory system and the disruption of their work.

As a result of alcohol abuse, blood circulation to the spleen is disturbed, resulting in tissue infarction and suffocation of the spleen capsule - spleen abscess.

Impact on immunity

The effect of alcohol on the defense mechanisms of the human body:

1. Suppress innate and acquired immunity.
2. Reduced immunity ceases to produce enough white blood cells, the ability to resist disease is impaired.
3. Violates the synthesis of cytokines, the excess of which leads to tissue destruction, the absence of frequent diseases.
4. It suppresses the work of T cells, which increases the risk of oncology.
5. Alcohol lowers immunity and increases the risk of pneumonia, tuberculosis and HIV.

Impact on the musculoskeletal system

Ethanol is known for dehydrating the body. Water is essential for the functioning of cells. Lack of fluids leads to metabolic disorders. As a result, decay products and harmful compounds accumulate in muscle tissue, causing discomfort. Alcoholism leads to disruption of the endocrine system - the production of testosterone and glycogen is suppressed. Their absence leads to degradation of muscle tissue.

The effect of alcohol on the joints

1. With alcoholism, osteoarthritis and osteoarthritis develop - thinning of cartilage tissue, with regular abuse, its disappearance. The protective mechanism against friction disappears, the joints begin to hurt.
2. Joint pain after alcohol can cause compression of the epiphyses and impaired blood circulation and as a result bone ischemia develops.
3. Aseptic necrosis - death of bone tissue
4. Gout is inflammation of the joints.
5. After alcohol, the joints and knees ache due to fluid retention in the tissues and increased intra-articular fluid pressure.

Impact on appearance

How does alcohol affect the appearance:

1. Alcoholic beverages are high in calories, combined with a high-calorie snack and a disturbed metabolism, lead to obesity and the appearance of cellulite.
2. The effect of alcohol on the skin: dehydration leads to aging and wrinkling of the skin.
3. Ethanol removes vitamins, minerals and nutrients, disrupts blood flow - the face is covered with acne and capillaries.
4. The body is covered with papules and scales of a non-infectious nature - psoriasis develops.
5. Acetic aldehyde dilates blood vessels and as a result facial skin becomes brown.
6. In the later stages of alcoholism, skin cancer is possible.

Impact on the endocrine system

Alcohol interferes with the work of the endocrine system, which includes the endocrine glands:

1. Alcohol and thyroid gland: hormonal activity is disturbed, which negatively affects the possibility of reproduction. Women suffering from alcoholism often have cases of infertility, abortion, premature birth.
2. Alcohol and pancreas: ethanol inhibits the pancreas and, against the background of reduced immunity, pancreatitis develops.
3. Alcohol reduces insulin production - diabetes develops. Cases of latent course of the disease are not uncommon.
4. 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.
5. Alcoholism breaks the connection between the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus. The production of tropical hormones decreases and the synthesis of the opposite sex hormones increases - the appearance gradually begins to change.

Effects on the lungs

Alcohol is excreted from the body not only through the digestive system and secretion. 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. Connective tissue fibrosis appears. Mucus and saliva 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 the defense mechanisms are violated, a person is more often exposed to viral and infectious diseases. Alcoholics often have tuberculosis. Blockage of blood vessels leads to lack of oxygen.

Impact on vision

With regular use of alcohol, it is not uncommon for the eyes to hurt - this is due to:

1. The formation of blood clots in the optic nerve vessels and oculomotor muscles disrupts the blood supply throughout the visual system.
2. A drop in oxygen in the blood, which leads to darkening of the eyes, can lead to blindness.
3. Increased eye pressure, which causes rupture of blood vessels and hemorrhage.
4. Vision does not adapt well to changing conditions and lighting. Objects in the field of view are removed and blurred. Disorders caused by alcohol in the center of the eye's brain cause double vision.
5. In the last stage, under the influence of alcohol, optic nerves atrophy.

Alcohol negatively affects the whole body without exception. There is a violation of the digestive, secretory, cardiovascular, endocrine and other body systems. Harmful effect on organ function leads to the development of serious diseases, some of which are incurable.