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The liver metabolizes most of the alcohol you consume, breaking it down into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a toxin that can damage the body’s organs and tissues before it is further broken down into acetate. Years of moderate to heavy drinking can cause liver scarring (fibrosis), increasing the risk of liver diseases like cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer. Conversely, other recent data suggest a lower risk for dementia in people consuming a few alcoholic beverages a day. A much larger study of almost 4 million people in Korea noted that mild to moderate alcohol consumption was linked to a lower risk for dementia compared to non-drinking.
Is There a “Safe” Amount of Alcohol for the Brain?
Many different subtypes of alcohol dependence exist, characterized by alcohol cravings, inability to abstain or loss of self-control when drinking (71). Alcohol dependence is one of the main causes of alcohol abuse and disability in the US and a strong risk factor for various diseases (70). Studies suggest that light and moderate consumption of alcohol may cut the risk of premature death — especially in Western societies (66, 67). Beer has a similar number of calories as sugary soft drinks, ounce for ounce, whereas red wine has twice as much (28, 29, 30). Excessive alcohol consumption can have numerous adverse effects on your brain. Fatty liver gradually develops in 90% of those who drink more than a 1/2 ounce (15 ml) of alcohol per day (4, 5).
The Steps to Liver Disease
Don’t try to make the person vomit because they could choke on it. To prevent choking, turn them on to their side and put a cushion under their head. It usually takes the liver about an hour to remove one unit of alcohol from the body. The excess amount of alcohol Top 5 Advantages of Staying in a Sober Living House in your system can also upset your digestion, leading to symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and indigestion. Your liver, which filters alcohol out of your body, will be unable to remove all of the alcohol overnight, so it’s likely you’ll wake with a hangover.
Effects of Alcohol on Your Body
This is because women’s bodies process alcohol differently than men’s bodies do. Women have lower levels of the stomach enzyme that neutralizes alcohol before it moves into the bloodstream. A variety of factors which affect the levels and patterns of alcohol consumption and the magnitude of alcohol-related problems in populations have https://thepaloaltodigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ been identified at individual and societal levels. A significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption arises from unintentional and intentional injuries, including those due to road traffic crashes, violence, and suicide. Fatal alcohol-related injuries tend to occur in relatively younger age groups.
Where can someone find treatment for AUD?
- Long-term alcohol use can change your brain’s wiring in much more significant ways.
- The harmful use of alcohol causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences.
- Some people drink small amounts at a time, while others tend to binge drink.
- Drinking alcohol may increase your risk of certain cancers, especially mouth and throat cancer.
- “Excessive alcohol consumption can cause nerve damage and irreversible forms of dementia,” Dr. Sengupta warns.
- Depending on how often you drink and how much, you may need support from a healthcare professional if you want to stop drinking.
Other chronic diseases
- Dehydration-related effects, like nausea, headache, and dizziness, might not appear for a few hours, and they can also depend on what you drink, how much you drink, and if you also drink water.
- Alcohol puts the brakes on your body’s defenses, or immune system.
- Ulcers can cause dangerous internal bleeding, which can sometimes be fatal without prompt diagnosis and treatment.
- Because alcohol is a depressant, it can also contribute to mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression.
