Effects of Alcohol Dependence

Short-term health effects of consuming alcohol generally include intoxication & dehydration. Alcohol intoxication invariably affects the brain causing clumsiness, slurred speech & delayed reflexes. Alcohol also stimulates insulin production within the system which in turn speeds up glucose metabolism resulting in low blood sugar levels.

This eventually causes irritability & for diabetics possible death. Severe alcohol poisoning can ultimately be fatal.

Health Effects of Alcohol Dependence

Long-term health effects of alcohol consumption change the metabolic activity of liver & brain. The median lethal dose of alcohol level of normal intoxication is about 0.08 percent. However, vomiting & unconsciousness can occur sooner in drinkers who have a lower level of tolerance to alcohol.

Though chronic heavy drinkers may remain conscious & tolerate alcohol levels above 0.40 percent, causes for concern with serious health dangers are maximized from here.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol limits production of Vasopressin (ADH) hormone in hypothalamus from posterior pituitary gland. This eventually causes severe dehydration when large amounts of alcohol are consumed. Subsequently, water in high concentration is passed through urine along with intense thirst & vomit generating a severe hangover.

Oral contraceptive pills coupled with stress & hangovers however increase desire for alcohol as they lower levels of testosterone which alcohol will actively elevate. Tobacco also in effect generates an intense craving for alcohol. Even moderate consumption of alcohol is found to increase risk of death in younger people.

Is Alcohol Good for You

However, not everything is bad & harmful of alcohol consumption. Moderate consumption of alcohol as medicine has shown to reduce the risk of death due to ischemic heart diseases amongst individuals of 55+ in age.

Alcohol Expectations – Beliefs & Attitudes

Alcohol expectation phenomenon recognizes intoxication producing real physiological consequences altering individual’s perception of space & time while reducing psychomotor skills & disrupting equilibrium at the same time.

Manner & degree in which expectations interact with short-term physiological effects of alcohol consumption resulting in specific human behavior is however still unclear.

Some societies believe that intoxication leads to rowdy, aggressive & sexual behavior; which in turn tends to motivate people to act in this way when intoxicated. Beliefs & attitudes largely affect on individuals behavior, ability & emotion. Alcohol expectations can change over time & which might in fact reduce alcohol abuse.

When a society believes alcohol consumption generates relaxation & tranquil behavior, it usually leads to these outcomes. Moreover, expectations from alcohol consumption vary within a single society creating uncertainty over outcomes.

Alcohol Expectations – Lab Tests

Tending to confirm to societal expectations, alcohol expectations are operative even in the absence of actual consumption of alcohol. Laboratory studies have shown that men tend to be more aggressive & sexually aroused even when they are drinking only tonic water believing to contain alcohol.

Vice-versa, they are also found to become less aggressive & sexually aroused when they believe are drinking only tonic water while actually consuming alcohol mixed tonic water.

Though some societies expect consuming alcohol will shed inhibition, it is noticeable that in societies which do not associate inhibition with alcohol consumption seldom witness bad behavior. So much for alcohol expectations, it can be wisely concluded that behavior after alcohol consumption largely depends upon individual mental make-up & collective social expectations.

Two-Pronged Nature of Alcohol

Honestly, every element in the universe is both tonic & poison. So is alcohol, but only if it is consumed in the right proportions at proper intervals. Medicinal properties of alcohol consumption largely depend upon regulated dosage. Moderate alcohol consumption is considered to be good for the heart & the circulatory system while at the same time acting as protection against type 2 diabetes & gallstones.

Heavy Drinking & Alcohol Dependence

Heavy drinking though is a major cause of worry in most countries, including the U.S. Alcohol consumption is implicated in more than half of the total fatal traffic accidents. Other harmful effects of heavy drinking & alcohol dependence include damage to liver & increased risk of developing cancers, mainly of the breasts. Alcohol is also contributory to causing depression & violence which invariably interfere with deteriorating human relationships.

Ethanol – Active Ingredient in Alcohol

The two-pronged nature of alcohol is no surprise. Ethanol molecules, which form the active ingredients in most alcoholic drinks, affect the functioning of our system in many different ways. While directly influencing the functioning of brain, heart, stomach, liver & gallbladder, Ethanol affects cholesterol & triglyceride levels alongside insulin in blood causing inflammation & coagulation. Ethanol is also a drastic mood changer subsequently diluting concentration & system coordination capacity.

Alcohol Effects on Our Physical System

Too much alcohol consumption on a single occasion or over a period of time can take a serious toll on our physical health. While weakening our immune system it makes our bodies an easy target for a variety of diseases. Chronic compulsive drinkers are more vulnerable to contracting diseases like tuberculosis & pneumonia than those who do not drink so much. Consuming a lot of alcohol on a single occasion slows down our in-built body ability to ward off infectious attacks even after 24 hours of getting drunk.

Take a look at how alcohol consumption affects our body.

Heart:

Drinking a lot of alcohol over long periods of time or plenty on a single occasion can seriously damage the heart causing irreparable loss. Some of these problems include –

• High Blood Pressure
• Strokes
• Arrhythmias (Irregular Heart Beat)
• Cardio-Myopathy – Stretching & drooping of heart muscle

However, research also shows that consuming moderate levels of alcohol does protect healthy adults from developing a variety of coronary heart diseases.

Brain:

Alcohol seriously interferes with brain communication pathways & patterns. It can conditionally affect the way our brain looks & works causing disruptions which can change our moods & linked behavior. Alcohol shrouds & makes it hard to think clearly & function in synced coordination.

Liver:

Heavy alcohol consumption over a period of time invariably takes a toll on the liver. This will subsequently cause liver inflammations which can lead to a variety of problems including –

• Cirrhosis
• Alcohol Hepatitis
• Fibrosis
• Steatosis (Fatty Liver)

Pancreas:

Eventually alcohol consumption causes pancreas to produce toxic substances which can lead to pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is a dangerous condition which results from inflammation & swelling of blood vessels in pancreas thus preventing proper digestive functions.

Cancer:

Consuming too much alcohol certainly increases our risk of developing a variety of cancers. Some of these cancers include the cancer of the –

• Mouth
• Throat
• Esophagus
• Breast
• Liver

Nevertheless, all poisons are medicine as well depending upon the dosage & periodic consumption. A proper understanding of the nature & consumption of alcohol can go a long way in preserving our health. Considered & strictly used as medicine, alcohol can be a boon to life. The difference literally lies in the use & abuse of alcohol from the physical health point of view.

Two Sides of Alcohol Consumption

There are two sides to alcohol consumption. It acts like a tonic only when consumed moderately, especially as a protection against type 2 diabetes & gallstones. Otherwise, heavy drinking can be equally poisonous damaging our liver & heart in the process. Other bad affects of excessive alcohol consumption include chances of developing breast cancer, alongside triggering depression & violence which invariably destroy relationships.

Ethanol, the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages affects our body in several different ways. While directly influencing brain, heart, stomach, liver & gallbladder it alters levels of insulin, cholesterol & triglycerides within our system; subsequently our sense of coordination & concentration get disturbed along with moods.

Sensible Drinking Patterns

It is not what you drink, but how you drink matters. In fact, heavy drinking on weekends & avoiding during week days is not the same as taking one drink each day. Though the quantum of consumption may be the same, but health implications drastically vary.

Research suggests that irrespective of the type of alcohol consumption, regular moderate drinking benefits cardiovascular health. This explicitly explains the “French Paradox”. Despite a diet containing plenty of cheese & butter, the comparative low rate of heart disease in France is an established truth.

Recommended Alcohol Intake

A single drink in the US is generally considered to be 1.5 ounces of hard spirit, or 5.0 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer. Each one of these delivers about 12 to 14 grams of alcohol within our system. Although no fixed quantum is universally accepted by researchers, the standards are fairly fluid. Moderate alcohol consumption is more or less a balancing act where health benefits far outweigh risks.

Advantages of Alcohol

All possible health benefits of alcohol consumption strictly depend upon moderate drinking patterns. More than 100 prospective research studies point at an inverse association between moderate alcohol consumption & death from most cardiovascular causes. Consistently moderate consumption seems to reduce risk by 25 to 40 percent.

Disadvantages of Alcohol Consumption

Balance is the key. While many people drink in moderation, quite a few don’t. This is probably the reason why we require the services of substance abuse counselors, mental health professionals, liver specialists & cardiologists.

Since alcohol dependence also touches friends, families & communities, it generally disturbs the entire local human environment. As per figures let out by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism & others –

• Alcohol has a role to play in one of the three cases of violent crime.
• Over 16,000 people die each year due to alcohol induced automobile accidents,
• More than $185 billion dollars every year are spent on alcohol abuse,

On the personal level alcohol abuse takes a heavy toll on the victim’s body causing liver inflammation (hepatitis) & scarring (cirrhosis) which are both potentially fatal. Alcohol abuse can increase blood pressure alongside damaging heart muscle.

Linked with several cancers, convincing evidence indicates alcohol abuse can cause cancer of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, breast colon & rectum. This risk is multiplied manifold for drinkers who also consume tobacco.

Even moderate drinking involves some risks. Alcohol consumption disrupts sleep, clouds judgment & interacts dangerously with several medications. Moreover, it is quite addictive especially for those who have a family history of alcohol abuse.

Bottom Line

Taking into account the complexity of alcohol effects coupled with the behavior of people who consume, blanket recommendations would be preposterous. Each person is unique & enmeshed in family histories, hence the spectrum of risks & benefits vary according to individuals. Whether to consume alcohol or not, even for medicinal purposes requires careful & constant balancing where instances of abuse can be drastically damaging.

Benefits Of Moderate Alcohol Consumption

Moderate alcohol consumption can generally add to substantial health benefits for humans by improving physical & mental well-being. These benefits may however vary depending upon individual body type & makeup. According to Dietary Guidelines moderate alcohol consumption limits to two drinks per day for men & one per day for women over a single day, but not as average over a number of days.

Mankind has been consuming fermented beverages for most of the last 10,000 years or so. Debate on arguments based on merits & demerits of alcohol consumption also has been raging over this period of time. With tremendous progress in science over these years we are in a much better position to understand the good & bad sides of alcohol consumption.

The key to an emancipated understanding of alcohol usage however depends on balance. As the right dosage is important with any given medication so does it matter in the amount of alcohol we generally consume.

According to scientific facts, here are some good reasons why alcohol is good for health.

Occasional drinking can be a boon for your system adding a few years to your lifespan. Substantial studies have shown that moderate drinking for men & women can reduce risk of death by 18 percent. Small amounts during meals like a Mediterranean diet, is an ideal pattern to be followed. Wine above all with lunch or dinner would be a great choice. However, make sure that the rest of your day is absolutely alcohol-free.

While smoking increases susceptibility to common cold, moderate alcohol consumption on the other hand reduces chances of catching common cold. Spanish researchers have found that consuming 8-14 glasses of red wine per week could reduce risk of developing cold by almost 60 percent. These scientists also accredited the antioxidant properties of wine to this benefit.

Moderate alcohol consumption raises beneficial High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) levels which are associated with protection against heart diseases. Other beneficial effects of moderate alcohol consumption include improved sensitivity to insulin which in effect influences blood clotting. These changes help prevent formations of blood clots that normally block arteries in the brain, neck & heart.

Applicable to men & women without any previous history of cardiovascular disease, these blood clots are the ultimate cause of most heart attacks & strokes.

According to a Dutch study one or two glasses of wine per day by healthy adults significantly decrease chances of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Investigative results had shown that moderate alcohol consumptions play an active part in maintaining a healthy life-style at the same time lower risk of developing diabetes.

Newer research suggests that moderate drinking actually protects against erectile dysfunction just as red wine enables avoid heart diseases. Contrary to prior belief researchers discovered that erectile dysfunction reduced 25-30 percent among moderate alcohol consumers in a study conducted with 1,770 Australian men. Further research is however required to accurately connect alcohol consumption & impotence. This in no way is meant to encourage men to take the bottle.

Moderate alcohol consumption is found to significantly reduce the formation of gallstones by one-third. New research also indicates that people consuming small amounts of alcohol are 23 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Moderate consumption in effect make brain cells more healthy & reduce chances of developing cognitive impairment.

But, like mentioned earlier, balance is the key, avoid overdoing the limited regimen.