Risks From Alcoholic Beverages
The effects of alcohol can change quickly from the perfect buzz to violent vomiting and passing out. Alcoholic beverages suppress the amygdala (the fear-sensing portion of the brain), while simultaneously stimulating the reward centers, so it’s no surprise that a few drinks feel pretty darn good. We’re almost like super-beings, as we become more talkative, funnier, less inhibited and more outgoing. However, drowsiness and withdrawal begins to occur as alcohol is eliminated from the body, which causes the drinker to keep consuming to maintain the buzz. There comes a point where the switch turns off that reminds one to be conscientious of one’s alcohol level. At worst, drinking high alcohol content can suppress the centers of the brain that control breathing.
The alcoholic liver hardly resembles a healthy liver. Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages often causes liver cirrhosis, fatty liver (steatosis) and chronic hepatitis — all of which are part of alcoholic liver disease. The accumulation of fat within hepatocytes can lead to inflammation and scarring. Alcoholic hepatitis is caused by over-consumption and causes the degeneration of hepatocytes, inflammation with neutrophils and even aggregations of abnormal proteins. These inner failures can manifest themselves as severe liver dysfunction — in addition to jaundice, neurological dysfunction like hepatic encephalopathy, fluid accumulation in the abdomen (ascites), bleeding of the esophagus, blood clotting and comas. Cirrhosis can lead to liver disease death, blood coagulation, jaundice, ascites, edema, bleeding esophagus and a whole host of abnormalities. Alcohol–damaged liver cells allow excess amounts of harmful byproducts to enter the brain, which is why hepatic encephalopathy is linked to binge drinking. Alcohol abusers who typically consume alcohol without eating suffer an increased risk of liver damage.
In some cases, excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages can even lead to Cancer. While there is no definitive cause-and-effect link, it’s believed that alcohol increases the carcinogenic effects of other substances, like cigarette smoke. In fact, roughly 75% of esophagus cancers, as well as 50% of mouth and throat cancers, are attributed to alcoholism. Smoking combined with drinking enhances the risk for most of these cancers dramatically. Women who consume as little as one drink a day can increase their chances of breast cancer by as much as 30%! Moderation is generally said to be the key. A few drinks per week won’t likely send you into a tail-spin of maladies, but if you have an “addictive” personality, better stick to non alcoholic drinks!
Drinking alcohol can cause other problems that may not be as life threatening as some already discussed but never the less can be quite discomforting. Alcohol is a known cause for snoring of an evening. Acid reflux is another ailment that is not helped by alcohol. If you are currently on any acid reflux remedy it’s wise to keep off alcohol while on the treatment as advised by health blog online.