Effects of Drinking Alcohol

What are some negative health consequences associated with drinking alcohol?
( 4 Aug 2009)

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What is alcohol? In order to understand the negative health consequences associated with alcohol, it is very necessary to understand the chemical composition of alcohol. Alcohol is derived from ethanol, which is a psychoactive drug.

Psychoactive drugs alter the brain functions by interfering with the functioning of the central nervous system. Alcohol can cause a person to lose consciousness as a result of the consequential altered brain functioning. Alcohol makes you dependent on it by raising the dopamine level in your brain that is responsible for triggering alcoholism.

Alcohol brings about terrible physical damage and most people often underestimate its life threatening consequences. Here are some of the health conditions a person who consumes alcohol in excess may suffer from:

Kidney Failure: Alcohol when consumed in excess leads to kidney failure. The kidneys are responsible for controlling the amount of potassium and other toxic waste excreted out of the body. Consuming alcohol in excess leads to the breaking down of muscle fibers that contain potassium, through a process called rhabdomyolysis. The increased level of potassium in the blood and other toxic waste makes the kidneys weak, which ultimately results in kidney failure.

Osteoporosis: Alcohol consumption also leads to osteoporosis. This is a condition in which the bones of the patient become extremely brittle and porous. As this condition progresses, natural actions like sneezing or lifting simple objects like a laptop, could lead to bone fractures. It is believed that alcohol consumption impairs the body’s capacity of absorbing calcium thus leading to this condition.

Autonomic Neuropathy: Excessive consumption of alcohol may also lead to autonomic neuropathy. In this condition over consumption of alcohol affects the involuntary actions of the body. It causes abnormal heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and perspiration, due to the damage caused to the autonomic nerves. Autonomic neuropathy could lead to dizziness, sexual problems, urinary infections and many other abnormalities.

Some of the other common ailments caused by alcoholism are liver problems caused due to alcoholic hepatitis, diabetes and heart related problems.

Alcohol has many other negative health consequences. It not only damages the body but also the mind. It hampers the functioning of the mind, as it affects the functioning of the central nervous system and brain cells. Alcoholism often causes a lot of strain and strife in personal relationships. Broken relationships generally have a very great effect on a person’s spirit and personality as it causes feelings of depression and desolation

In short, alcohol is related directly or indirectly to most negative health conditions. It is generally accepted that a little alcohol is not detrimental to health, and as long as you can define little you are safe.

answered by c on 4 Aug 2009, 2:27:09

Effects of Drinking Alcohol

What are some negative health consequences associated with drinking alcohol? ( 4 Aug 2009)

What are some negative health consequences associated with drinking alcohol?
( 4 Aug 2009)