21 Deadly Health Effects of Alcohol: Short & Long Terms
Alcohol or called as ethanol or ethyl alcohol is the ingredient which found in some beverage such as beer, wine and other beverages which causes drunkenness. Alcohol is produced by fermentation process requiring yeast. The yeast breaks down without oxygen) the sugars in different kind of food materials;
- for example wine is made from sugar which contained in grapes,
- beer from the sugar in grain especially malted barley
- sake from rice,
- cider from the sugar in apples,
- and vodka from the sugar in beets, potatoes or other kind of plants.
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Ethanol or alcohol is a byproduct of metabolic process of yeast. It is also commonly found in overripe fruit. Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-razi (854 CE – 925 CE ) an Iranian alchemist was the first person who discovered alcohol in its pure form (ethanol). He got the pure form of alcohol through wine distillation process.
In chemistry, alcohol is described as organic compound in which the hydroxyl functional group (–OH) is bound to a saturated carbon atom. The term alcohol which is used nowadays originally referred to the primary form of alcohol ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is contained in alcoholic beverages.
The word alcohol derived from Arabic word “al kuhl” which means powder used as eyeliner. Alcohol also appear in English term as “very fine powder” during sixteenth century. This powder which is produce by sublimation of stibnite was used as antiseptic, eyeliner and cosmetic. Later we found the function of alcohol as antiseptic as well.
History of Alcohol
Human has known alcohol in different types of beverages since thousands years ago. Long time ago people has started to fermented the grain and fruit to produce drinks. In early 2700 BC, Babylonians has worshiped their wine goddess The Babylonians worshiped a wine goddess as early as 2700 B.C and they used to offer the wine for the god and goddess.. In Greece, mead, a fermented drink made from water and honey is popular as first alcoholic drink. .
Alcohol which contained in fermented beverages has existed in early Egyptian society in 3150 BC and people in India have produced alcoholic beverages called “sura which are made from distilled rice before 3000 BC. There is also some evidence that shown people in China has consumed alcohol since 7000 BC.
It is known that wine was first appeared in Georgia from 6000 BC and 5400 BC in Iran. Alcohol beverages manufacturing has been started since 15th century. Nowadays alcoholic drink has been spread worldwide and manufacturing most by European and American.
Short Terms Effects of Alcohol
Effects of alcohol divided into 2 type, short terms and long term, first you must know what effects directly you feel after drink alcohol in low, medium, and high doses.
In low doses, alcohol produces:
A relaxing your body effect
Lowered inhibitions
Reduced tension
Slow reflexes
Poor concentration
Slow reaction time
Slower your brain activity
Reduced coordination
Perceptions and Sensations that is less clear
In medium doses, alcohol produces:
Feel sleepy
Slurred speech
Poor vision
Altered emotions
Lower core body temperature
Sleepiness and disruption of sleeping patterns
More blood flow to skin surface
Increased urine production
In high doses, below are dangerous effects of alcohol:
Vomiting
Uncontrolled defecation
Uncontrolled urination
Breathing difficulties
Alcohol poisoning
Passing out
Coma
Possible death
Long Term Health Effects of Alcohol
Some people keep enjoying alcohol while they do not consider that alcohol may cause long term effects to their health. Here are some health risk which may rise as long term effect of alcohol. Check these out
1. Promotes abnormalities in blood and anemia
Heavy consumption of alcohol is really dangerous for health. Based on some research reported that alcohol promotes abnormalities in blood such as lowering blood hemoglobin ( component that bring oxygen to whole body) and causing anemia. Alcohol also suppresses immune system function. Consuming alcohol for long time has significant effect to the number and the function of white blood cell. People who consume alcohol heavily over a long time are more easier to caught by infection and may suffer from severe infections after surgery, trauma, hepatitis C infection, even severe inflammation like HIV aids. You might also check: 5 Effective Home Remedies for Anemia You Should Know
2. Damage brain cells
This one is frightening. Chronic heavy alcohol use can cause mild to serious damage to brain and nerves in many ways. Alcohol inhibits the absorption of thiamin or Vitamin B1 from gut which is important for brain. Deficiency thiamine can lead to acute, severe life-threatening disorder such as Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which usually show symptoms like paralyzed eye movement, confusion and difficulty while walking. It has been proved that alcohol can increase the risk of losing memory condition or Korsakoff’s syndrome that is well known as dementia.
3. Causing insomnia
If one or more drinks are taken in evening, it can disrupt sleep and increase the chances of waking in the midnight. Usually it will cause individual hardly back to sleep after wake up.
Read More: 10 Best Foods For Deep Sleep - Foods For Insomnia
4. Increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke
Hemorrhagic stroke is a condition of stroke which is caused by bleeding in the brain. Alcohol may interrupt with blood supply to brain and this may lead to several symptoms such as inability to talk, sudden paralysis, loss of sensation. However, using alcohol in low to moderate amount can reduce the risk of ischemic stroke which is caused by blockage of the blood vessels in the brain, but remember higher levels of alcohol consumption can increase the risk of ischemic stroke. (How Bad Are Fatty Foods?)
5. Increase the risk of breast cancer
Long-term and higher alcohol consumption can increases the risk of breast cancer in women. The risk will be increased by about 10 percent for every one standard drink of alcohol per day on average. World cancer research fund reported that women who drink five standard drinks per day has 1.2 times higher risk of cancer compared to non – drinkers. Almost 11 percent of people who suffer breast cancer are alcohol drinkers. (7 Science-Based Benefits of Soursop for Cancer Treatments: How to Use Soursop to Cure Cancer)
6. Decreased vision
Chronic alcohol use not only inhibits the absorption of Vitamin B1 but also Vitamin B12 which is important to eyes and vision. This may lead to blurred vision and even some fatal vision problem. (Simple Food Swap Protects Vision as You Age)
7. Increase the risk heart disease.
Heavy drinking (chronic and/or consuming alcohol at a single session) can promote irregular heartbeats and chronic heart muscle disease which lead to heart failure moreover a sudden death. Drinking alcohol to ‘protect the heart’ is not advisable, since alcohol is an addictive drug that can cause heart disease.
8. Increase blood pressure
Drinking more than two or three drinks a day can increase blood pressure especially in men. People who consume alcohol heavily tend to have problem with high blood pressure or hypertension. Alcohol also trigger the production of certain stress hormone in body which promote vasoconstriction or constriction of blood vessel that lead to higher blood pressure.
READ MORE: Top Foods to Avoid with High Blood Pressure
9. Higher the risk of Intestine cancer
Alcohol can lead to some disease in stomach and malnutrition due to low vitamin levels, as the absorption of vitamins and other minerals is blocked by alcohol. Long- term alcohol use can promote the high number of toxin and free radicals in body which cause large bowel/intestine and rectum cancer.
10. Disturb kidney function and damaging kidney
Alcohol is a diuretic, which mean that it causes water lost from the body. Many minerals which are important for the body also will be thrown away by consuming alcohol. Alcohol is also toxic which will push kidney to work harder and without enough water, it will seriously create problem such as nephron damage and kidney failure.
11. Causing liver damage
Heavy alcohol consumption can damage the liver and causing alcoholic liver disease. This includes fatty liver, cirrhosis and acute alcoholic hepatitis. Heavy drinking is usually common with fatty liver; it is a condition where fat builds up in the liver cells. Small percentage of people with fatty liver can develop hepatitis, cirrhosis and even cancer.
Almost 10 to 35 percent heavy alcohol drinkers develop hepatitis. Alcoholic hepatitis is an acute injury to liver which show some symptoms of feeling tiredness, swollen stomach, jaundice (yellow skin and whites of eyes and tender liver even more fatal it can cause death.
While only 5 to 15 percent of heavy drinkers suffer from cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is serious liver cell damage which causes the liver not to function especially to detoxify the body, creating vital proteins, store vitamins and sugars, and also produce chemicals which are important for digestion system. Cirrhosis can also lead to liver failure and death. You might also read: 6 Early Signs Of Liver Damage That You Shouldn't Ignore
12. Causing pneumonia and tuberculosis in Lung
Chronic heavy alcohol use usually associated with higher rates of lung disease such as pneumonia and tuberculosis (an infectious disease or acute respiratory syndrome which can cause blood coughing and affect other body part). This condition may rise since alcohol suppress the immune system and make the less protected. The bacteria will be easier to infect the lung and making people more vulnerable to diseases. Also: Home Remedies For Pneumonia
Women who consume alcohol during pregnancy will increase the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, premature baby and stillbirth. It can also cause significant abnormalities of fetus or developing baby in womb which called as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Children who are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorder (FAS) will have smaller brain size compared to normal one. This condition will affect the long life of children and causing problem in the process of study and behavioral pattern. READ MORE: FOODS THAT CAN CAUSE MISCARRIAGE IN EARLY PREGNANCY
14. Lead to mental disorder and dependency
Alcohol has addictive substance and can lead to addiction or dependency. This is why people who often consume alcohol will require more alcohol for the body to achieve the desired effect example an altered mood. Alcohol sometime associated with personal life problem and can cause serious mental problem. The symptoms include shaking of the hands and shivering which commonly occurs the morning after drinking session and may only relieved by consuming more alcohol. If alcohol is not taken, individual will start to suffer a discomfort feeling. The most severe syndrome of mental disturbance in heavy drinkers is ‘delirium tremens’ a condition of altered and confused mind which develop in about 5 percent chronic drinkers. This syndrome also may lead to death
15. Increase depression and anxiety
Heavy alcohol drinkers, commonly experience mood disorders, including anxiety, depression, and psychosis (a mental illness defined by personality changes, a difficulty to differ sense of reality, and delusions.
16. Causing Mouth and throat cancer
Seven among ten people who are heavy drinkers suffer from mouth cancer. Alcohol is proven as carcinogen (substance which causing cancer). Regular alcohol intake may increases the risk of mouth, throat or even voice box cancer. Consuming about 50g alcohol per day (five standard drinks) increases the risk of these types of cancers by two to three times compared with non-drinkers, but the risk will increased more for smoking people.
17. Promote acute pancreatitis
Chronic heavy alcohol consumption may lead to acute pancreatitis, a condition of severe pancreas inflammation. As we know that the pancreas is a gland that secretes enzymes for digestion system and also the main factory which releases insulin (hormone which regulates sugar levels in the blood). Chronic pancreatitis typically occurs in individual mostly at aged 30 to 40 years and it can cause weight loss, abdominal pain, diabetes, malnutrition and oily bowel motions (it is associated with pancreas function which helps to digest fat and when the pancreas is damaged, the fats can’t be absorbed to the body but it will be excreted out of the bowel. The risk of acute and chronic pancreatitis will significantly increases by the higher intake of alcohol.
18. Lead to Impotence
Chronic heavy alcohol consumption may raise several sekxual problems. Alcohol has a bad effect to testosterone level in man. It can lead to impotence, loss of sekxual desire, wasting of the testicles and reduced fertility. While in women, chronic heavy alcohol intake can reduced fertility and causing irregularity on period or even early menopause. READ MORE HERE: How To Correct Erectile Dysfunction
19. Increasing body fat and weight
Don’t think that alcohol doesn’t contain calories. Alcohol is known as high-calorie beverage. One standard drink of alcohol contains 290kcal. Alcohol is also can increase appetite which lead people eat more while consuming alcohol along with their meals. This is why alcohol can stimulate weight gain and the number of body fat.
20. Higher Risk of esophageal cancer
Long-term alcohol consumption can cause esophagus or food pipe cancer. Consuming 50g of alcohol a day (five standard drinks) higher the risk twice, compared to non-drinker. However, East Asian populations have greater risk to develop this cancer if consuming alcohol since they are lack of a liver enzyme which can metabolize the alcohol. Smokers also build higher risk of suffering this cancer if they also addicted to alcohol.
21. Leads to Chronic Gastritis
Heavy consumption of alcohol may cause chronic gastritis. In the case of damage liver, it will also create significant effects to digestion especially to stomach and further it can cause stomach swelling on stomach vein and causing acute bleeding. (Gastritis/Stomach Ulcer: The Best Natural Remedy For Ulcer)
AVOID ALCOHOL AT ALL COST!!!
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