How Does Alcohol Affect the Body?

Although, it is medically proved that moderate consumption of alcohol is good for the heart health but at the same time it is true as well that excess intake of alcohol is harmful for the health. Long term consumption of excessive alcohol can lead to various conditions and diseases. Experts tell us that alcohol causes physical change in the brain and also in the rest of the body. When brain becomes tolerant to alcohol, you can drink more alcohol and in addition, liver becomes such that it able to metabolize more alcohol than it used to be before you started drinking. Therefore, if someone who is been drinking excessive alcohol for a long period of time suddenly stops drinking it causes ‘withdrawal’ and in more severe cases it’s called Delirium tremens.

It is very much known that alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drugs in the world. Excessive drinking of alcohol can lead to the conditions such as Alcohol Abuse, Alcohol Dependence or Alcoholism. You must know the facts and differences about what is alcohol abuse and what is alcohol dependence? In short, alcohol abuse is excessive use of alcohol and alcoholic drinks for long period of time (eg. 12 months or so). Mostly, people abuse alcohol to escape from trying situation or to relieve excess stress. Alcohol dependence is next step of alcohol abuse. When any individual becomes so much dependent to alcohol and that he/she cannot stop drinking and even after stopping alcohol consumption that person faces the conditions such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, it comes under alcohol dependence.

Besides all these conditions, heavy alcohol intake for a prolonged time leads to many dangerous diseases. Alcohol consumption can be the cause of nervous disorders such as neuropathy and dementia. It can also cause high blood pressure, high triglyceride level and increase the chances of stroke and heart disease. Alcohol can cause both Hyperglycermia and Hypoglycemia. Excessive alcohol consumption has a bigger impact on the liver. It can damage the liver cells and prevents the liver to work properly. Prolonged intake of heavy alcohol leads to liver diseases such as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Alcohol also damages kidneys by altering the filtering ability of the kidneys. Heavy alcohol drinking can be the cause of enlarges the kidneys and kidney failure. Chronic alcohol abuse is responsible for cancer in the liver, pancreas, rectum, breast, mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus. In addition, effects of alcohol consumption can be impaired behaviour and memory, brain damage, breathing problem and distorted vision.