The effect of alcohol on the human body. The effects of alcoholic beverages on the human body

The harmful effects of smoking on the human body have long been proven! And yet, there are inquisitive minds who are trying to find justification for this bad habit, citing absolutely incredible arguments in favor of smoking. I would like to appeal to adherents of the addiction: comrades, the effect of smoking on the human body is destructive! Please note that cigarette smoke causes enormous harm not only to the smoker’s lungs, but also to the health of others. Therefore, if you want to light a cigarette somewhere in a public place, you should ask the people nearby at that moment if they want to become passive smokers and share a share of the negative influence with the carrier of the habit. This is all a joke, of course. But it’s worth taking a closer look at the harm each smoked cigarette causes to the body.

The effect of smoking on the human body

Speaking about the effect of smoking on the human body, I would like to immediately focus on the fact that any chemical substances, entering our body from the outside, have some effect on human systems organs. Most often this influence is negative. And if right away, this minute, you didn’t see or feel anything like that, this does not mean at all that everything passed without a trace. Smoking is a serious addiction! When smoking a cigarette, a person inhales a whole table of chemicals:

• nicotine;
• butane (in lighter fluid);
• acetic acid;
• methanol;
• hexamine;
• carbon monoxide;
• cadmium;
• dye pairs (dyed paper);
• resin.

If you want to see what the oral mucosa, bronchi, trachea and lungs look like after each cigarette you smoke, gut the cigarette butt filter. What you see inside is only 1% of what a smoker accumulates inside his body over the years. After all, this terrible coating of resins does not disappear anywhere. It only penetrates deeper into the tissue, enters the blood, and has an effect at the cellular level. And there are no safe cigarettes - weak, light, ultra-thin. All these are marketing ploys that force weak-willed “hostages” of the habit to find another loophole for themselves so as not to quit smoking.

The effect of smoking on a person's appearance

To assess the harm of an addiction, let's start small - with a person's appearance. Modern people assign a huge role to external data. Girls, boys, women, men, regardless of age, social status and worldview, want to look dignified and attractive. However, being beautiful means not only being well-groomed, but also healthy! No beauty salon can help fix what a smoker has been doing to himself for years. In short, the results of smoking are:

• loose skin of an unnatural shade;
• yellow plaque on teeth and fingertips;
• brittle dull hair;
• lip deformation caused by constantly holding a cigarette;
• appropriate facial expressions.

Move closer to the smoker. Already at a distance of a meter you can smell an incredibly repulsive smell. Tobacco smoke eats into skin and hair. A persistent, never-diminishing amber is formed in the smoker's mouth. It is unpleasant to talk to such a person. You hardly want to touch or kiss him. But young girls and boys often become heavy smokers, for whom building sensual relationships and starting a family is still in the future.

The impact of smoking on a person is so widespread that it can result not only in problems with appearance, but also with health.

Smoking and its effect on health

Let's look at the risks smoking poses to human health.

Respiratory system

Every day inhaling smoke, which contains tars, poisons, acids and other additives, a person puts the respiratory system at risk. All harmful substances settle in the lungs, first leaving a mark in the bronchi, throat, and trachea. The most minimal evil can be called an allergic cough - smoker's catarrh. This deep cough with a viscous discharge that torments a person from morning until late at night. As a rule, a smoker's cough becomes chronic. Also, as a result of such an addiction, a person develops shortness of breath. The prospects for facing problems such as emphysema and cancer are very high.

Heart, blood vessels

When you smoke your first cigarette in the morning on an empty stomach, you may feel slightly dizzy. This is a symptom of vasospasm, which is caused by the entry of certain substances into the lungs. Such “training” for the heart and blood vessels is not in vain. A smoker runs the risk of getting all the “delights” of cardiovascular diseases. This is a heart attack, a stroke. The development of smoker's gangrene is directly related to the thinning of the walls of blood vessels and spasmodic processes in this area.

Gastrointestinal tract

Each puff of cigarette smoke affects the mucous membranes of the digestive system. Substances settle in this area as well. If a person has peptic ulcers or gastritis, he runs the risk of exacerbating these ailments by smoking and developing complications in the form of oncological degeneration of pathological cells in this area.

The liver, constantly expelling poisons through itself, also suffers. The risk of developing cirrhosis in a smoker is many times higher than in a person who does not suffer from the bad habit.

Teeth

The characteristic plaque on enamel is the lesser evil that fans of inhaling cigarette smoke face. Poisons eat into tooth enamel and adjacent tissues. Caries, periodontitis, periodontal disease are diseases that smoking man will almost certainly encounter, even without neglecting oral care.

Reproductive system

Having accumulated poisons in the body over the years, how can one expect healthy pregnancy and birth of offspring? What incredible strength must the body have in order to withstand the pressure of regular “poisoning” with poisons and resins and be able to conceive, bear, and give birth to a child without any problems? It is also worth keeping in mind that chemicals have the ability to affect DNA and RNA. Heavy congenital pathologies, which are no longer rare in the modern world, can be the result of an ordinary everyday habit - smoking a cigarette or two. Moreover, both female smoking and the presence of the habit in men have a negative impact on the health of future offspring.

Oncology

Cancer is a disease that has become a real scourge of our time. Very difficult to treat. The development of oncological diseases has not yet been fully identified. Doctors say smoking is one of the supposed factors that increase the risk of developing cancer. Cancer of the lungs, trachea, lip, larynx, breast, stomach and other organs more often develops in people who have been smoking tobacco products for years. It’s also a shame that smokers indirectly expose their own children, family members and others to similar risks. After all, passive smoking carries the same risks of developing cancer problems as the smoker himself.

Nervous system

A person suffering from an addiction is more susceptible to stress. Lethargy, apathy, lack of strength - such conditions can be noticed by a smoker in the morning. After smoking a cigarette, a person may feel a sudden feeling of anxiety, panic attack or severe depression of mood. All this is no coincidence. Smoking is an addiction caused by the influence of substances on the brain centers of the body. When absorbing toxic smoke, brain cells and the nerve column are affected. The consequences of such an impact can be very, very sad.

Hematopoietic system

Ask hematologists why they are sounding the alarm about this addiction? The thing is that all chemicals entering our body affect the composition of the blood. Internal processes unknown to us depend on each product consumed, substance inhaled, and composition “passed” through the body. Risks of making money systemic diseases smokers have higher blood levels than other people.

The immune system

Human immunity is an unsolved mystery. Stressful effects on the body carry risks of developing unexplained autoimmune diseases(IDDM - diabetes mellitus, autoimmune arthritis, oncology, etc.). Every time a person smokes a cigarette, he cannot be sure that it will not undermine his immunity and give rise to the development of serious illnesses, which sometimes even renowned world-class doctors cannot cope with.

Having counted all possible risk factors, we cannot say with exact certainty that this full list possible prospects associated with smoking. Scientists are constantly making new discoveries in this direction and claim that the harm of smoking to the human body is even greater than we thought.

If you're upset, a little nervous, or want to take a cigarette to seem grown up, fashionable, cool, think about the harm this action can cause. After all, many problems and terrible diseases can be avoided by giving up bad habits.

The harm of smoking to the environment

In conclusion, I would like to draw attention to the harm that cigarettes directly or indirectly cause to the environment. It turns out that smoking harms not only people. A bad habit can cause damage on a more global scale.

1. Every year, about 5 million hectares of forest are cut down for the production of tobacco products.
2. Up to hundreds of thousands of millions of kilograms of cigarette butts are thrown into the environment every year.
3. About 5-7% of forest fires are caused by discarded cigarette butts. Domestic fires on this basis occur 10% more often.
4. Discarded cigarette butts are toxic waste. The impact of this category of waste on the environment does not require additional comment.
5. Cigarette butts were often found in the stomachs of birds, animals, and turtles. Animals encounter such garbage in their environment and are not always able to resist the effect of environmental pollution on their body.
6. It costs to dispose and clean up cigarette butts great amount funds.
7. Cigarette smoke pollutes the atmosphere. An increase in the number of active smokers directly affects the increase in air pollution with toxic substances.
8. Cigarette smog negatively affects vegetable world. Some plant varieties degenerate or are modified as a result of the influence of substances contained in cigarette smoke and cigarette butts.

Is it possible to find an excuse for a bad habit? Is there a chance to replace harmful cigarettes to something that brings the same effect, but is less harmful to the human body? It is unlikely! There is no real benefit to smoking. Whatever you try to justify or replace smoking (vaping, smoking aromatic tobacco through a hookah), the essence remains the same.

Alcohol has a negative impact on human health; even a small amount of alcohol causes harm to the entire body. Ethanol almost immediately begins to destructive effect, as it is the strongest poison. It affects absolutely all organs. When it enters the body, alcohol provokes clogging of capillaries and blood vessels, which causes oxygen starvation. Ethanol causes intoxication, which then leads to a hangover. In addition, systematic drinking of alcoholic beverages significantly reduces life expectancy.

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Mechanism of action

The mechanism of action of ethanol is as follows: first it is absorbed, then excreted. Ethyl alcohol is absorbed into the blood within a few minutes. After this, along with the blood, it enters all organs and tissues and has a toxic effect. It is neutralized by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, contained in the liver, due to which alcohol is oxidized to aldehyde and ketone.

Women produce much less of this enzyme than men, so they get drunk and get used to drinking alcohol much faster. Ethanol is eliminated naturally over the next 12 hours. About 10% of ethanol is released into pure form during breathing along with vapors, as well as in sweat, feces, saliva and urine. The remaining part is oxidized in the liver and subsequently excreted from the body.

The process of eliminating ethyl alcohol occurs gradually, depending on the amount in the blood plasma. The harmful effects of alcoholic beverages on the body are due to the fact that many tissues cannot quickly release it. For example, ethanol can be contained in the spinal cord and brain for a long time, which is why the nervous system experiences its negative effects for a long time.

The harmful effects of alcoholic beverages are observed both with frequent drinking and with a single dose. Under the influence of ethanol, nerve cells die and cannot be restored.

With regular consumption of alcohol, the brain begins to decrease in size, blood vessels dilate, and microscars and microulcerations form on its surface. The membranes of the brain also suffer, as they swell. Long-term use ethyl alcohol in large quantities leads to disruption of mental and mental activity brain, and subsequently to personality degradation. As a result of damage to the central nervous system, a person falls into a coma and may even die.

The lethal dose of ethyl alcohol for the human body is 5–6 ppm, which is equal to three bottles of vodka drunk within an hour.

What suffers first?

The esophagus, stomach, pancreas and intestines are primarily affected by ethanol consumption. The following processes occur under the influence of alcohol:

• Cells are damaged and destroyed inner surface digestive organs, a burn occurs in the gastric mucosa and it begins to work hard, i.e., produce enzymes.
• Metabolism is disrupted, which leads to protein starvation, improper digestion of food and its rotting. After some time, gastritis develops, accompanied by vomiting, belching, abdominal pain, weakness and diarrhea. A stomach ulcer may form, which can develop into cancer.
• The veins of the esophagus dilate and weaken. Sometimes they rupture and internal bleeding occurs. Blood begins to quickly fill the stomach and hemorrhagic shock develops.
• The pancreatic ducts narrow. It contains enzymes that produce toxic substances. Because of this, the gland swells, becomes inflamed and rots. Dangerous diseases such as pancreatitis and pancreatic necrosis develop.



The effect of alcohol on other organs and systems

Alcohol impairs blood circulation and destroys intestinal microflora. Erosion forms, after some time turning into ulcers, and subsequently into cancer. When drinking alcoholic beverages, not only the digestive system, but also other organs are affected.



Brain and nervous system

With frequent drinking of wine and vodka products, the brain is severely damaged, in the tissues of which alcohol breakdown products begin to accumulate. Ethanol has a negative effect on the brain and nerve cells for a long time. Due to oxygen starvation developing under the influence alcohol intoxication, irreversible disturbances in brain activity begin to occur.

The death of brain cells causes alcoholic dementia. As a result of alcoholism, the activity of the nervous system is disrupted, causing harmful effects at its highest levels. People who drink are much more likely to suffer from strokes.

The cardiovascular system

According to statistics, heart disease is a common cause of death, the development of which is often provoked by the consumption of alcoholic beverages. When ethanol penetrates into the heart muscle through the bloodstream, it contributes to the appearance of destructive processes in it, the formation of scar tissue and other pathological changes.

Large doses of alcoholic beverages disrupt the heartbeat and increase arterial pressure. Regular consumption of ethyl alcohol leads to the development of hypertension and coronary heart disease, which can cause myocardial infarction.

Other common complications include:

• myocardial dystrophy;
• cardiomyopathy;
• arrhythmia.

Blood cells and the immune system

Alcohol molecules lead to the breakdown of red blood cells. Under the harmful influence of ethanol, their membrane membranes begin to rupture, which leads to the formation of a red clot of burst and deformed red blood cells. From pathological blood cells, hemoglobin enters the plasma, and the number of healthy red blood cells is greatly reduced. Dehydration of blood plasma leads to the clumping of platelet cells and the formation of blood clots.

Consumption of wine and vodka products contributes to weakening immune system. The number of lymphocytes and phagocytic cells, which are necessary for the protective function of the body, is sharply reduced.

B vitamins are required for all organs and systems to function normally. Under the influence of ethyl alcohol, their number is reduced, which leads to disruption of brain activity. People suffering from alcohol addiction experience a deficiency of thiamine and a deterioration in its metabolic processes.

Gaye-Wernicke syndrome often develops, which also causes a lack of vitamin B1. The disease goes through 2 stages. First, as a result of the negative effects of alcohol, the brain is affected (encephalopathy). After some time, psychosis develops. This condition greatly exhausts the patient, as coordination of movements is impaired, consciousness becomes clouded, and problems with the eyes arise. The person becomes hot-tempered and very irritable, and becomes depressed.

Respiratory system

Under the influence of alcohol, the respiratory system, especially the lungs, begins to suffer greatly. Often the so-called fumes come from the mouth of alcoholics. This smell occurs due to the fact that a small amount of ethanol is excreted through breathing. This poison negatively affects the surface of the bronchi, lungs and respiratory tract, contributing to their drying out. A person begins to experience a severe lack of air, provoking attacks of suffocation.

Drying out the respiratory system negatively affects the immune system. Due to its weakening, alcoholics are more likely to catch infections transmitted by airborne droplets. The most terrible disease is open form tuberculosis.

Liver

Up to 10% of ethyl alcohol is excreted in feces, urine, sweat, saliva and during breathing. The remaining 90% is broken down by the liver. As a result of complex biomechanical processes, ethanol is converted into acetaldehyde. However, the liver is only able to decompose a glass of alcohol within 10 hours. The remaining ethyl alcohol causes damage to liver cells.

Alcohol consumption provokes the following diseases:

• Fatty liver. The cells of this organ begin to accumulate fat in the form of balls. After some time, they stick together and form cysts and blisters in the area of ​​the portal vein, which impedes the movement of blood from it.
• Alcoholic hepatitis. The pathology is characterized by inflammation of liver cells, and the organ itself increases in size. A person experiences diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of fatigue. If you stop drinking at this stage, the liver cells can recover. Continuing to drink alcohol contributes to further liver damage.
• Cirrhosis. With this disease, liver cells are replaced by connective tissue. The organ is completely covered with scars, and to the touch it becomes dense and has an uneven surface. At this stage, dead cells are not restored. If you stop drinking alcohol, the scarring of the liver stops, but the organ begins to work with limited capabilities.

If you continue to drink alcohol with cirrhosis of the liver, cancer will develop.

urinary system

When drinking alcohol, the urinary system is greatly affected. The kidneys begin to work harder. The renal pelvis pumps a large volume of fluid to remove harmful substances from the body. Due to constant overload, the functional ability of the kidneys is weakened and they are no longer able to work hard. The negative effect of alcoholic drinks on the urinary system is reflected in a person’s appearance in the morning after a feast - his face swells, his blood pressure rises. blood pressure.

The accumulation of toxins in the kidneys subsequently leads to the formation of stones and the development of nephritis. After consuming wine and vodka products, the kidneys begin to ache, the body temperature rises, and protein is found in the urine. If left untreated, kidney failure develops. Toxins begin to poison the body, and general intoxication and death occurs.

Reproductive system

The harmful effects of alcohol on reproductive system is that the hormonal balance is disturbed and sexual desire decreases. Hormonal imbalance in men leads to a decrease in testosterone production, and atrophy of the testes of the testes reduces the number of sperm. As a result, potency is greatly reduced and infertility is often diagnosed.

Women who are addicted to alcohol experience a decrease in attraction to the opposite sex, they acquire a masculine appearance, as the body begins to produce large amounts of testosterone (the male hormone). The menstrual cycle is disrupted, even early menopause occurs.

Ethyl alcohol negatively affects the conception of a child, as it damages the egg and sperm. It also has a detrimental effect on the development process of the embryo. If at the time of conception the parents were in a state of alcohol intoxication, then there is a high probability of deviations and defects in the development of the fetus. His skeleton, skull, brain, and internal organs may not form correctly. Continued drinking during pregnancy leads to sad consequences for the unborn child, for example, to the development of mutations.

Children from drinking mothers are born with low weight, with an underdeveloped psyche and impaired motor skills.. Fetal alcoholism can develop in utero, as a result of which the baby is born with signs of addiction to alcohol. Such a child grows and develops slowly. His brain has a much smaller volume, and the structure and activity of brain cells changes.

If a woman breastfeeds and drinks alcohol, the baby becomes lethargic and apathetic. Ethyl alcohol, which enters the child’s body along with breast milk, has a detrimental effect on his nervous system, causing the baby to become nervous and excitable. Also, the baby's heart rate and colic become more frequent, and beneficial substances from breast milk are not absorbed as actively.

Skin and muscle condition

Systematic consumption of alcohol weakens and depletes muscles. 50% of people who drink develop skin diseases because the immune system is very weakened and is unable to cope with various viruses. Since the liver also functions halfway, on the surface skin boils, ulcers, pimples and allergic rashes occur.

Ethyl alcohol affects the skin and muscle condition as follows:

• leads to dehydration;
• increases estrogen;
• reduces the amount of testosterone;
• reduces protein synthesis;
• contributes to vitamin and mineral deficiency.

In addition, the body uncontrollably replenishes calories. Muscles weaken, lose elasticity and atrophy.

Blood Sugar Level

Some alcoholic drinks raise blood sugar levels, while others lower them. Glucose levels increase when drinking sweet alcohol. But its decrease occurs if you regularly drink cognac, dry wine and other strong alcohol that has a high alcohol content and minimal amount Sahara.

The harmful effects of alcohol on the human body depend on how much alcohol is consumed and how regularly this occurs. As a result of large doses of ethyl alcohol, a significant decrease in blood sugar levels is observed, which leads to the development of hypoglycemia.

If alcoholic beverages are consumed by a patient with diabetes mellitus, whose nerve cells, then ethanol only aggravates this pathological process. Ethyl alcohol has a detrimental effect on the pancreas, which produces insulin. Alcoholic drinks in large quantities wear out blood vessels and the heart muscle, which is why a diabetic quickly develops dangerous cardiovascular pathologies.

The influence of alcohol on different categories of people

For men, alcohol consumption affects the following:

• testosterone production is reduced;
• potency decreases;
• infertility develops;
• fat is deposited according to the female type;
• muscles begin to dry out;
• increase mammary glands;
• The skin becomes porous and wrinkles appear.

Women who frequently drink alcohol experience premature aging, weight gain, problems in the reproductive system, early attack menopause. Deviations in the functioning of the nervous system are expressed more clearly. This can be either sleep disturbance or complete memory loss.

If teenagers drink alcohol, it has a negative impact on growth and development. Since ethanol affects brain cells, biochemical processes are disrupted in them, which leads to a delay in physical and mental development. Alcohol inhibits logical thinking, causing teenagers to lag behind in intellectual and emotional growth. In addition, liver cells begin to suffer and destroy, and this happens much more intensely than in adults.

Positive effects of alcohol

Ethyl alcohol is useful for humans, but only in small doses. Red wine contains antioxidants and microelements that have a positive effect on the body. It is recommended to drink only three glasses per week. Red wine helps eliminate toxins and waste, normalizes metabolism and is a wonderful means of preventing atherosclerosis.

Different drinks are beneficial in the following cases:

• champagne – necessary for a weak heart;
• mulled wine – helps the body fight flu, pneumonia, colds, bronchitis;
• vodka – lowers cholesterol;
• beer – prevents the development of heart disease and inhibits the aging process.

These drinks should be taken in small doses. Men are recommended 20 g of pure alcohol per day, and women – 10 g. This amount is equal to 100 g of wine, 300 ml of beer or 30 g of vodka. Thus, only alcohol consumed in small doses does not cause harm to the body.

Alcoholic drinks are drinks containing ethyl alcohol in varying concentrations. They are divided by strength, which is measured in degrees, into low alcohol (beer), medium strength (wine) and strong (vodka, whiskey, cognac, etc.).

How does alcohol affect the human body? What could be the consequences of using it, and how much will it affect your health? Let's understand these issues.

A little history. From antiquity to today

The harmful effects of alcohol on the human body have been proven for a long time, and were known long before scientific and technological progress. During the times of Ancient Sparta, men were allowed to drink diluted wine only in old age, when they already had grandchildren, and before that, no, no. With slaves the situation was exactly the opposite - they were forced to drink and get drunk to make them easier to control. In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, during holidays, wine could flow like a river in the literal sense of the word. There was such a thing as a bacchanalia - a kind of party for the nobility, accompanied by copious drunkenness and debauchery. But, in fact, it was these bacchanalia that partly destroyed the once great Roman Empire.

In the Middle Ages, at a time of epidemics and unsanitary conditions, they tried to somehow disinfect the body with wine, but this, of course, cannot justify drunkenness. Although what can we say about the morals of a society in which the Inquisition was bought for money. It is not surprising that the nobility was not afraid to indulge in debauchery.

It is worth noting that drinking alcoholic beverages was not common in Rus'. There was simply nothing stronger than mead, and they rarely drank it, and they didn’t serve it to women at all - they were protecting the gene pool. For a long time, our country was considered the least drinking country. The trend began to change significantly only in the last few decades, and due to the corresponding specialized propaganda, and not at all because people in Rus' have always drunk. Just the opposite.

Modern setting

In the last century, a wave of prohibition laws swept across the world. True, they ultimately did not lead to anything constructive. But they led to the massive underground production of low-quality moonshine. As a result, all bans on the consumption and sale of alcohol were quickly lifted due to their ineffectiveness. However, there are examples of countries and republics that have quite effectively solved this problem, but with slightly different methods. These include the Republic of Chechnya, where the sale of alcohol is allowed only in specialized stores and only for 2 hours a day. That is, alcohol is not completely prohibited, but it is somewhat difficult to get it on free sale. In many regions of Russia, temporary restrictions have been introduced on the sale of alcohol. For example, in Moscow it is allowed only from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

About the effect of ethyl alcohol and related problems

How does alcohol affect our body? And how much does this affect health?

The effect of alcohol on the body is mainly its effect on the central nervous system. A so-called feeling of intoxication appears. For some it is accompanied by strong excitability, for others, on the contrary, severe depression. Alcohol somehow enhances the emotions experienced by a person. Someone in the process of intoxication falls into unconsciousness and after drinking does not remember what he did in such a state.

In addition to directly affecting the central nervous system, alcohol poisons our body. Because of this, a person begins to feel sick, and because of this, the excretory system begins to actively work, that is, he wants to go to the toilet all the time. This in turn can overload the kidneys and liver. Not to mention the fact that the alcohol base in the form of ethyl alcohol itself is a very harmful substance. Essentially poisonous. We just don't think about it that often.

Does alcohol affect the reproductive system? If yes, then how and what could be the consequences of its use?

The adverse effects of alcohol on the reproductive system have already been proven by many scientists from around the world. Its effect on women is especially detrimental. reproductive system. The fact is that male reproductive cells (spermatozoa) are renewed after a certain time (usually after several months). It is enough for a man not to drink for a certain period of time so that his reproductive cells are completely renewed and become “clean”. For women, everything is different; nature gives them a set of eggs once and for the rest of their lives. Thus, when a girl drinks, she undermines her opportunity to become the mother of a healthy baby. After all, at the right moment, just a bad, damaged egg can be fertilized, which will certainly affect future offspring. Or there may be serious problems with conception.

But men should not think that drinking alcohol will not leave adverse consequences for their health. One of the most common causes of impotence is alcohol. In addition, alcohol destroys brain cells. And those who drink frequently and over a long period of time actually become dull over time. Their memory deteriorates, attentiveness disappears, and it becomes more difficult for them to think logically. Often such people are stunned by tasks that are quite simple for any sane person. Personal degradation occurs.

By the way, about personal qualities. Alcohol really takes away your will. A person who drinks frequently is more susceptible to stress and has less determination compared to healthy person. He feels depressed more often. His nervous system is shaken. He cannot fully concentrate on anything normally.

What other consequences does drinking drinks containing ethyl alcohol have?

It has long been proven that even a single dose of alcohol reduces the level of testosterone in the blood of men by 4 times. Therefore, the consumption of beer drinks contributes to the appearance of belly fat and female-type fat deposits in men. There's nothing aesthetic about it, right? But this is how a violation of the normal functioning of the hormonal system manifests itself, which leads to a number of problems, including, as mentioned above, with libido. Moreover, there is a risk of developing infertility even at an early age.

As you can see, drinking alcoholic beverages has very harmful consequences, especially for lovely ladies who want to become mothers in the future. If you value your health and the health of your children, then it is better to abstain from ethyl alcohol, no matter what colorful label it is disguised under. There are so many alternatives! Next time, instead of a glass, reach for juice, fruit drink, a glass of water or a cup of tea. The choice is always yours, and there are no rules that require you to drink on any significant occasion. Be healthy!

Alcohol consumption is an integral element of social life at any time. Surrounded by economic and social instability, modern people often try to isolate themselves from stress through alcohol.

There is an opinion that in small doses, alcohol is harmless and is only a means to relieve psycho-emotional stress, stiffness and fear. Temporary relaxation and euphoria are the reasons why both adults and young people in our country drink alcohol. But this is a serious misconception.

Alcohol, not a helper, is poison. Behind the apparent fun lies a dangerous enemy that is steadily destroying our entire body.

Blood continuously supplies the tissues of the human body with oxygen and elements necessary for life. Entering the bloodstream through the digestive system, alcohol quickly penetrates every organ and poisons it.

The human brain has an extensive blood supply system. Therefore, saturation, and as a result, damage, with alcohol occurs faster and more actively.

Intoxication, which seems harmless at first glance, is an initial numbness, and then the death of the immediate areas of the cerebral cortex. At the same time, the level of neurotransmitters decreases - substances that transmit impulses from neurons to muscle tissue.

They are responsible for our ability to remember and analyze information, control coordination and emotions. The brain contains from 14 to 17 billion such cells. With moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, several thousand cells are destroyed, and with systematic consumption - several million.

Even after completely quitting alcohol, poisoned nerve cells in the brain are not restored, they die irrevocably.

With regular drinking, deep, irreversible transformations in the structure of the brain gradually occur. The cortex becomes thinner, both hemispheres decrease in size, and blood vessels are destroyed.

This invariably entails mental disorders and deterioration of a person’s character. If you don’t stop in time, you will never be able to reverse personal degradation.

The effect of alcohol on the nervous system

The main danger of alcohol is that we are not afraid of it. We are accustomed to its presence in our lives and do not even think about the fact that its effect on health is similar to the effect of any drug known to us.

Like drugs, addiction to alcohol quickly develops. To get the desired effect, the dose and frequency increase with each dose.

The effect of alcohol on the nervous system is divided into several stages:

1. Mental processes slow down. A feeling of joy appears.
2. Motor activity first accelerates as inhibitory impulses weaken. The person moves actively and gesticulates a lot. As time passes, movements become slower. Coordination in space deteriorates.
3. Concentration and visual and hearing acuity decreases. Taste sensations are distorted. The body's reaction to external stimuli slows down - pain, cold, heat, etc.
4. Paralysis nerve centers leads to a weakening of factors inhibiting emotions. A person becomes more emotional and self-confident, ready for rash, irrational actions and aggression.
5. A high concentration of alcohol in the blood leads to impairment or loss of consciousness. The person becomes sleepy and involuntary urination occurs. If the concentration of alcohol in the blood reaches or exceeds the maximum possible level (0.6-0.7%), death occurs.

A single dose of alcohol rolls back the mental and psychological development of the drinker by a week, or even a month. Previous intellectual abilities and reflexes are fully restored only after 12-20 days. Repeated administration increases this period, depending on the dose, by 8-20 days.

With regular abuse of alcoholic beverages, it is alcohol that becomes the root cause of such psychological diseases as:

1. • visual and auditory hallucinations;
   • numbness of body parts, mainly lower extremities;
   • memory impairment;
   • disorientation in time and space;
   • epileptic seizures;
   • delirium delirium – “delirium tremens”;
   • delusional psychoses;
   • prolonged depression.

Data treatment psychological disorders long and requires serious drug therapy.

The effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular system of the body

Once alcohol enters the circulatory system, it stays there for at least 6 hours. During this time, it manages to cause significant harm to our heart. Heart rate exceeds 100 beats per minute.

Arrhythmia develops - a pathology characterized by a violation normal rhythm heartbeat. Blood pressure rises abruptly.

The heart is constantly drinking man works with increased load, expands and becomes covered with adipose tissue. After all, the blood becomes thicker, and it becomes more and more difficult to pump it.

In parallel, alcohol toxins directly affect the muscle fibers of the heart, causing metabolic disorders within the tissues, which can lead to thinning of the myocardium or the formation of microscars on it.

The next day after the feast, you feel chest pain, difficulty breathing, sweating or dizziness, immediately seek help from a medical facility. These are the first signs of an angina attack or heart attack.

The heart of a constantly drinking person has a number of pathologies. In medicine there is even a special term for it - “alcoholic heart”. Its symptoms are as follows:

• shortness of breath, even at rest;
• arrhythmia;
• when listening, dull tones are clearly audible;
• tingling in the heart area or between the shoulder blades, attacks of suffocating cough.

When the last signs appear, pathological changes in the myocardium are no longer reversible.

The effect of alcohol on the body's vascular system

When alcohol enters the bloodstream, it actively destroys erythrocytes - red blood cells.

They move oxygen from the lungs to all tissues and organs, and also remove carbon dioxide. In a state of intoxication, the tissues and organs of the entire body, including the heart, do not receive enough life-giving oxygen. Oxygen starvation sets in.

Destroyed blood cells stick together, forming blood clots. Their accumulation in large vessels leads to disruption of the blood supply to organs. First of all, the brain and heart suffer from this. To push blood through, blood pressure rises, and with it the likelihood of stroke, heart attack and hypertensive crisis.

Obstructed blood flow in the legs leads to stagnation. The veins become inflated, then the blocked areas become hard. Varicose veins veins leads to the following pathologies:

• dermatitis
• trophic ulcers;
• thrombophlebitis;
• deep vein thrombosis;
• profuse bleeding when a varicose node protruding above the skin is injured.

By virtue of anatomical features, even women who do not drink are susceptible to the above diseases, but an alcoholic woman will certainly develop them.

In people who abuse alcohol, the walls of blood vessels are depleted, therefore they are very fragile and easily burst. Disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory system are visible to the naked eye - a network of red veins on the nose, cheekbones and ears.

The more you drink, the redder and denser the mesh is and the larger the area on the face it occupies. If alcohol poisoning continues day after day, the nose becomes bluish in color and swells, significantly increasing in size.

A red nose is an alcohol mark; once it appears, it does not disappear even with complete abstinence from alcohol and persists for life. This indicates that disorders of the circulatory system provoked by “fire water” are not reversible.

The effect of alcohol on the body's digestive system

Alcohol is partially absorbed in the mouth and when passing through the esophagus into the stomach. These organs are the first to be damaged. A microburn appears on them. The stronger the drink, the more significant the damage.

The mucous membrane of the esophagus and stomach is capable of self-healing. But for this the body needs time. With constant consumption of alcohol, the protective shell loses its ability to regenerate. Subsequently, this leads to stomach ulcers or cancer.

To dilute the alcohol and thereby reduce its traumatic effect on the mucous membranes, the glands begin to actively secrete gastric juice. This process does not stop until the alcohol concentration drops to 5%. But the gastric juice released under the influence of ethanol differs from its usual composition. It contains a lot of acids and almost no digestive enzymes.

Frequent intake of strong alcohol leads to absolute inhibition of even those enzymes that were initially isolated. The ducts of the pancreas become clogged, and the enzymes necessary for high-quality digestion do not enter the intestines, but into the organ itself. Thus destroying it. Pancreatitis occurs on this favorable soil.

People suffering from alcoholism have no appetite; they drink and do not eat. The food that enters their stomach is almost not digested. In this form, it enters the intestines. Gastritis occurs. If left untreated it can transform into cancer.

From the stomach, ethanol enters the intestines. There it is quickly absorbed into the blood. About 20% of the total volume of alcohol consumed is absorbed in the duodenum. The degree of injury to this organ is similar to similar injuries to the stomach.

Effects of alcohol on the liver

Liver is vital important organ human body. Its physiological functions are diverse.

Let's look at the main ones:

• it is a large digestive gland - it produces bile, synthesizes bile acids and bilirubin;
• it produces red blood cells in the fetus during pregnancy - the function of hematopoiesis;
• barrier function - it neutralizes and removes toxins, allergens, poisons, intermediate and final metabolic products;
• participates in the metabolism of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, PP and folic acid;
• regulates the lipid barrier, synthesizes cholesterol and glucose.

This is a multifunctional organ. Any, even the slightest damage to it leads to serious disruptions in the body. Poor environment, unhealthy lifestyle, lack of diet, alcohol and smoking trigger dangerous degenerative processes in liver tissue.

After a feast, only a small portion of what you drink is excreted from the body in its pure form.

The overwhelming volume of alcohol (up to 90%) is broken down and eliminated by the liver. This is a complex process, because passing through the stomach and intestines, the alcohol molecule remains unchanged.

All major chemical reactions occur in the liver. There, special cells convert alcohol into acetaldehyde, then into acetic acid, then it is divided into water and carbon dioxide. The liver can process up to 200 ml of alcohol safely. Consumption beyond this limit leads to inevitable death of liver cells.

Alcohol causes three types of damage to the liver gland:

• steatosis – accumulation of fat (fatty degeneration);
• alcoholic hepatitis - inflammation of liver cells;
• Cirrhosis is a chronic and irreversible disease accompanied by structural changes in the liver with the formation of scar tissue.

The liver has a unique ability - it can restore its original size and function. Therefore, the main step in the treatment of alcoholic damage to this gland is complete failure from alcohol.

U often drinking women, liver disease can be provoked by 10 g (a glass of wine, beer or 50 g of vodka) of pure alcohol per day, in the stronger half of the population - 50 g (0.5 l of wine, 1.25 l of beer or 200 g of vodka), and for For teenagers, 15-20 g (0.5 liters of beer) will be enough.

The likelihood and degree of development of diseases of the main “filter” directly depends on heredity, frequency, quantity and strength of alcohol consumed. With regular, but not heavy drinking, steatosis develops after 5-10 years, cirrhosis after 15-20 years.

Kidneys and alcohol

The kidneys are the liver’s main assistants in the fight against alcohol intoxication in the body. They complete its work, finally filter and remove everything harmful and unnecessary from the body through urine, including the breakdown products of alcohol.

To cleanse the body of poison, the kidneys work harder and gradually wear out. In addition to this, aggressive alcohol toxins gradually destroy their delicate structure.

Alcoholic drinks provoke the following changes in the urinary system:

• inflammation of the renal pelvis;
• formation of kidney stones;
• acute renal failure - the organ ceases to fully or partially perform its functions;
• kidney dystrophy.

Drinking beer in large quantities is especially dangerous for the kidneys. This drink has a strong diuretic effect, so it significantly increases the load on the kidneys. Constantly working in this mode, they do not have time to recover. Gradually decrease in size and wrinkle. If you do not give up alcohol at this stage, the kidney will die.

Reproductive system and alcohol

Wandering through the body, alcohol affects and endocrine system responsible for reproductive function. This applies more to women. Their body is more susceptible to alcohol intoxication and the consequences of its action appear faster and more clearly.

Changes in the body primarily affect hormonal levels. The level of the male hormone testosterone increases, and the level of the female hormone estradiol, on the contrary, decreases.

Libido and maternal instinct decrease. The menstrual cycle and ovulation are disrupted.

The ovaries produce immature eggs, which subsequently die.

This sooner or later occurs even in women who drink moderately, significantly reducing their ability to become pregnant in the future. And if conception does occur, the risk of miscarriage increases significantly.

As for men who drink alcohol, most of them suffer from impotence. Changes in the gonads lead to the fact that they partially or completely lose the ability to produce sperm. Testosterone levels drop.

One fun evening significantly reduces the level of male hormone in the blood for several days in advance. Problems with erection appear and control of ejaculation becomes difficult. Against the background of sexual impotence, men may experience psychological disorders.

Excessive beer consumption changes a man's appearance. The amount of hair on the body decreases, the timbre of the voice and figure changes, a “beer belly” appears, and fat deposits directly on the waist and hips increase.

But the harmful effects that alcohol causes do not end there. human body. There is not a single organ, not a single tissue that is not affected by its effects. The incidence of tuberculosis, the development of malignant tumors and psychological disorders in people suffering from alcoholism is tens of times higher than the average for the rest of the population.

Alcohol, ethyl alcohol (ethanol), wine alcohol, C2 H5 OH– a colorless volatile liquid with a characteristic odor and pungent taste, mixes well with water.

Alcohol is a waste product of yeast fungi and can be produced chemically. It is highly flammable, burns, is used as a technical fluid in shock absorbers, brakes, etc., and is a good solvent for many organic substances. Used as a raw material in the chemical industry and also as a fuel.

Alcohol is used in medicine to prepare tinctures and extracts. It destroys the cell membrane and through the destroyed membrane the necessary medicinal substances are delivered faster into the cell. In the Western pharmaceutical industry, when creating pharmaceuticals strive to do without ethyl alcohol. Alcohol-based medications are not recommended for children.

When applied topically, alcohol causes denaturation of proteins in the cytoplasm of microbial cells. This property is used for treating the hands of healthcare workers, sterilizing instruments, etc.

Alcohol is a cellular toxin When ingested, the body tries to neutralize it. This is what the liver does. In liver cells and hepatocytes, ethanol, under the action of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, is converted into acetaldehyde, which, under the action of another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase, is oxidized to acetic acid.

Acetaldehyde is several times more toxic than ethyl alcohol. It causes a hangover, which is essentially serious poisoning. In people who abuse alcohol, the body has to protect itself from excessive doses of alcohol. They increase the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase, which processes alcohol and accumulates acetaldehyde.

The second enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase, cannot be activated. As a result, severe poisoning with acetaldehyde occurs.

With the systematic consumption of alcoholic beverages, alcohol dehydrogenase cannot cope with the decomposition of alcohol. In the body, weaker additional enzymes come into action and the concentration of acetaldehyde in the body increases even more. In the future, even small doses of alcohol sharply increase the concentration of acetaldehyde, self-control is lost and a craving appears for the next dose of alcohol to replace the one that quickly disintegrates.

Back at the beginning of the twentieth century in 1915. At the XI Pirogov meeting of Russian doctors, alcohol was recognized as a narcotic poison. Doctor of Medicine A.L. Mendelssohn in the "Textbook of Temperance", published in 1913. in St. Petersburg wrote: “Alcohol cannot be considered food product in the usual sense of the word. This is a poison for the nervous system, classified as a narcotic substance: it, however, not only paralyzes the brain, but also has a detrimental effect on internal organs. Science is unable to indicate a harmless dose of beer, wine or vodka.” Further, “No one really needs them... Only complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages is a reliable protection against possible alcoholism and all its consequences.”

Great Soviet Encyclopedia (vol. 2, p. 116): “Alcohol is a narcotic poison.”

Foreign experts classify alcohol as a drug such as a depressant.

Modern narcologists consider alcohol to be a cytoplasmic poison that has a destructive effect on all human systems and organs, and an officially approved drug.

The medical consequences of alcohol consumption can be divided into 4 groups:

Effect on the central nervous system;

- Influence at reproductive organs and gene pool;

Impact on the development of cardiovascular diseases;

Others physiological consequences drinking alcohol.

Effect of alcohol on the central nervous system

Drinking alcohol causes intoxication. Alcohol intoxication is acute alcohol poisoning. It is caused by hypoxia ( oxygen starvation) cells of the cerebral cortex.

Alcohol causes blood clots to form in small vessels of the brain. Due to hypoxia of cortical cells, some of them die and a cemetery of neurons is formed in the brain. How more people drank alcohol, the more neurons died.

Alcohol inhibits the activity of nerve cells, developing

lethargy, slow speech, impaired mental activity, decreased concentration. Increases the potential for injury, accidents and death. Large doses of alcohol lead to the development of a coma, and death may occur from respiratory failure due to its suppression or from aspiration of vomit.

Scientists have found that 85% of “moderate drinkers” and 95% of alcoholics have a decrease in brain volume. After four years After drinking alcohol, the brain becomes “shrinked” due to the death of billions of neurons. Systematic alcohol consumption leads to a decrease in brain mass. In women, this degradation, associated with the loss of brain matter, occurs faster than in men.

The mental abilities of such people decrease, the freshness and originality of thoughts are lost. Disappear Creative skills. It becomes difficult to process current information, and the replenishment of life and professional skills is disrupted. Efficiency decreases, desire to work decreases. Those who are addicted to alcohol are incapable of systematic work. Character deteriorates, morality declines.

Alcohol suppresses the function of the cerebral cortex, and subcortical formations begin to control human behavior. A person’s behavior becomes aggressive, his base biological instincts manifest themselves.

It has been established that mental abilities and memory deteriorate under the influence of even the smallest doses of alcohol. Coordination of movements, vigilance, and intelligence are impaired. Just 25 grams of vodka impairs memory by 60–70%.

Complete restoration of brain function, including its capabilities for systemic analytical thinking, after drinking alcohol occurs within 18–20 days. Thus, scientific evidence is confirmed that if people drink alcohol twice a month, then their brain is not able to work at the level of capabilities given to them by nature. That is why the consumption of alcohol by politicians, government officials, leaders who make responsible decisions and shape public opinion is unacceptable. Otherwise, it will lead to inadequate guidance and decisions and may set a bad example for the entire society.

Typical forms of alcohol damage to the central nervous system:

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome;

Hangover seizures (alcoholic epilepsy);

Variants of delirium tremens, which occur in a state of alcohol withdrawal and are accompanied by delirium (delirium), occur at stages II-III of alcoholism, during the period of cessation of drunkenness, delirium, visual, auditory and/or tactile hallucinations appear, there may be chills and fever. Hallucinations are usually threatening in nature, often presented in the form of small dangerous creatures(insects, devils). Sometimes it ends in death. The main danger with delirium is the risk of self-harm.

Wernicke encephalopathy - brain damage as a result of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, usually occurring with chronic alcoholism, blurred vision, disturbances in gait and coordination of movements, disorientation - confusion;

Korsakoff psychosis is a combination of polyneuritis with severe memory impairments that relate to remembering current events and reproducing the recent past;

Alcoholic dementia - impairment of mental (cognitive) functions, loss of normal perception, thinking, counting, speech, attention;

Manifestations of cognitive dysfunction: decreased memory, mental performance, impaired rational cognition of the world and interaction with it, perception of information, impaired processing and analysis, memorization and storage.

Atypical forms of alcohol damage to the central nervous system:

Atypical variants of delirium tremens - occur after repeated psychoses, often with fantastic content - alcoholic oneiroid;

Alcoholic paranoid – delusional perception of the environment, anxiety, fear and psychomotor restlessness;

Acute and chronic alcoholic hallucinosis;

Alcoholic delirium of jealousy.

The effect of alcohol on the reproductive organs and gene pool

When drinking alcohol, it is retained in the gonads, and in women it is 35%, and in men it is 55% more than in the blood.

Research has established that even a single dose of 250–300 ml of alcohol reduces the concentration of the male sex hormone, testosterone, in the blood by 4 times and, accordingly, reduces sexual function in men. Within an hour after drinking alcohol, it is found in the semen of a man and in the ovaries of a woman. When male and female reproductive cells, poisoned by alcohol, merge, defective embryos are obtained.

Children conceived while intoxicated are the main population of auxiliary schools. More than 90% of children with mental and physical disabilities are born to parents who started drinking at school age.

Children whose fathers drank alcoholic beverages for at least 4 to 5 years before the birth of the child showed signs of mental retardation.

A break in the consumption of alcohol by male alcoholics for 2–3 years, against the background of restorative and anti-alcohol treatment, creates favorable conditions (but does not guarantee) for the normal mental development of children conceived during this period.

Alcohol consumption by a woman before and during pregnancy leads to toxicosis of pregnancy, miscarriages, premature birth, intrauterine malformations of the child, deficiency of fetal weight at the time of birth, slowdown in the rate of psychophysical development. Mentally retarded people born from drunken parents inevitably produce the same offspring.

WHO experts believe that in Russia alone, more than 30% of the population currently have mental defects due to drunkenness and alcoholism. At the same time, 13% of the total number of children lag behind the average level in intellectual development, and 25% cannot master the general education curriculum.

The effect of alcohol on the development of cardiovascular diseases

Alcohol is one of the leading risk factors for morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Alcohol is in second place in the risk of causing the prevalence of arterial hypertension.

Elderly man with heart disease vascular problems can die suddenly from drinking a relatively small dose of alcohol. There are three external factors, provoking sudden cardiac death: drinking alcohol, exercise stress, psycho-emotional stress. If these factors coincide in time, the probability sudden death increases.

Alcohol contributes to the formation of blood clots in the arteries, the development of cerebral strokes, and myocardial infarction.

Chronic alcohol intoxication reduces the life expectancy of men with cardiovascular diseases by an average of 17 years.

Thus, there is a direct relationship between mortality from cardiovascular diseases and alcohol consumption.

In recent decades, publications have appeared on the protective effects of small doses of alcohol on cardiovascular diseases in older people, in particular, with coronary heart disease.

According to research at the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the director of the institute commented: “Although moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease, science is not convinced that alcohol causes it. risk. The risk reduction may be due to as yet unidentified factors associated with drinking alcohol in combination with factors that reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, such as lifestyle, diet or physical activity, or with substances in alcoholic beverages.”

Current research is controversial and is limited to the age groups of men over 45 and menopausal women.

From the standpoint of preventing cardiovascular damage, the most reasonable and correct thing would be not to drink alcohol, since the harm from alcohol significantly outweighs the benefits.

Other physiological effects of alcohol consumption

Alcohol is a cause of acute and chronic gastritis, acute and chronic pancreatitis, fatty liver, acute and chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, chronic renal failure, anemia.

Alcohol contributes to the development of gastric ulcers and duodenum, acute pneumonia, aggravates the course of hepatitis B and C, suppresses the immune system.

Alcohol lovers are more likely to suffer from pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other lung diseases.

According to WHO experts, alcohol can cause more than 60 diseases and disorders in humans.

The effect of alcohol on children and adolescents

Children are very sensitive to alcohol. A case of death of a child under 1 year of age was described due to the application of a vodka compress to his chest three times during the day when he was coughing. There was a case of death of a five-year-old child who drank 10 g of alcohol as a result of an oversight. How younger body, the more harmful the effect of alcohol is on him.

Children and adolescents very quickly develop an addiction and a positive attitude towards alcohol. Children imitate adults and parents. They may drink alcohol in secret and may experience alcohol poisoning. In this case, they may experience loss of consciousness, and pulmonary and cardiovascular activity may be impaired.

If a family often hosts alcoholic feasts, then the children of this family subsequently associate holidays and weekends with drinking alcohol.

IN adolescence The attraction to alcohol develops 8 times faster than in adults. Their behavior is disrupted, aggressiveness appears, and a hangover syndrome develops. And all this 1 to 3 years after the start of systematic drunkenness. The sons of persons suffering from alcoholism are 4 times more likely to become alcoholics, compared to the sons of those who did not have alcoholism.

Peculiarities of the influence of alcohol depending on the type of drink

Alcoholic drinks are mixtures of water and alcohol with the addition of other substances that give the drink a certain taste and smell.
Everyone starts drinking alcohol with typical drinks - beer, wine, vodka.

Beer

"Energetic drinks" - contain heavy doses of caffeine and up to 4–9% alcohol.

Small doses of alcohol

Recently, a lot of research and speculation has appeared about the benefits of small doses of alcohol. They write that “light and moderate” alcohol consumption can have a protective effect against coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, cholesterol gallstones, atherosclerosis, “prolongs life”, “stimulates mental activity" Nowadays, everyone understands the comprehensive harm of alcohol both for the individual and for society as a whole. However, the leaders of the alcohol business, having great financial resources, promote the benefits of small doses of alcohol and pay for “research” indicating the benefits of alcohol.

Alcohol abuse can cause serious harm to health, including a negative impact on the cardiovascular system. In addition, you should remember and understand that alcohol is not a means of healing. It should not be taken with certain medications as it may cause side effects. Alcohol in moderate doses is allowed for ischemic heart disease, but only if there are no contraindications.

Remember that a single large dose of alcohol can cause death or brain strokes. It is not recommended to drink alcohol if the patient has elevated blood triglycerides or is on an anti-obesity diet.

Which drink do you prefer?

Scientists have not been able to find out whether there is a difference in the positive effects of certain alcoholic beverages. Data on the greatest benefits of red wine emerged from studies of mortality rates in different countries. Thus, in France, the capital of winemakers, the number deaths from coronary heart disease is half as much as in the United States. The benefits of red wine are explained by the presence in its composition of a large number of substances with antioxidant properties. They are the ones who help curb the development of atherosclerosis.

In 2007 a study by Australian scientists led by L. Harris was completed, “Alcohol consumption and mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the light of possible errors classification of subjects." The work concluded that in men there was no statistically significant “protective” effect of alcohol, while in women it was observed, but only for red wine. In this case, it was not the alcohol that caused the protective effects of red wine in the group of women, but the antioxidants contained in red wine.

For preventive purposes, red wine can be replaced grape juice, wine vinegar, fresh fruit and vegetables. They contain more antioxidants and without the admixture of the poison ethanol.

The following arguments indicate the dangers of “small doses” of alcohol.

1. The use of alcohol by adults for “medicinal” purposes, even in small doses, is an undesirable provocative example for children. Children do not need alcohol, in any quantity.

2. Regular use of small doses disrupts, changes consciousness, the logic of thinking is disrupted, but thinking should be clear.

3. The “acceptable” dose of alcohol varies depending on the country of study by 2–3 times. It is difficult to calculate a safe dose for a specific person; it varies depending on different periods life even for one person. People become drunkards gradually and unnoticed. Drinking alcohol in small doses is a path to drinking alcohol in large doses.

4. If there are benefits from small doses of alcohol, then why can’t we teach people to drink it in teaspoons? Because main goal Drinking alcohol is not about getting health benefits, but about getting stupefied, changing consciousness, and getting alcoholic “pleasure.”

5. Alcohol consumption tends to increase in doses, which means that the threshold for safe consumption is likely to be crossed.

6. Propaganda for regular consumption of small doses of alcohol is provocative from the point of view of state security: if this idea is introduced into the consciousness of the residents of our CIS countries, then the question of “to drink or not to drink” alcohol will be resolved in favor of sobriety.

What regular alcohol consumption leads to can be clearly seen in the examples of countries with traditional alcohol consumption: France, where they drink only dry and high-quality wines, Germany, where they love beer, are increasingly filled with people from more sober civilizations: Turks, Arabs, Chinese, people from countries of the Middle East and North Africa.

Therefore, recommendations to drink alcohol in small doses, particularly in the form of beer, wine or “ energy drinks» are provocative, have commercial interest and political meaning and are aimed at destroying the health of individuals, families and the state.

"Cultural" drinking

Nowadays, there is an introduction to the “drinking culture” with early age in families. Children are included in home drinking parties. Children are given diluted wine so that they believe that it is a “seasoning” for dishes. And it is used “culturally”. After all, this is what the French and Italians do.

In modern Russia and other CIS countries there are too few families where wine is just a seasoning for dishes. Adults in these cases cannot be a positive example for children. Many generations living in the CIS countries did not drink wine and managed quite well without instilling a “drinking culture” in their minor children. IN childhood Alcohol is quite dangerous to health. In addition, the earlier a child starts drinking alcohol, the greater his chances of becoming an alcoholic.

Even the great Avicenna allowed the prescription of small doses of red wine for stomach upsets, but warned that wine should not be given to children.

In Western countries, medicines for children are not alcohol-based.

IN medicinal tinctures alcohol is strictly dosed, and they are prescribed in limited doses by drops.

Alcohol capital and business want to disrupt the natural sobriety of children, so that children do not create a stereotype that they can simply be sober. After all, the earlier you start drinking alcohol, the more income you get from it.

Drunkenness and alcoholism

Domestic drunkenness- this is not yet a disease, this is a tribute to the traditions existing in our society, these are “drinking” attitudes in individual groups, among colleagues, friends or relatives, this is a way of life.

Domestic drunkenness does not require drug treatment; a person, of his own free will, can stop drinking alcohol at any time or significantly reduce it without experiencing any unpleasant sensations from abstinence. Household drunkenness can continue throughout a person’s life; the amount of alcohol consumed can remain unchanged or increase to certain limits. But everyday drunkenness can turn into alcoholism.

Many drinking people believe that they are not alcoholic. In their view, an alcoholic is a degraded person, with a blue nose, unwashed, unshaven, uncut, with shaking hands, who has lost his human appearance and dignity, as a rule, who has lost his job, often his family, drinks with random drinking buddies, lying around anywhere. There are such alcoholics, and they are in the later stages of the disease.

But there are other alcoholics who drink and this does not yet affect their health, work, or family relationships. So far everything is fine with them, there are no hangovers, binges, alcoholic personality changes, social degradation, but they already have alcoholism.

Alcoholism– this is already a disease that requires treatment. Unlike everyday drunkenness, a patient with alcoholism cannot independently stop drinking alcohol and cannot arbitrarily regulate its amount.


In the body of a patient with alcoholism, changes occur in which the body rebels, demanding the intake of alcohol. This does not happen with everyday drunkenness.

Alcoholism is a progressive disease, and if its first symptoms appear, then it will steadily develop, new clinical manifestations, personality degradation and all the consequences of alcoholism will arise.

Stages of alcoholism

Alcohol disease has 3 stages.
The first stage of alcoholism is preceded by a stage of “cultural” drinking from one to ten years. People predisposed to alcoholism go through this stage quite quickly within a few months. Then comes the stage of poor drinking, and this is the first stage of alcoholism.

First stage

Alcohol disease is treated exclusively by long-term sobriety and nothing else.

Often, alcohol is absolutely contraindicated for healthy individuals who, after small doses of alcohol, become violent, aggressive, and insane. They don't remember what they did or what happened to them. This condition is classified as pathological intoxication. Due to unmotivated aggressiveness and altered consciousness, such people commit illegal actions and criminal offenses. Unlike ordinary intoxication, which is caused by large doses of alcohol, pathological intoxication is caused by small amounts of alcohol. And if it happened once, it can always happen again. Such people need to always remain sober.

The relationship between the state of intoxication and blood alcohol content(V.I. Prozorovsky, A.F. Rubtsov, I.S. Karandaev, 1967)
Blood alcohol content Functional assessment
Less than 0.3 g/l No influence of alcohol
0.3 – 0.5 g/l Minor influence
0.5 – 1.5 g/l Mild intoxication
1.5 – 2.5 g/l Moderate intoxication
2.5 – 3 g/l Strong intoxication
3.0 – 5.0 g/l Severe poisoning, possible
fatal outcome
Over 5 g/l Fatal poisoning

Acute ethanol poisoning

The strength of ethanol depends on the dose, tolerance to alcohol (liver function), and the degree of individual production of enzymes that neutralize alcohol (alcohol dehydrogenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase).

As a result of the action on the cerebral cortex, intoxication with characteristic alcoholic arousal occurs. Ethanol poisoning develops nausea, vomiting and dehydration (alcohol dehydrates the body).

In large doses, an anesthesia effect occurs. The inhibitory effect on the central nervous system is caused by stimulation of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors. GABA is the main neurotransmitter involved in the processes of central inhibition.

Sensory sensations become difficult, attention decreases, and memory weakens. Defects in thinking and judgment appear, orientation and self-control are disrupted, and a critical attitude towards oneself and surrounding events is lost. There is often an overestimation of one's own capabilities. Reflex reactions are slow and inaccurate. Talkativeness, euphoria often appear, pain sensitivity decreases (analgesia).

Spinal reflexes are reduced and coordination of movements is impaired. When taking large doses of alcohol, excitement gives way to depression and sleep occurs. In case of severe poisoning, a stuporous or comatose state is observed: the skin is pale, moist, breathing is rare, the exhaled air smells of ethanol, the pulse is rapid, and the body temperature is low.

Emergency assistance for acute poisoning alcohol includes the following activities:

1. Gastric lavage to clean rinsing water.

2. Water load with forced diuresis with diuretics.

3. In case of respiratory failure of central origin - artificial ventilation.

4. Alkalinization therapy with 4% sodium bicarbonate solution intravenously.

5. Symptomatic therapy according to indications

In the presence of an alcoholic coma, the patient is sequentially administered naloxone at a dose of 0.01 mg/kg in 10 ml of a 40% glucose solution, and then 1 ml of 6% thiamine bromide is injected there. There is an awakening effect in case of poisoning with alcohol, drugs and sleeping pills. Activated carbon It is not effective for poisoning with ethyl alcohol; it does not absorb alcohol.

Planned treatment of alcoholism is carried out by psychiatrists - narcologists in drug treatment rooms and hospitals.

Treatment of alcoholism includes two main stages:
1. Relief of acute alcohol disorders.
2. Anti-relapse therapy.

Relief of acute alcohol disorders, prevents and eliminates withdrawal syndrome and its complications – hangovers seizures and alcoholic delirium.

For this, ethanol analogs are used - benzodiazepines: diazepam, chlordiazepoxide (Elenium), lorazepam. Barbiturates and anticonvulsants. These drugs are prescribed by psychiatrists and narcologists to eliminate withdrawal symptoms, prevent seizures and delirium tremens.

Vitamins are also prescribed: thiamine (vitamin B1), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) and nicotinic acid (vitamin PP). To restore the electrolyte balance of potassium and magnesium ions and eliminate dehydration, intravenous drip infusions (glucose, hemodez, panangin) are performed.

Anti-relapse (maintenance) therapy is aimed at reducing the severity of alcoholic excesses, preventing binge drinking and mitigating the adverse consequences of alcohol abuse.

It is carried out with the following medications: disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate. These drugs inhibit acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, an enzyme that converts toxic acetaldehyde into acetic acid. In this case, acetaldehyde syndrome or disulfiramalcohol reaction (DAR) develops:

- increased blood pressure;
- tachycardia;
- heartbeat;
- throbbing pain in the head;
- blurred vision;
- nausea and vomiting;

Shortness of breath and feeling of lack of air;
- redness of the skin;
- fear of death, prompting a patient with alcoholism to stop drinking alcohol.

A successful and innovative dosage form of disulfiram is water-soluble (effervescent) tablets called Antabuse. The tablets are tasteless and odorless and can be added to food and drink by the patient's relatives. Each dose of a soluble tablet will ensure that the drug enters the patient’s body and assumes the timely development of the therapeutic effect.

Treatment of alcoholism will be effective when the patient has good motivation for treatment, that is:
- he must admit that he is a sick person suffering from alcoholism;
- he must wish to be treated for alcohol addiction;
- he must have the intention not to drink alcohol in any form in the future.

One of the old methods of treating alcoholism is "Hemming". The patient is sewn under the skin or injected intravenously with a drug (Torpedo, Esperal, NIT, SIT, MST, etc.). When alcohol enters the body, these drugs begin to produce toxic substances, which cause nausea, vomiting, fear of death and form a negative attitude towards alcohol in a person. At the same time, if a person takes a large dose of alcohol, heart rhythm disturbances, angina attacks occur, and myocardial infarction and cerebral edema may develop.

The drugs used for filing are harmless if the person is in a state of sobriety. But they do not relieve the primary craving for alcohol. It turns out that you want to drink, but you are scared - there is a fear of death. This method is painful for many, but for some patients it can be quite effective.

"Coding"- This is emotional stress therapy. A “code” is laid in the subconscious that prohibits the consumption of alcohol. This method was developed by the Ukrainian doctor and narcologist A. Dovzhenko, with whom the term “coding for alcoholism” is associated.

Through emotional stress, a program is introduced into the patient’s consciousness possible occurrence, life-threatening severe health problems when consuming even small doses of alcohol. This method is effective for people susceptible to hypnosis.

In a state of hypnosis, a person is instilled with indifference and aversion to alcohol, and the appearance of bad consequences if it is consumed. The doctor conducting such treatment must test the patient for sensitivity to hypnosis. For patients who are less susceptible to hypnosis, additional techniques are performed, for example, when pronouncing the hypnosis formula, the phrase “if you drink even a little, you will die” is said and at the same time the doctor presses on the eyeballs. “Coding” is also carried out.

Hardware treatment carried out using special medical equipment that affects the human brain. As a result of this impact, they are restored healthy functions brain, the activity of the centers of attraction to alcohol is neutralized. This removes the primary craving for alcohol, and a person without
“withdrawal” enters a sober life. The most famous technique of electrical brain stimulation, TES, is a therapy developed by scientists of the Russian Academy of Sciences under the leadership of Professor V.P. Lebedev, used in 17 countries around the world.

Psychotherapy– this is soft psychotherapeutic work to support emotionally – volitional sphere patient. Psychotherapy can be used as an independent method or in combination with other methods. To effectively recover from alcoholism, the patient’s family must be involved in the treatment process. The participation of family members in the treatment process increases the effectiveness of treatment, up to lifelong abstinence from alcohol consumption.

Group psychotherapy, in particular participation in Alcoholics Anonymous groups, is effective in maintaining resistance to alcohol.

Reflexology– can be effectively used in the treatment of alcoholism. Doctors-reflexologists use needles, magnets and other reflexotherapeutic techniques to harmonize energy system of the human body, which is unbalanced in various diseases, including alcoholism. And eliminating excess desire in alcoholism, as with any other addiction (tobacco, drugs, food, gaming), allows you to effectively get rid of alcohol addiction and be completely indifferent to alcohol.

Endorphins are “internal hormones of happiness”, the production of which in a patient with alcoholism is sharply reduced. It is precisely because of the deficiency of one’s own endorphins that numerous manifestations of alcohol dependence arise: pathological craving for alcohol, depression, feelings of guilt, and withdrawal syndrome develops.

Reflexologists successfully treat these conditions by “forcing” the patient’s body to produce endorphins in the required quantities. These methods are based on the body’s reaction in response to a corrective, therapeutic effect received from the external and internal environment with needles or magnets, carried out with the participation of the nervous system.

Reflexology can be used as an independent method in the treatment of alcoholism, and can also be combined with other therapeutic methods, for example, when withdrawing from heavy drinking, you can use points that calm the nervous system and thereby reduce the drug load on the body of a patient with alcoholism, significantly increasing their effectiveness.

Treatment of alcoholism using reflexology is effective and ensures a sober life for a person in the future. According to numerous reviews of patients who have undergone treatment for alcoholism using reflexology, the vast majority have good long-term results in the treatment of alcoholism. Patients who have undergone reflexology treatment enjoy their sober life; they always, even after many years, report a powerful healing effect which they felt after treatment. The craving for alcohol disappears, and indifference to it appears.

“There is alcohol, but it is not needed, not interesting and even disgusting” - this is how those who had an alcohol addiction after the treatment that I provide treat alcohol. I carry out the treatment with magnets, which I place on certain points on the hands and feet, and secure them with adhesive tape for several hours. Already after 1 – 2 sessions, alcohol becomes unnecessary, indifference to alcohol appears, alcohol disappears from life. The full course of treatment is 8 – 10 sessions. The effectiveness of the method is up to 90%. These people subsequently lead a sober, healthy lifestyle without alcohol.

To recover and get rid of alcohol addiction, you must desire to recover from alcoholism, and have the intention in the future not to drink alcohol at all. There will definitely be a positive result.

Conclusions about alcohol and the consequences of its use:

1. Alcohol is a poison in any form, including small doses. Separate beneficial features alcohol products cannot exceed their harm and recommend their use for medicinal or nutritional purposes.

2. Alcohol causes mental and physical dependence, leading to disability and premature death.

3. Alcohol causes moral and mental degradation, destroys families, and leads to crimes.

4. Alcohol leads to the birth of defective offspring and the degeneration of individuals, social groups and entire nations.

5. Promoting regular use of “small doses” of alcohol is harmful to people and is incorrect in its essence, since alcohol is harmful even in small doses.

6. Promoting early introduction to the “culture” of drinking in the family is harmful and dangerous for the younger generation, as it contributes to the education of future alcohol consumers; alcohol producers and sellers need this to increase the production and sale of alcohol.