The effect of alcohol on the internal. stages and forms. Impact on the cardiovascular system

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 are the consequences of its use, and how much will it affect health? Let's look into these issues.

A bit of history. From Antiquity to the Present Day

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

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

It is worth noting that in Russia drinking alcoholic beverages was not common. There was simply nothing stronger than mead, and they rarely drank it, and they didn’t pour it for women at all - they took care of the gene pool. For a long time, our country was considered the least drinking. The trend began to change dramatically only in the last few decades, moreover, because of the corresponding specialized propaganda, and not at all because they always drank in Russia. Just the opposite.

Modern furnishings

In the last century, a wave of dry laws swept the world. True, they did not lead to anything constructive in the end. But they led to the mass underground production of low-quality moonshine. As a result, all bans on the consumption and sale of alcohol were quickly abolished due to their inefficiency. However, there are examples of countries and republics that quite effectively decided this problem, but in slightly different ways. Among them is 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 banned, but it is somewhat difficult to get it on free sale. On the territory of Russia, many regions have introduced temporary restrictions on the sale of alcohol. For example, in Moscow it is allowed only from 8 am to 11 pm.

About the action of ethyl alcohol and related problems

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

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

In addition to affecting directly 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 work actively, that is, all the time you want to go to the toilet. This in turn can overload the kidneys and liver. Not to mention that the basis of alcohol in the form ethyl alcohol itself is a very harmful substance. Basically poisonous. We just don't think about it that often.

Does alcohol affect reproductive system? If so, how and what are 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 the female reproductive system is especially detrimental. The fact is that male sex cells (spermatozoa) are updated after a certain time (usually after a few months). It is enough for a man not to drink for a certain time so that his sex cells are completely renewed and become “clean”. In women, everything is different, nature gives them a set of eggs once and for life. Thus, when a girl drinks, she undermines her ability to become a mother. healthy baby. Indeed, at the right time, just a bad, damaged egg can be fertilized, which will certainly affect future offspring. Or there may be big problems with conception.

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

By the way, about personal qualities. Alcohol is really debilitating. A person who drinks often is more prone to stress and has less determination than a healthy person. He often feels depressed. His nervous system shattered. He cannot fully concentrate on anything normally.

What are the other consequences of drinking drinks containing ethyl alcohol?

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

As you can see, the use of alcoholic beverages has very detrimental consequences, especially for lovely ladies who want to become mothers in the future. If your health and the health of your children are dear to you, then it is better to refrain from ethyl alcohol, no matter what colorful label it is disguised under. After all, there are so many alternatives! Next time, instead of a glass, reach out 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!

Alcoholism is a topical and important problem modern society, our country in particular. The unstable economic situation, constant crises and problems, the availability of alcoholic beverages are all factors contributing to the spread of this problem. The age of people starting to take alcohol is constantly rejuvenated. So high school students in schools are already fully formed consumers of alcoholic beverages, especially beer. Then, with the onset of student age, the level of consumption only grows, and gradually a person is drawn into the regular intake of doses of alcohol, sometimes without noticing it. The influence of alcohol on the human body is difficult to underestimate, since alcohol is one of the most common causes of disability, disability, health and death of the population. At the same time, able-bodied men of the most productive age are most often affected by alcoholism. There are frequent cases of poisoning with low-quality alcohol.

It should be noted that alcoholism is a disease that, in addition to medical, also has a social character. People who are prone to alcoholism commit crimes, their families break up more often, children lose their fathers, and sometimes their mothers. Domestic drunkenness, which is an ordinary feast, contains a threat to the individual himself and to society as a whole. Approximately 25% of people who began to "use" in everyday life situations - holidays, family celebrations have every chance of becoming alcoholics.

Alcohol has its detrimental effect on absolutely all organs and systems of the human body and psyche, and this has already been proven by scientists and pathologists. It also contributes to the development of chronic diseases.

The effect of alcohol on the brain

Alcohol disrupts the access of oxygen atoms to brain molecules, thereby providing it with oxygen starvation. If fasting becomes regular and prolonged over time, it can lead to memory loss, partial dementia, and sometimes lethal outcome. All these are the consequences of the death of brain cells that do not receive sufficient nutrition for a long time. The effect of alcohol on the brain is also expressed in the effect on the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for the "thinking" function of the brain. Accordingly, becoming an alcoholic, a person is no longer able to fully and correctly think, which makes him a moderately useful member for society.

The cardiovascular system

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are the most common cause of death of people not only in our country, but throughout the world. Alcohol affects the heart muscle, which is already under severe stress, which adversely affects health. Therefore, so often people who drink alcohol die in young age. Autopsy doctors claim that in people suffering from alcoholism, the heart after death is enlarged in size, sometimes quite significantly.

Even those people who take alcohol in moderation and in not large quantities sometimes feel disturbed heart rate after drinking a glass or two of alcohol. Progresses rapidly under the influence of alcohol ischemic disease, hypertension, often the heart is affected by a heart attack.

Respiratory system

Alcohol abusers often develop Chronical bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis. At the same time, the rate of breathing itself increases significantly, since the access of oxygen to the lungs is difficult. Often drinking alcohol is accompanied by smoking. In this case, the load on the respiratory system increases several times. These two habits - alcohol and smoking are very harmful in themselves, but in combination they are doubly dangerous force affecting human health.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

The first affected is the gastric mucosa, which takes the main "blow". Due to the regular intake of alcohol, the mucous membrane is irritated, then gastritis and peptic ulcer develop. Diseases of the stomach - more often than all other diseases accompany alcoholism. With a sufficiently long intake of alcoholic beverages, the normal functioning of the salivary glands is destroyed. At the same time, the separation of saliva becomes not so abundant and it changes chemical composition which impairs food processing.

Liver disease

Since the liver is responsible for cleaning the entire body of various toxins, impurities and poisons, it often simply cannot cope with the amount of toxic substances that enter the body with alcohol. As a result, health suffers greatly. Therefore, so often with regular and long-term use of alcohol, especially of low quality, people develop hepatitis, which then smoothly turns into cirrhosis of the liver.

Three stages of liver damage:

• Fatty degeneration. Develops moderately but regularly drinking people. The liver increases in size, unable to cope with the increased stress. If at this stage you completely refuse to take alcohol, there is every chance for a successful outcome of events and a complete recovery of a person.
• Alcoholic hepatitis. At this stage, there are sometimes quite severe pain in the right side, which indicates that the disease is progressing. The whites of the eyes turn yellow, as the liver can no longer cope with the removal of waste and poisons from the body.
• Cirrhosis. This stage is already an extreme degree of liver decay. It usually leads to death, as the body completely ceases to perform its functions.

Effect on the kidneys

In the vast majority of people suffering from alcoholism, the excretory function of the kidneys is impaired. This happens due to damage to the mucous membrane of the renal epithelium - the tissue lining the surface of the organ.

Alcohol is also very detrimental to immune system person, literally turning it off for a while. This gives harmful microbes and bacteria an opportunity to infect the body. The effect of alcohol on the human body is therefore very insidious. Alcoholics often have colds and other viral infections. At the same time, the processes of blood purification and the production of new red blood cells are disrupted, and allergic reactions often develop.

Impact on the reproductive system

The gonads are very strongly influenced by alcohol. In one third of men who abuse alcohol, there is a significant decrease in the ability to have a normal sexual life. This is the so-called "alcoholic impotence". Due to such an important dysfunction for a man, he often develops neurosis, depression and other psychical deviations health. Women have an offensive early menopause, the ability to conceive is lost or reduced, and during pregnancy, if it still occurs, they are more often worried about toxicosis .

Effects on the skin and muscles

Under the influence of alcohol, muscles often atrophy, lose their tone and weaken. The effect of alcohol on the muscular system is similar to the effects of malnutrition. Skin diseases- frequent accompanying alcoholism. Since the immune system is half disabled, it may not be able to cope with virus attacks. The liver also does not function at full strength, so the cleansing of the body is not carried out well enough. As a result, various boils, ulcers, acne, allergic rashes and other "decorations" appear on the surface of the skin.

Delirium tremens

Everyone knows the jokes about delirium tremens". And it would be funnier if it weren't so true. Hallucinations, convulsions, sudden numbness of the limbs - all this frequent consequences excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.

White fever is one of the most terrible forms alcohol poisoning. It leads to death in two percent of cases, even when provided medical care. Without the timely arrival of doctors, it leads to death in 20% of cases. The disease is characterized by strong and fantastic delusional hallucinations, lapses in memory and consciousness, strong arousal, disorientation in space and time. The patient is feverish, he completely loses control over himself, he often needs to be pacified by force.

The effect of alcohol on offspring

About what pernicious influence It has been known since antiquity that alcohol affects unborn children. So, in ancient Greece, newlyweds were forbidden to drink at a wedding, especially in Sparta, known for its strict criteria for the health of newborns. And in ancient Rome, young men under 30 were generally forbidden to drink until they had families and had children.

By now medical research collected a lot of facts directly pointing to the harmful effects of alcohol on the health of unborn children. There are frequent cases of the birth of dead and premature babies. Also, mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy often give birth to children with pathologies, disabilities and chronic diseases since birth. In most cases of birth of mentally retarded children, one or both parents abused alcohol.

Generally, total duration life with the systematic intake of alcohol is significantly reduced. early aging body, the onset of disability, comes on average for 15-20 years than in people who do not abuse alcohol.

Found an error? Select it and click Shift+Enter or

When people drink alcohol, it passes through the blood throughout the body. Alcohol reaches every organ and is distributed throughout the cellular fluid in our body. Organs such as the brain, which contain a lot of water and need an adequate blood supply to function properly, are particularly susceptible to the effects of alcohol. Others, including the liver, heart, pancreas, and kidneys, also suffer from alcohol after it enters the bloodstream within minutes.

Now let's look at how alcohol affects the four major systems of the body: the digestive, central nervous, circulatory, and endocrine systems.

Alcohol abuse today is an urgent problem of modern society around the world. Alcohol consumption causes accidents, injuries and poisoning, regardless of the standard of living and the status of a person in society.

Of particular concern is the consumption of alcoholic beverages among the younger generation. Drinking alcohol among young people, students and pupils can be considered as national suicide. He destroys the young and yet much faster healthy body, a personality that affects the whole society. Among young people, the most high percent mortality from alcohol consumption.

It is very important to learn as early as possible about the action and effect of alcohol on the body, what consequences can lead to a passion for alcoholic beverages, even the weakest.

The effect of alcohol on the digestive system

Alcohol use and its effects begin at the point of entry. Alcohol is an irritant. It starts to burn when it comes into contact with any mucous membrane.

When you drink the first sip of alcohol, its effects are not particularly felt, especially if you drink a high-quality drink. You will notice an instant burning sensation as it enters your mouth and travels down your esophagus.

This is a burn that can eventually kill the living tissue in your body. With prolonged and excessive use, alcohol can lead to the development of various diseases head and neck. Drinking five or more drinks a day can double or triple your risk of developing cancer in your mouth, throat, or vocal cords.

Let us now consider in detail the route of alcohol. Entering the mouth, then it enters the stomach, the circulatory system, the brain, kidneys, lungs and liver. As alcohol is absorbed, the following may occur.

Alcohol passes through sensitive membranes, which can be irritated if the alcohol content is high enough;

Frequent drinkers are at significantly greater risk of mouth and throat cancer.

Alcohol does not need to be digested as its molecules are very small and can easily pass through the stomach lining.

When the stomach is empty, alcohol passes directly into the bloodstream.

When there is food in the stomach, especially high protein foods, the rate of alcohol absorption slows down but does not stop.

Alcohol in small amounts stimulates the appetite by increasing the production of gastric juices.

Due to the large amount of gastric juices produced a large number of alcohol suppresses appetite and can cause malnutrition.

Excessive alcohol consumption stimulates the production of gastric juice in the stomach, which, combined with a high alcohol content, causes irritation of the stomach lining, leading to ulcers.

When the concentration of alcohol and gastric juice becomes high enough, and irritation of the mucous membrane increases, a reflex urge to vomit is triggered, as protective way body to reduce part of this irritation.

20% of the alcohol consumed enters the bloodstream through the stomach, and 80% (the remaining alcohol) is absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine.

When alcohol enters the stomach, it is absorbed into the bloodstream or passed into the intestines. However, some types of alcohol can remain in the stomach, increasing the acidity of the stomach and irritating its protective lining. This irritation in chronic alcoholism can lead to corrosion of the gastric mucosa i.e. cause peptic ulcer. Even moderate alcohol consumption can cause or aggravate existing stomach and intestinal ulcers.

When alcohol moves into small intestine, it can also wreak havoc on the digestive system. It blocks the body's absorption of thiamine, folic acid, vitamin B1, B12, fats and amino acids.

The effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular system

Drinking a lot of alcohol for a long time or drinking too much at one time can have a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system. Alcohol abuse can be:

• cardiomyopathy;
• Arrhythmia;
• Stroke;
• Hypertension.

The effect of alcohol on the heart and blood vessels lasts an average of 5-7 hours. Fully function of the heart is restored only after 2-3 days, when the body is completely cleared of alcohol.

Once alcohol enters the bloodstream, it is quickly distributed evenly throughout the body. This dilates the blood vessels causing:

Greater blood flow to the surface of the skin (which is why the face turns red)

Temporary sensation of warmth;

Increased heat loss and a rapid decrease in body temperature;

Raise blood pressure.

In the short term, as alcohol travels through the heart, it can cause inflammation in the walls of the heart muscles.

When drinking strong alcoholic beverages, the heart rate is disturbed, it either slows down or increases.

Cardiomyopia

This is the worst thing that can happen with excessive alcohol consumption. And regardless of the degree of its strength. According to doctors, it can develop in 10 years with regular drinking of alcoholic beverages. The main cause of secondary cardiomyopathy is called just alcohol dependence. The main symptoms of this disease can be:

Fast fatiguability;

Cough that torments mainly at night;

impaired breathing;

Pain in the region of the heart.

The progression of the disease leads to heart failure. In this case, there may be such accompanying symptoms:

Swelling of the legs;

Enlargement of the liver.

The function of the heart is disturbed, it begins to perform its role poorly - pumping blood throughout the body. As a result, oxygen transfer to cells and tissues, including the brain, is disrupted. Oxygen starvation develops - hypoxia. And since alcohol is excreted from the body within a few days, myocardial ischemia persists.

The effect of alcohol on the blood

Once alcohol enters the body, it has an immediate effect on red blood cells. Their deformation occurs due to rupture of the membranes, they stick together, forming blood clots. This, in turn, leads to circulatory disorders in coronary vessels. The heart, trying to do its job, increases in size. This may lead to:

cardiac arrhythmias;

Myocardial dystrophy;

stroke;

Heart attack.

Myocardial dystrophy is when connective tissue develops instead of cells that died due to hypoxia, which affects the contractile function of the heart muscle.

When alcohol is consumed, adrenaline and norepinephrine are released into the blood, and the need for oxygen in the heart muscle increases. Any amount of alcohol you drink can cause coronary insufficiency.

According to doctors, the risk of heart attack and stroke is much higher in people who abuse alcohol. It raises blood pressure, which leads to heart attacks and premature death.

The harmful effects of alcoholic beverages on the heart and blood vessels are a scientifically proven fact. Risk cardiovascular diseases directly proportional to alcohol consumption.

According to statistics, people who drink are 56 percent more likely to suffer from ischemic stroke.

The effect of alcohol on the liver

The liver takes the brunt of drinking alcohol. Frequent drinking of vodka, wine, beer can lead to various problems and serious illnesses this body, including:

alcoholic hepatitis;

One of the causes of steatosis or fatty hepatosis liver is the constant exposure to toxic substances, which include the consumption of various alcoholic beverages.

When the liver tries to break down alcohol, the result of this reaction can be alcoholic hepatitis. With constant exposure, it is possible to develop an irreversible process of damage to liver cells, which in turn can lead to deeper damage and the development of cirrhosis.

When alcohol enters the liver, the normal outflow of bile is disrupted. With stagnation of bile in the liver cells, yellowing of the skin and eyes is observed. This condition is caused when the breakdown pigment of red blood cells, bilirubin, is not excreted in the bile, but is reabsorbed by the blood and spread throughout the body.

Jaundice is an ominous sign of alcohol abuse and may indicate the development liver failure at its final stage.

The effect of alcohol on the pancreas

Prolonged drinking leads to irreversible damage to the pancreas. It has been proven that even a single case of drinking can cause an exacerbation of pancreatitis. Alcoholic inflammation of the pancreas can lead to chronic fibrosis, which can cause failure in both the exocrine (digestive enzymes) and endocrine (insulin) systems.

The main function of the pancreas is to direct digestive enzymes in small intestine to digest food.

When inflammation blocks the production of digestive enzymes and they do not enter the body gastrointestinal tract, they can attack the pancreas themselves, as well as seep into other surrounding tissues.

What does this mean? When intoxicated, the ducts become clogged, enzymes do not enter the small intestine to participate in the further digestion of food, but remain in the pancreas. This condition leads to the fact that the cells of the pancreas are destroyed, metabolic processes are disturbed. Inflammation occurs, which can cause exacerbation of pancreatitis. In addition, with constant exposure to alcohol, the risk of developing diabetes is likely.

Not all people react the same way to the effects of alcohol. Pancreatic diseases and exacerbations associated with its work can occur regardless of whether a person drinks only 20-50 grams of alcohol or daily rate much more. Some drinkers may never experience this problem at all.

The effect of alcohol on the kidneys

Alcohol, and especially beer, is considered a diuretic. The more you drink, the more often you urinate. This, though not very pleasant, is still a tolerable effect of alcohol on the kidneys and bladder.

However, alcohol can have a much more sinister effect on chronic drinkers. By acting on the mucous membrane, it can lead to inflammation of the bladder, causing it to increase and stretch to dangerous size. If the bladder becomes enlarged, it can block the flow of water from the kidneys, which in turn can cause kidney failure.

The function of the kidneys is not only related to the formation and distribution of urine. They are involved in balancing the acid-base and water-electrolyte balance, produce hormones.

When alcohol enters, they switch to an intensive mode of operation, pumping a larger volume of liquid and trying to remove harmful substances from the body.

Constant overload weakens the function of the kidneys and there comes a point when they can no longer work in an enhanced mode. That's why some people show their active drinking time on their face: puffy face, puffiness under the eyes. This was the liquid that the kidneys could not remove.

In addition, toxins accumulate in the kidneys and then form stones, increasing the risk inflammatory diseases kidneys and bladder.

The effect of alcohol on the brain

The human brain is a kind of control panel for the whole body. In its cortex are the centers of memory, reading, movement of body parts, smell, vision. Violation of blood circulation and death of brain cells is accompanied by a shutdown or weakening of its functions. This certainly leads to a decrease in mental abilities, affects behavior, coordination, mood. No wonder drunk people become more aggressive and do not realize the consequences of their actions. Constantly drinking alcohol, there comes a complete degradation of a person's personality.

The main risks of the action of alcoholic beverages are associated with:

memory impairment;

Decreased intelligence;

Manifestation of immoral and illegal acts;

Loss of a critical attitude towards oneself as a person;

hallucinations;

Mental disorder.

Under the influence of alcohol on the nervous system, people change their behavioral responses. He loses his shyness, restraint. He does things he wouldn't do when sober.

He is critical of remarks, with a manifestation unmotivated aggression, fury and anger. A person's personality degrades in direct proportion to the amount and duration of alcohol consumption.

Gradually, a person loses interest in life. His creative and labor potential is declining. All this negatively affects career growth and social status. As they say, a person sinks: he stops taking care of himself, leads an immoral lifestyle, quits his job and withdraws from society.

This is not a complete list of all the consequences of alcohol abuse. Affecting the entire body, nerve endings, diseases such as polyneuritis develop lower extremities. This is the result of not only a constant impact on the nerve endings and their inflammation, but also a deficiency of the main nutrients. Alcoholics are often deficient in B vitamins.

Illness manifests itself as a feeling acute weakness in the lower extremities, numbness, pain in the knees. Ethanol affects the muscles and nerve endings, which causes atrophy of the entire muscular system, which ends in neuritis and paralysis.

Drinking alcohol leads to disruption of the blood supply to brain cells. Constantly experiencing oxygen starvation, cells die. If you look at the brain of an alcoholic, then it is an uncharted planet with craters and depressions: the brain is wrinkled, its surface is covered with ulcers and scars.

If the liver cells can be cleansed and are able to recover, then the brain cells die forever.

The effect of alcohol on blood pressure

Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure to a critical level. Drinking alcohol once temporarily increases blood pressure, but repeated and regular drinking can lead to persistently high values.

People who constantly drank alcohol in large quantities, while limiting consumption, can reduce blood pressure readings by 1-3 mm Hg. Art. But this is not so much if it was at a critically high level.

If you are one of these people, then abruptly giving up alcohol is also dangerous. You need to reduce the pressure gradually, respectively, reducing the amount of alcohol you drink. People who stop drinking abruptly have a higher risk of stroke and heart attack.

The effect of alcohol on the female body

Alcohol and the female body are two incompatible things. The female body perceives the action of alcohol in a completely different way and the risks from such a hobby are much more serious than for men.

That is why female alcoholism occurs much earlier. If a man can abuse alcohol for years and not become a degraded alcoholic, then for a woman this period takes much less time.

In addition to influencing moral and social behavior, the whole body of a woman suffers from it, including reproductive function. The risk of giving birth to a sick child from a drinking woman is several times higher than from a drinking man of a woman who does not drink alcohol.

Alcoholism is the scourge of our modern society. And no arguments that drinking in small doses is good for health can not be compared with the risks that its use can bring. They exceed all the benefits of it. Moreover, many people, starting with small doses, do not notice how they become chronic alcoholics.

How alcohol affects our body

What dose of alcohol is harmless

Almost all holidays and celebrations are accompanied by alcoholic libations that lift the mood and create an atmosphere of fun. Alcoholic drinks “treat” depressive states for people who have a black streak in their lives and who consider alcohol to be their only “friend”. But many do not think about the harm that it does to the body, especially when it comes to children.

Alcohol intoxication

At the heart of all strong drinks is ethanol - a chemical compound with a potent effect. When ingested as part of wine, beer, vodka or another alcoholic beverage, ethyl alcohol is absorbed very quickly, in almost a couple of minutes, from the intestines into bloodstream. Then it spreads to tissues and organs, where it has a toxic effect.

The effect of alcohol on the body is neutralized by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which is found in the liver and promotes the oxidation of alcohol to aldehyde and ketone. In women, the amount of such an enzyme is much lower than in men, which confirms the rapid intoxication of the fairer sex and addiction to the constant use of strong drinks.

Alcohol is excreted much longer than it is absorbed into the blood. In an unchanged form, up to 10% of ethanol comes out with vapors during breathing, as part of urine, saliva, feces and sweat, as evidenced by their unpleasant odor. The rest of its amount is neutralized by oxidation in the liver, and the end products are excreted from the body.

Alcohol is excreted from tissues and organs gradually, depending on its amount in the blood plasma. Negative influence alcohol on the human body is due to the fact that not all tissues with a low concentration of ethanol in the blood are able to quickly give it away. For example, in the brain and spinal cord, alcohol is retained for a long time in interstitial fluid. This is why the nervous system is affected by the harmful effects of ethanol long time after its use.

How does alcohol affect the body? He renders negative impact on almost all organs and systems, but to varying degrees. Alcohol in the body most destructively affects the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, excretory and reproductive systems.

The effect of alcohol on the nervous system and brain

The effect of alcohol on the human body, in particular on the brain, occurs due to the active blood supply to this organ. A significant amount of ethanol is brought with the blood, which accumulates in the tissues of the nervous system. The protective properties of the blood-brain barrier of the brain are powerless against alcohol molecules, which, penetrating into cells, have a high toxicity and are slowly excreted.

Scientists have found that gray matter accumulates ethanol to a greater extent than white matter. This is due to the predominance of the water content in it and the increased blood supply to this part of the brain.

The effect of alcohol on the body after each intake of alcoholic beverages in large quantities is characterized by the death nerve cells, which are known to be non-recoverable. Long-term use of wine and vodka products causes a decrease in volume and swelling of the brain, expansion of blood vessels, the formation of micro-scars and micro-ulcerations on its surface. Small cysts may form on affected areas. Changes also occur in the membranes of the brain: there is tension in the hard and edema in the soft shell.

Alcohol, like potent substances, affects the nucleus and protoplasm of nerve cells, which leads to disruption of their activity. In the cells that form the higher centers in the cerebral cortex, the changes are more pronounced than in the subcortical part that forms the lower centers. Blood under the influence of alcohol overflows the brain, there are ruptures in the vessels that feed the meninges and convolutions.

A person in a state of intoxication relaxes, disconnects from reality and is not able to adequately perceive information. But such changes cause the death of its individual fragments. The mental and mental activity of the brain is gradually disturbed, which leads to the degradation of the personality. Large doses alcohol adversely affect the functioning of the entire central nervous system, including the oblong and spinal cord. The human body with such lesions is in a coma or deep anesthesia, and death may occur.

Impact on the cardiovascular system

The heart and blood vessels also suffer. The impact of alcohol on the human body during alcohol abuse is comparable to the development acute violation blood supply to the brain, structural and functional changes in the myocardial muscle, disturbances in the rhythm of the heart, a heart attack and atrial fibrillation.

Numerous studies of people with heart disease and concomitant alcohol addiction showed that the cause of seizures and exacerbations of their ailments is the action of alcohol. Not installed allowable dose ethanol, which would not provoke heart disease, which means that any amount of it harms the work of the myocardium and blood vessels.

Long-term use of strong drinks, even in small doses, can lead to the development of an alcoholic heart or alcoholic cardiac myopathy. This disease is caused by the toxic effect of ethanol and its metabolites on the heart muscle and insufficient synthesis of protein molecules, which is caused by damage to liver cells.

Often, after taking alcohol in the morning, a person feels pain in the heart, lack of air, there is a state of fear, increased sweating, shortness of breath, swelling of the lower extremities, and dizziness. All this testifies to the insufficient activity of our internal motor.

The heart of people who abuse alcohol has thickened walls and enlarged cavities. In alcoholics, the rhythm of cardiac activity is disturbed. This is manifested by atrial flutter, atrial fibrillation, untimely depolarization and contraction of the entire myocardium or its compartments. It is not easy to restore the previous activity, since repeated changes can occur under specific conditions. alcohol disorders in chemical processes.

The state of blood cells in alcohol intoxication

The effect of alcohol on the human body begins after a certain time for everyone. After the penetration of alcohol molecules from the intestine into the bloodstream, erythrocyte cells begin to disintegrate. Under the influence of ethanol, they are torn membrane shells, and in their place a red clot is formed from bursting and deformed erythrocytes. Hemoglobin from such cells enters the plasma, the number of functionally healthy red blood cells is significantly reduced.

Alcohol causes clumping of platelet cells, which occurs due to dehydration of blood plasma. The result can be the formation of blood clots.

Constant drinking of alcoholic beverages weakens the immune system. The number of phagocytic cells and lymphocytes responsible for protective functions organism.

Effect of alcohol on vitamin B1 content

The B vitamins are very important for normal functioning all systems and organs. The effect of alcohol on the body is manifested in the form of a lack of B 1, as a result of which disturbances in brain activity are observed.

Usually, people with alcohol dependence have a deficiency of thiamine, its metabolic processes worsen. Wernicke's syndrome, which is considered one of the conditions caused by a lack of vitamin B 1, may develop. The disease proceeds in two stages. Initially, there is a condition in which alcohol affects the brain (encephalopathy). After a short exacerbation, the second stage begins, characterized by psychosis. This condition is very exhausting for the patient's body, it is manifested by impaired coordination of movement, clouding of consciousness, vision problems, excessive irritability, irascibility, depression, walking disorders.

How does alcohol change blood sugar levels?

Alcohol consumption disrupts the regulation of plasma glucose, which can either decrease or increase. Hypoglycemia is considered dangerous when low sugar when its reserves are depleted, and ethanol metabolites prevent the formation of glucose molecules.

Alcohol enhances its effect on the heart muscle and vascular system with high blood sugar.

How does alcohol affect the stomach and pancreatic cells?

After taking alcoholic beverages, the cells of the epithelium of the esophagus and stomach suffer first of all, the absorption of split compounds is disturbed. Reduced production of digestive enzymes by the pancreas. As a result, food is digested worse.

The harm of alcohol on the body also lies in the violation of the production of gastric juice by the glands in the wall of the stomach. At first, a large amount of mucus is secreted, but over time it becomes less and less. The process of food processing is disrupted, stagnation occurs, and inflammatory process mucous membrane of the stomach.

With regular alcohol abuse, insulin-producing cells die, develops diabetes and inflammation of the pancreas. A person is forced to adhere to a strict diet in order to reduce pain from pancreatitis.

Impact on the liver

No less suffers from the toxic effect of ethanol on the liver, which lies huge pressure for the disposal of this substance. First, alcohol is oxidized to acetaldehyde, which, in turn, turns into acetic acid. The end products of decomposition are carbon dioxide and water, and it all happens in the liver.

Intermediates destroy liver cells. In their place, cells are formed connective tissue that do not perform the function of neutralizing toxins and the accumulation of retinol.

The size of the liver decreases, the lumen of the blood vessels narrows, blood stagnation and a sharp increase in blood pressure occur. Chronic cirrhosis is often observed in chronic alcoholics.

The effect of alcohol on the urinary system

The influence of alcohol on the excretory organs is also great. The human body is negatively affected by toxic products of its metabolism, which enter the kidneys with blood, and then are excreted from the body with urine. The influence of these harmful substances for development renal pathologies. These can be proteinuria with pathological sediment in the urine, acute kidney failure, myoglobinuria, exacerbations of chronic forms of glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis.

Long-term alcohol intake leads to chronic poisoning kidneys, in which their excretory function decreases. Intoxication of the whole organism is observed, immune forces are reduced in relation to viruses and bacteria. Against this background, kidney stones or tumors are formed in the urinary organs.

The effect of alcohol on the male reproductive system

The organs of the human reproductive system are unable to biotransform alcohol, so it high content found in the gonads and organs. Intoxication of the body with alcohol in men causes a weakening of erection, atrophy of the testicles and impotence. Even young people who abuse alcohol are subject to this. The result of such disorders may be infertility or reduced fertility of spermatozoa, which are very sensitive to ethanol.

The effect of alcohol on the body of women

The manifestation of the effect of alcoholic beverages on the weaker sex is characterized by disorders described for the heart, blood cells, brain, digestive organs, and metabolism. The most dangerous effect of alcohol on the female body for nulliparous girls. Ethanol has a toxic effect on the eggs, their dysfunction occurs with disturbances in the menstrual cycle, and this is a direct path to the development of infertility.

The effect of alcohol on a woman's body is associated with hormonal imbalance, premature menopause and its side effects. High probability malignant formations in the mammary glands. More male hormones, as a result of which the voice becomes rougher, hair growth increases throughout the body.

The skin of women becomes drier and wrinkled with frequent use alcohol, which is a diuretic and removes fluid from the body. The production of collagen fibers decreases due to a decrease in tocopherol and retinol, the content of which is affected by alcohol. And this is the way to rapid aging.

Microelement metabolism disorders are also the influence of alcohol. Ethanol has a greater destructive effect on the female body than on the male. First of all, in drinking women, the absorption of calcium decreases, there is a leaching of this element from bone tissue, frequent fractures, cracks and diseases of the joints.

Alcohol while carrying and feeding a child

The use of strong drinks for a pregnant woman is highly undesirable. Even red wine, which is considered a source of essential minerals, has a detrimental effect on the development of the fetus.

The effect of alcohol on children's body during prenatal development associated with disorders in the mental and physical development of the unborn baby. Children whose mothers took alcohol during pregnancy are born with insufficient weight, mental underdevelopment, impaired attention and motor skills.

There is a high probability of the formation of fetal alcoholism, in which a child is born with signs of dependence on alcohol. These children grow and develop slowly. The brain suffers especially: its volume decreases, the structure and activity of brain cells change.

Lactation and alcohol intake are an unacceptable combination. When drinking alcohol breast milk produced in smaller quantities, the child develops anxiety or even intoxication.

The effect of alcohol on the body of adolescents

Alcohol poses a great danger to the health and personality formation of young people under 18 years of age. The negative impact of alcohol on the body of a teenager is carried out with active growth and development of the body. It manifests itself in the effect of ethyl alcohol on brain cells, in which biochemical processes are disturbed, in a delay in mental and physical development.

The influence of alcohol on the teenage organism leads to the inhibition of abilities in the study of various disciplines and arts. Alcoholic drinks slow down logical thinking, cause schoolchildren to lag behind in emotional and intellectual growth.

The harmful effects of alcohol on the body of a teenager are experienced by all organ systems. Particularly affected are liver cells, which are destroyed much more intensively than in adults.

Alcohol has no less effect on blood vessels and heart muscle, digestive tract, organs of the urinary, reproductive and nervous systems.

Adolescents who often drink alcohol are depleted of important minerals and vitamins from the body, and diseases can develop against the background of a deficiency of these substances.

Alcohol - it has become so firmly established in the everyday life of Russians and all the inhabitants of Russia that, according to many, not a single holiday can do without it. We have many holidays throughout the year. But alcohol is dangerous not so much when you have abused this drink a couple of times during the year, it is terrible chronic alcoholism when alcohol is consumed daily in toxic doses. A bottle of beer, a couple of glasses of vodka or a glass of wine every day are already toxic dose alcohol for most people. If for a long time alcohol consumption is within the toxic dosage, imperceptible, but catastrophic changes occur in all systems and organs. This process is all the more insidious because external signs You may not feel these running degradation processes for a long time.

The problem is not only that life expectancy is declining - the problem is that the quality of life is declining. A person who daily consumes at least a bottle of beer is in a state of chronic alcoholism. All organs work with increased load, so it is observed chronic fatigue, inability to concentrate on work, increased irritability. In chronic alcoholism, the circle of interests and aspirations of a person narrows to the circle of interests of a primitive animal; the nervous system, the broken will and the decline of the spiritual forces of such a person are no longer capable of anything more.

However, not only people who consume excessive alcohol are at risk, but also those around them. Increased irritability, an altered psyche and spiritual impotence lead to the fact that life in a family next to such a person becomes unbearable. Conceiving a child from such a mother or from such a father is dangerous due to high risk the birth of a handicapped child. And raising children in such a family is a daily crime.

Considering all of the above, we can come to the conclusion that by consuming alcohol you voluntarily, consciously and boldly plunge yourself into the voluntary slavery of vice. For the ghostly illusion of alcoholic ecstasy, this addiction will take you to the last thread, push you into a series of troubles and failures, deprive you of the joy of real life, the opportunity spiritual development. It is not so much the bodily death that is terrible, but the regret that "life went wrong ...".