Most of us know that too much alcohol consumption is physically damaging, but we don’t really understand how extreme the effects are. While drinking might make you feel amazing (until your hangover sets in), have you ever wondered how booze impacts your system?
Dr Ajay Agarwal, Senior Consultant and HOD of Internal Medicine at Fortis Hospital, Noida says, “When alcohol is consumed, approximately twenty percent of it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream and the rest gets processed through the gastrointestinal tract. Once alcohol enters the bloodstream it can diffuse almost every biological tissue into the body because cell membranes are highly permeable to alcohol.” The amount of alcohol in a person’s blood stream is referred to as their blood alcohol level … the higher a person’s blood alcohol level is, the more extreme the effects are.
Dr Agarwal shares a list of things that happen to your organs, once you consume alcohol.
1. Brain:
Alcohol has a tendency to alter the levels of neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers that control our mood. Alcohol manages to impair our self-control, balance and coordination, which are responsible for memory and thinking.
2. Muscles:
Alcohol affects your hormonal and inflammatory responses, making it tough to repair damaged proteins and build new ones. Consuming alcohol before a workout is the worst thing you can do to your body. Not that you’d ever do that, we hope? Because if you are, we hate to break it to you, but you may have a problem!
3. Skin:
Alcohol dilates blood vessels making them more prone to breakage. It also makes your eyes red, worsens skin conditions and can sometimes leave you with a puffed-up face.
4. Stomach:
Just one drink can increase your gut permeability, which means harmful toxins and bacteria can leak from your digestive system into your bloodstream. This prompts a weakened immune system, which can lead to health issues. It can also cause acidity, heartburn and give you that beer belly.
5. Heart:
Constant consumption of alcohol can raise the risk of atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm). This can result in irregular heartbeats, which can increase the risk of having a stroke and heart failure.
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