Alcohol consumption is a personal choice – some use alcohol as a social lubricant, some enjoy it for the relaxation it provides and some drink it because it simply makes them feel good.
However, there are a group of people who frown upon the consumption of alcohol either for health reasons or moral codes.
Either way, the effects of the continued abuse of alcohol on your body are undeniable.
Liver Damage
The liver is responsible for breaking down and removing harmful substances from your body, which includes alcohol. Consuming alcohol over a long period puts undue strain on the liver, increasing the risk of liver disease or chronic liver inflammation.
Scar tissue is formed, called cirrhosis. This scarring is more prevalent in women than men because of their tendency to absorb more alcohol and take longer to process it, compared to their counterparts.
Sugar levels
The relationship between sugar levels and alcohol is more complicated than you’d think. We get sugar from the foods we consume, and it is your body’s job to regulate the blood sugar level. However, it is important to note that liver functioning plays a huge role in regulating sugar.
When you consume alcohol, it affects your liver’s ability to function properly, hindering it from releasing a sufficient amount of glycogen to keep the sugar levels sufficiently low. So if you have diabetes, you must avoid consumption. Excessive drinking can lower your blood sugar to dangerously low levels.
Dependency
People who indulge in excessive drinking may develop a physical and emotional addiction to alcohol. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening and professional help is required to go through the transition safely.
Many people choose to seek medical detoxification to break the addiction. However, it may take months or even years to be completely free of the vice due to the severe withdrawals.
Symptoms of alcohol withdrawals are:
- Nausea
- Nervousness
- Tremors
- Irregular heartbeat
- Anxiety and depression
- Heavy sweating
Digestive System
The link between your digestive system and alcohol may not be immediately apparent but the side effects only appear long after the damage has been inflicted. Drinking alcohol is known to create problems for your digestive tract by damaging the tissues and preventing your intestines from the successful digestion of your food and absorption of the nutrients.
For people who drink heavily, stomach ulcers and hemorrhoids are common health issues they have to deal with. Few of the most common digestive tract problems are:
- Gas
- A feeling of fullness in the abdomen
- Diarrhea or painful stools
- Bloating
- Vomiting
Immune System
Drinking alcohol heavily harms your over-all immune system. This, in turn, makes it difficult for your body to naturally fight off any infections and viruses. People with a drinking habit are at a greater risk of developing pneumonia, tuberculosis compared to the rest of the population.
Another risk of drinking includes various types of cancers such as breast, colon, and esophagus and mouth cancer.
Recent studies have suggested that consuming alcohol in moderation (glass of wine per day) may be beneficial to your health. However, its detrimental effects on your body outweigh the benefits.
