Alcohol and its impact on human health. The negative impact of alcohol on the human body

The consumption of alcoholic beverages in large doses negative impact on health, as a rule, the pathophysiological effect of alcohol on the human body is due to its strength and numerous harmful impurities. With regular drinking of alcoholic beverages, alcoholism develops. Given mental illness greatly worsens health, while the ability to work and moral values ​​​​of a person fall.

What is alcohol

Modern market in our country is replete with a variety of alcoholic beverages, which differ in strength, manufacturer and composition. As a rule, the effect of alcohol on the human body is always negative, because when it gets inside, it quickly spreads through the blood to all organs, often causing their destruction. Ethanol (ethyl alcohol), C2H5OH is a toxin, when taken, the liver tries to neutralize it. This volatile transparent liquid, which has a characteristic odor, pungent taste, is perfectly diluted with water.

This yeast fermentation product can be produced chemically. It burns well, is highly flammable, and is used as a technical brake fluid, as a solvent or fuel. Often a disease such as alcoholism is hereditary, if both parents drank in the family, and they were not given proper treatment, then their child may also become an alcoholic in the future.

How alcohol affects the human body

People who love strong drinks are often interested in the question of how alcohol affects the human body? Ethanol, as a rule, is concentrated in the brain and liver, it is quickly able to kill the cells of these organs. In addition, alcohol is a mutagen. As a rule, in an adult body, mutant cells are eliminated by the immune system, but if it fails, then people with alcoholism develop cancer of the stomach, mouth, liver, and esophagus. Alcohol also affects

in the following way:

• disrupts the development of the fetus. The brain often suffers, the heart of the child is affected, and underdevelopment of the limbs occurs.
• Activates GABA amino acid receptors, the main inhibitory transmitter in the nervous system. As a result, the excitability of cells decreases.
• High content ethanol enhances the synthesis of endorphins and dopamine. The patient is euphoric.
• Violates the metabolism in the body. This factor provokes the development of a psychological syndrome.
• toxic action. As a rule, it is determined by an increase in heart rate, lack of air, a violation of the heart.
• The systematic use of strong drinks provokes fatty degeneration and inflammation of the liver. Hepatocytes are destroyed, cirrhosis occurs.
• Provokes alcoholic encephalopathy. The disease begins with mental disorders with static or monotonous visual illusions and hallucinations.

lethal dose

Harmful effect alcohol on human health is impossible only when a man or woman does not drink strong drinks at all. Everyone else usually experiences harmful effects from drinking ethyl alcohol. Only in small doses, alcohol is good for the body, but if you drink a little too much, then there will be more harm than good. Each person has their own lethal dose alcohol. For a 70 kg man who does not drink, this is:

• 750 ml of vodka drunk in five hours;
• 300 ml of pure alcohol drunk for five hours.

For women it is:

• 450 ml of vodka drunk in five hours.

If a person constantly drinks alcohol, he can die from 3 bottles of vodka or 600 ml of pure alcohol, drunk in 5 hours or less. Normal blood can contain 0.4 ppm (‰) and this is acceptable level. When the concentration of alcohol is more than 3.8 ppm, paralysis of the respiratory tract can occur, as a result of which a person dies. Death is still possible when the concentration reaches 2.2-3.2‰.

What does alcohol affect

Often people are interested in the question of which organs are affected by alcohol? Based on research, doctors claim that it negatively affects the entire body, but in varying degrees. The basis of alcoholic beverages is ethanol - a compound that has a toxic effect. When it penetrates into the body as part of vodka, beer, wine or another drink, it is quickly absorbed from the intestines. Further, ethanol is distributed to all internal organs. At the same time, alcohol has a devastating effect on the heart, brain, stomach and reproductive system.

to the respiratory system

We know that breathing is life. When alcohol affects the lungs and bronchi, the work of the lung tissue is disrupted, which leads to a failure of the entire respiratory system. The mucous membranes dry out, the body's immunity weakens, and there is a high risk of tuberculosis. The first sign of its appearance is a strong cough, which may occur on the second day after overuse alcoholic beverages. Besides, negative influence alcohol on the respiratory system can cause the following diseases:

• emphysema;
• tracheobronchitis;
• Chronical bronchitis.

On the stomach

Alcoholic drinks have a detrimental effect on the cells of the digestive organs, destroying them, causing burns, resulting in tissue necrosis. In this case, the pancreas atrophies, and the cells that produce insulin die. This contributes to the fact that the flow of absorption of beneficial nutrients is disturbed, inhibition of the release of enzymes occurs, food stagnation forms in the intestines and stomach. As a rule, the negative effect of alcohol on the stomach can cause:

• diabetes;
• chronic stage pancreatitis;
• gastritis;
• stomach cancer;
• severe pain in a stomach.

to the reproductive system

Strong drinks are considered especially dangerous for girls and women, because their dependence on alcohol occurs quickly. Girls suffering from alcoholism are prone to damage to the ovaries, because of this, menstruation is eventually disturbed. Representatives of the strong half of humanity also suffer from excessive consumption of strong drinks. The harmful effect of alcohol on the male reproductive system is expressed in a decrease in sexual desire, the development of impotence and infertility. Drunkenness still provokes testicular atrophy, leads to the birth of an unhealthy child.

on the human cardiovascular system

Alcoholic drinks provoke the destruction of blood cells - red blood cells. This causes deformation of the red cells, while they do not transfer the necessary amount of oxygen from the lungs to other tissues. In addition, the regulation of sugar is disturbed, which causes irreversible consequences: improper brain function, diabetes mellitus, problems with blood vessels. The influence of alcohol on the human cardiovascular system has negative consequences. This may be evidenced by such diseases:

• high blood pressure;
• atherosclerosis;
• arrhythmia;
• ischemic heart disease.

How alcohol affects the brain

The central nervous system and the brain are more likely than others to suffer from ethyl alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in such organs after consumption becomes higher than in the whole body. Alcohol is toxic to brain tissue, so you can often experience a state of intoxication after drinking strong drinks. Alcohol can provoke the destruction, numbness and death of the cerebral cortex. Negative consequences how alcohol affects the brain:

• violated endocrine functions;
• brain centers that regulate vascular tone;
• the reaction of vegetative origin changes;
• problems with the psyche, memory, mental development.

Effects on the skin and muscles

Chronic use of strong drinks often provokes weakening and wasting of muscles. In addition, 50% of alcoholics develop skin diseases, because the immune system is only half working, it can not cope with different viruses. The liver also does not cleanse the body at full strength, so ulcers, boils, boils begin to appear on the surface of the skin. allergic rashes and acne. Alcohol influence on the skin and muscle condition is manifested in the following:

• dehydration occurs.
• testosterone decreases;
• increased estrogen;
• decreases muscle mass body;
• muscles weaken, atrophy, lose their tone;
• reduced protein synthesis;
• there is a deficiency of minerals (phosphorus, calcium, zinc) and vitamins (A, B and C);
• there is an uncontrolled replenishment of the body with calories.

The positive effect of alcohol on the human body

Few people believe that the effect of ethyl alcohol on the human body can be positive. Indeed, in a small dosage, ethanol is useful for humans. For example, red wine contains trace elements and antioxidants that the body needs. At the same time, you should drink no more than three glasses a week. In addition, red wine removes toxins and toxins, normalizes metabolism, is an excellent prophylactic from atherosclerosis. Based on the drink, we can distinguish positive influence:

• champagne can be taken in small doses for weak heart;
• mulled wine supports the body with bronchitis, colds, pneumonia, flu;
• vodka can lower cholesterol;
• beer slows down the aging process, reduces the risk of heart disease.

But what dose of alcohol is good for a person? Doctors recommend that men drink no more than 20 grams of pure alcohol, and women - 10 grams. As a rule, this amount is contained in 100 grams of wine, 30 grams of vodka and 300 ml of beer. Taking one spoonful of alcohol twice a week can serve as a mobilizer for the body, i.e., the effect of hormesis occurs. This method helps a person shake himself quickly. It is strictly forbidden to give strong drinks to a child. If alcohol accidentally gets into children's body, you should do an urgent flush and call a doctor.

Video: The effect of alcohol

Alcoholic drinks exist since ancient times, which made it possible to assess how alcohol affects the human body. But even the existing knowledge about the consequences of drinking strong drinks in the form of a severe hangover and a vivid example of the lifestyle of people who abuse alcoholic beverages cannot stop people from drinking them. IN Lately the level of alcohol addiction is growing among the younger generation, especially among girls and women, which is especially scary.

But young people do not think about the harmful effects of alcohol on the human body. Even light strong drinks in a minimal amount can be harmful to humans.

How does alcohol affect the human body?? Which systems are affected in the first place? What is alcohol and its effect on human health.

According to statistics, due to alcohol consumption in our country about 500 people die each year.

This number includes not only poisoning with surrogate ethyl alcohol, but also accidents, violence, suicides, road accidents and chronic diseases arising from the use of strong drinks. It is worth noting that the overall life expectancy is reduced by an average of 10 years, and in women addiction to ethanol develops not only twice as fast as in men, but is also much more difficult to treat. People's health drinking alcohol is reduced. There is a risk of many diseases.

Effect on the brain

When drinking alcohol, a state of intoxication occurs, and this is nothing more than toxic effect ethanol. Last - one of the most powerful neurotoxins which completely destroys the nervous system. Negative influence on brain function occurs due to a number of irreversible processes:

1. Signals in the brain are transmitted through interactions between neurons. Alcohol weakens these bonds, or vice versa, leads to their excessive activity.
2. Violation of conduction leads to a decrease in the main functions of the brain and is expressed in the appearance of confused speech, impaired coordination, memory and a critical assessment of the situation as a whole.
3. All neuro and biochemical processes of the brain are disturbed.
4. In order to somehow resist the effects of alcohol, the brain reduces productivity.
5. At this stage, there is a persistent addiction to alcohol - alcoholism. The brain begins to demand a new, larger dose of ethanol.

The chemical processes in alcoholism are completely rearranged, and in order to feel good, a new dose is required.

The influence of alcohol on human development cannot be underestimated. The use of ethanol leads to a decrease in intellectual abilities, deterioration of memory, attention and all cognitive processes in general. Alcoholism leads to complete degradation, antisocial actions, and a decrease in self-criticism. Alcohol is harmful in any quantity. for brain cells. All this is due to the destruction of brain cells.

Effect on the digestive system

The effect of alcohol on the digestive system is also disastrous. When it enters the stomach, there is a burn of the mucous membrane and tissue necrosis. Even light alcoholic drink causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin due to cell death.

The digestive tract, in the absence of such important enzymes, reacts with a decrease in peristalsis, indigestion, and the development of purulent and congestive phenomena.

The negative effect of alcohol on the digestive organs leads to such terrible diseases as diabetes mellitus, pancreatic necrosis, cancer of the stomach and intestines.

Liver destruction

The liver plays a huge role in cleaning the entire body of poisons and toxins. This body is a kind of internal filter. Human alcoholism leads to the fact that this body simply cannot cope with the load, since it is simply not able to remove the amount of toxins formed due to the intake of any strong drink. Allocate three stages of liver destruction:

1. Even in those people who consume in small quantities, but often there is a lesion such as fatty degeneration. Due to the imposed load, the organ increases in size, fragments of adipose tissue appear. At this stage, there is still an opportunity to cope with the consequences through proper treatment.
2. Pain in the right hypochondrium, enlarged liver, yellow skin and whites of the eyes - all this indicates the transition to the second stage and the development of alcoholic hepatitis.
3. With further alcohol abuse, there is a complete breakdown of liver cells, which leads to disability and death.

Effect on the cardiovascular system

It is no secret that due to pathology of cardio-vascular system dies every year great amount human. Under the influence of alcohol, the cardiovascular system is under enormous stress. Ethanol causes increased contractions in the heart muscle, increasing it in size, heartbeat. All this leads to diseases such as heart attack, hypertension. A frequent result of alcoholism is death due to the failure of the cardiovascular system.

Impact on the respiratory system

The respiratory system is also stressed. The effect of alcohol on the lungs is extremely negative, since ethanol has a negative effect on the bronchial mucosa, dries it out. The main consequence of this is a decrease in protective forces, which can lead to the development of their serious illnesses like tuberculosis, emphysema and tracheobronchitis.

Effect on the kidneys

The ingestion of ethanol into the body leads to the fact that excretory system seeks to quickly rid the body of toxins that are formed after drinking a strong drink. Lies on the renal pelvis huge pressure for pumping a large volume of liquid, which they simply do not have time to withdraw. This is detrimental to health. As a result, swelling can be detected in the morning, headache and dry mouth.

Ethanol affects kidney cells, leads to destruction renal tubules, disrupting the system. As a result, kidney stones form, diseases such as pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis occur, and with further abuse, kidney failure.

Impact on the reproductive system

The gonads are very sensitive to the effects of alcohol. It has been proven that men suffering from alcoholism have impotence, an inability to conceive a child. As for women, the abuse of drinks leads to early menopause, infertility, and in the event of pregnancy, miscarriage, fetal deformities are possible.

Alcohol, even when consumed in moderation, negatively affects all systems. human body generally. It does not matter what kind of drink is used, how many degrees are in it, in any case, ethanol acts destructively.

Attention, only TODAY!

When there is another program on TV about the problems of alcoholism, we rush to change the channel - because this does not concern us. Is a couple of liters of beer on a Saturday night with friends - is alcoholism? Or three hundred grams of vodka for a good snack? Of course, it is difficult to call it alcoholism.

And yet, the negative impact of alcohol on health is impossible only if a person does not drink alcohol at all. Everyone else experiences the effects of alcohol to some degree. The saddest thing is that practically no system of the human body remains “indifferent” even to the most harmless, at first glance, doses of alcohol. And he doesn't react well to it.

Stomach and pancreas

First of all, alcohol has a negative effect on the digestive organs: the esophagus, stomach, pancreas. Here, the effect of alcohol on the human body is manifested in damage and destruction of the cells of the inner surface. digestive organs, burns and necrosis of their tissues; atrophy of the glands that secrete gastric juice; death of cells that produce insulin. This, in turn, leads to disruption of the absorption of nutrients, inhibition of the release of digestive enzymes, stagnation of food in the stomach.

Thus, the impact of alcohol on health can respond with sharp pains in the abdomen, digestive problems, gastritis, diabetes, pancreatitis, stomach cancer.

The cardiovascular system

From the stomach and intestines, alcohol enters the blood - and here the negative effect of alcohol on the human body continues.

First, alcohol contributes to the destruction of red blood cells - human blood cells. As a result, deformed red blood cells are unable to carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues (and carbon dioxide back), as well as perform a number of other functions. As a result, even moderate drinking man at the age of 35-40 will inevitably face diseases of the cardiovascular system: coronary disease, arrhythmias.

Secondly, the impact of alcohol on health is also manifested in the dysregulation of blood sugar. This, in turn, can lead to an increase or decrease in its level. Both can lead to irreversible consequences: diabetic conditions, vascular problems, disruption nervous system, brain.

Thirdly, it is dangerous for the cardiovascular system to absorb a large amount of beer - a seemingly harmless drink that is so popular among young people. This leads to the formation of a bovine heart - it is also called a beer heart - increased in volume, prone to more frequent contractions. Hence - all kinds of arrhythmias, increased pressure.

Brain and nervous system

Perhaps they suffer the most from alcohol. And if the effect of alcohol on the human body for the time being is imperceptible in relation to other organs, then in this case it is more than obvious.

First of all, alcohol is dangerous for the brain because here its concentration is much higher than in other organs. It is for the brain tissue that alcohol is especially toxic - and that is why the state of intoxication when drinking alcohol is so obvious. We used to call it harmless, sometimes even poetic, words: “relax”, “forget”, “get drunk”, “alcohol turned your head”. In fact, everything is much more prosaic and sad - alcohol leads to the destruction of the cerebral cortex, numbness and the subsequent death of its areas.

Amazing photos of the brain drinking people: it is wrinkled, reduced in volume, covered with scars, ulcers, edema, with many dilated (often torn) vessels, cysts in places of necrosis of brain areas.

The influence of alcohol on health is also reflected in the functioning of the nervous system - due to paralysis of mental centers: problems with memory and attention, perception of the world around, mental development, thinking, psyche, the emergence of drug addiction, personality degradation.

In the end, a large dose of alcohol (1-1.25 liters for an adult) can lead to a coma, death.

Liver

The liver is also particularly defenseless against alcohol, since the negative effect of alcohol on the human body in it is enhanced by the oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde, a rather dangerous and highly toxic substance. Further "splitting" of acetaldehyde also adversely affects the state of the liver.

Under the influence of alcohol, liver cells die - a scar forms in their place, which does not perform the functions of the liver, which leads to all kinds of metabolic disorders.

Most known disease liver as a result of the effect of alcohol on health - cirrhosis of the liver. What does it represent? Over time, under the influence of alcohol, the liver shrinks, decreases in size, which leads to stagnation of blood and increased pressure in them. Natural in this case, rupture of blood vessels leads to bleeding. In most cases, they die from it.

Can alcohol be helpful?

In the course of numerous studies, the positive effect of alcohol on the human body has been proven. Of course, it is possible only in the case of drinking alcohol in small quantities.

So, red wine strengthens the immune system, serves as a good prevention of atherosclerosis, normalizes the metabolism in the body, removes toxins and toxins from it. White wine and champagne are good for a weakened heart system. Mulled wine will support the body with colds, bronchitis, pneumonia. Drinking beer will help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, and slow down the aging process. And even vodka can be useful - it lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Under what conditions will the impact of alcohol on health be positive? Scientists have deduced norms, adhering to which, alcohol can be consumed without harm (and even vice versa - with benefit) for health. For men, this rate is 20 g of pure alcohol, for women - exactly half as much. For example, such a dose is contained in 30 g of vodka, 100 g of wine, 300 g of beer.

Do not forget about the dangers of alcohol and drink only for health!

Alcohol abuse is one of the burning problems of today's society. Alcoholization of the population different ages and social strata are largely promoted by advertising and the widespread sale of alcohol, as well as tensions in various fields modern life. Speaking about the effect of alcohol on the human body, it is impossible not to mention that dependence on alcohol is one of the main causes leading to premature death of the population. The public and scientists give alcoholism such vivid definitions as "collective suicide of the nation" and "national disaster".

Stages and forms

Indeed, alcohol, or rather, the ethanol contained in it, has an extremely negative effect on all organs and systems of the human body, causing exacerbation of chronic diseases and the development of new pathologies. Alcohol has the most detrimental effect on the human brain, as well as its nervous, digestive and cardiovascular systems.

The effect of ethanol on the human body goes through two successive stages. First, its resorption occurs, that is, absorption, then elimination - excretion. At different people absorption time (from the moment of ingestion of alcohol to its maximum concentration in the blood) can vary significantly. On average, it is from two to six hours. Ethanol is excreted from the body naturally over the next twelve hours. The rest of it remains in the body and undergoes oxidative processes.

Many people pride themselves on their increased tolerance to alcohol, not realizing that this is a clear sign of incipient alcoholism. For a chronic alcoholic, there is practically no difference between a glass, a glass or a bottle. Having taken a dose of alcohol, he falls into a kind of state of euphoria, continuing to drink, at some point comes Last straw and the person simply turns off. Lack of control over the amount of alcohol consumed and greed for alcohol are typical signs of alcoholism.

Violations in the body can occur even with a single or irregular intake of alcohol. If a person systematically drinks for any reason. We are already talking about banal household drunkenness. During this period, a person can still somehow be kept from addiction and stop the development of alcohol addiction.

On the next stage craving for alcohol is even more intensified, there is a mental dependence. The patient's interests are concentrated only around alcohol, he shows egocentrism, becomes emotionally unreceptive. At this stage, the final formation of the withdrawal syndrome and the maximum tolerance to alcohol also occur. Most patients already in the second stage begin to feel various pathological symptoms. Associated with impaired functioning of the liver, organs gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, etc.

Major Complications

As already mentioned, the negative impact of alcohol on the human body affects all its organs and systems. The main complications associated with alcoholism include:

The mechanisms of the influence of alcohol on the development of various pathologies of the body will be discussed below. Not to mention the most severe form alcohol intoxication- alcoholic delirium or delirium tremens, in which a fatal outcome is possible even with timely started drug therapy, and without it, the mortality of patients reaches 20%. It is also important to note the fact that systematic drinking leads to early disability and a reduction in life expectancy by an average of fifteen to twenty years.

Brain and nervous system

When alcohol is abused, it is the brain that takes the brunt, since its tissues accumulate most of the products of its decay due to abundant blood supply. This means that ethanol has a longer effect on the brain and nerve cells than on other body tissues. Irreversible brain damage occurs as a result of oxygen starvation with alcohol intoxication. Due to the death of brain cells, the so-called alcoholic dementia develops. Autopsy results show that people who have died from alcohol addiction show that their brains are much smaller than those of healthy people, and its surface is covered with scars and micro-ulcers.

Significant doses of alcohol also contribute to the disruption of the nervous system, affecting mainly its higher levels. Also, one should not forget that ethyl alcohol is a kind of drug that causes rapid addiction and mental dependence. It is worth noting that drinking people many times increases the risk of strokes.

The cardiovascular system

According to the statistics of the pathology of the heart of the vessels, this is one of the most common causes of death in the population, and it is alcohol that often contributes to their occurrence. Ethanol enters the heart with the bloodstream and provokes destructive processes in the heart muscle, the formation of scar tissue, and others. pathological changes. On the x-rays enlarged heart volumes are often found not only in chronic alcoholics, but also in people with enough young age with very little experience of drinking alcohol.

Large doses of alcohol taken can provoke a violation of the heartbeat and an increase in blood pressure, even in healthy people. Hypertension develops with constant alcohol abuse, ischemic disease heart leading to myocardial infarction. Another common complication of heavy drinking is various pathologies vessels, in the frequency of atherosclerosis, thrombosis and others.

Gastrointestinal tract

The effect of alcohol on the human body from the digestive system is especially noticeable due to the fact that that the gastric mucosa is very sensitive to ethanol and is the first to be exposed to it. Gastritis, gastric ulcer, oncological processes, varicose veins veins of the esophagus is far from full list pathologies, which are especially susceptible to people with alcohol dependence. Also, as alcoholism develops, the work of the salivary glands is also disrupted.

As soon as a certain dose of alcohol enters the stomach, active production begins gastric juice. But it should be understood that the abuse of alcohol leads to a gradual atrophy of the glands responsible for the production of gastric juice, necessary for a person to digest food. Thus, food that has entered the stomach of a chronic alcoholic begins not to be digested, but to rot, which leads to the development of rather unpleasant pathologies.

The pancreas also suffers from ethanol. Strong alcohol has a destructive effect on the walls of this organ, which produces special enzymes to ensure an adequate digestion process. Due to destructive processes under the influence of alcohol, the pancreas cannot cope with the functions assigned to it, as a result of which the body receives less nutrients. Violation of the function of the pancreas is dangerous for such a pathology as diabetes mellitus, because it is this organ that is responsible for the synthesis of insulin. Also, with the abuse of alcohol, the development of such irreversible pathological processes like pancreatitis and pancreatic necrosis.

Liver

Absolutely special place among the organs of the digestive system belongs to the liver, which can be called a real "chemical laboratory" of the human body. This body is necessary for getting rid of toxins, as well as regulating all types of metabolic processes. Alcohol has an extremely negative effect on the functioning of the liver, which oxidizes up to 90% of ethanol, leading to cirrhosis.

Dying liver cells begin to be replaced by connective, scar or adipose tissue. In alcoholics, there is a decrease in the liver in volumes and a change in its structure. It is not excluded the occurrence of bleeding due to ruptures of blood vessels occurring due to increased pressure. According to medical statistics, about 80% of patients die within a year and a half after the first bleeding episode.

genitourinary system

The negative effect of ethanol also affects the glands internal secretion and especially on the gonads. Sexual dysfunction occurs in about a third of people suffering from alcoholism. In males, due to impotence that has developed against the background of alcoholism, there may also be functional disorders central nervous system. In women, the onset of premature menopause, a decrease in childbearing function, and endocrine system disorders are possible.

On the part of the organs related to the urinary system, the negative effect of alcohol especially affects the work of the kidneys, whose excretory function appears to be seriously impaired. Under the influence of ethanol, the renal epithelium is destroyed, and the entire hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system fails.

Mind and consciousness

Abrupt changes mental processes and psycho-emotional state are observed in most alcoholics. At first, patients experience frequent mood swings, irritability, then the function of perception and thinking gradually worsens, which ultimately can lead to total loss working capacity. sleep disorders, constant feeling fatigue are also typical problems for people with alcohol dependence. How more people abuses alcohol, the more negative impact alcohol has on his psyche. Gradually, the behavior of the individual changes, any moral boundaries are erased. Family, work and other social components of life become much less important than drinking the next dose of alcohol.

In addition, alcohol can be a direct cause of the development of serious mental illness, in particular. alcoholic delirium or delirium tremens, accompanied by impaired consciousness in the form of hallucinations. In such a state, the patient may be a danger to himself and others.

Another serious mental illness caused by alcohol is called alcoholic polyneuritis. The disease is characterized by inflammation of the peripheral nerve endings. In this case, the patient experiences symptoms such as tingling in the limbs, itching, impaired sensitivity. Pathology is dangerous because it can lead to complete muscle atrophy and loss of mobility. As a complication of alcoholic polyneuritis, Korsakov's disease often enters, characterized mainly by memory impairment and loss of spatial and temporal orientation.

Mental dependence on alcohol is already a disease, which is indicated by the following common features characteristic of the vast majority of alcoholics:

• the desire to drink at any, even minor stressful situations, as well as other minor reasons;
• inability to control the amount of alcohol consumed;
• loss of memory of events or their fragments in a state of intoxication;
• the social circle of alcoholics is made up of the same drink lovers, connections with non-drinking friends and acquaintances are gradually lost;
• alcohol abuse is explained by failures in life.

Reactive depressions, neuroses, and other functional disorders of the central nervous system are much more common in alcoholics than in non-alcoholics. Alcohol abuse against the background of a latent form of schizophrenia can lead to catastrophic consequences. Gradually, the personality completely degrades, it has manic states, delusional disorders and irreversible decline in intelligence.

Scientists have proven that ethanol molecules penetrate human germ cells and cause irreversible changes in the genetic code. This explains the fact that people with alcohol addiction often give birth to offspring with poor health and various congenital pathologies.
Of course, in modern medical practice there are cases when a child is born to alcoholics without any pathologies and abnormalities in physical and mental development, but scientists have proven that almost 95% of children with aggravated heredity themselves have a tendency to alcoholism, which manifests itself in adolescence and adulthood.

But not only biological causes cause the harmful effects of alcoholism on offspring, but also social factors. Parents with alcohol addiction do not have the opportunity to raise their children properly, which negatively affects their psycho-emotional state. Such children are forced to live in a state constant stress and psychological pressure. It is especially difficult for those children in whose families the mother suffers from alcoholism.

Children of alcoholics, due to extremely unfavorable conditions of upbringing and relationships with parents, experience significant difficulties in learning due to various mental disorders and elementary pedagogical oversight, they hardly form communicative and cognitive skills in childhood. IN adolescence such children often differ in conflict behavior, irritability, aggression. All this can become a favorable environment for the development of teenage alcoholism or drug addiction.

Probably not worth it once again remind about the harm that alcohol does to the body common man. And the damage in this case is not only material, but also physical. Alcohol brings suffering not only to those who drink alcohol, but also to all relatives of the drinker. It is alcohol that ruins people's lives and destroys families. Almost all those who consume alcohol in one way or another understand the danger of all this, but do nothing.

The effect of alcohol on the stomach and pancreas in the human body

Alcoholic drinks have a negative effect on the digestive organs: stomach, esophagus, pancreas. The effect of alcohol on the human body here is manifested in the fact that the cells of the inner walls of the digestive organs are damaged and destroyed. In addition, there are burns and necrosis of tissues, atrophy of the glands, death of cells responsible for insulin. All this together is the cause of a violation of the absorption of nutrients by the body, as well as inhibition of the release of enzymes and stagnation of food.

That is why alcohol most often leads to sharp pains in the abdomen, gastritis, digestive problems, pancreatitis, diabetes, stomach cancer.

The effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular system in the human body

When alcohol enters the bloodstream, it instantly spreads throughout the circulatory system, penetrating all organs. In large quantities, alcohol is observed in organs with a large number of blood vessels. If a large amount of alcohol enters our body, then at this moment the brain begins to gradually remove the toxin. In its original form, only 2-10% of alcohol can be excreted from the body, the rest will be oxidized, and up to 90-98% occurs in the liver, and 2-10% in other tissues and organs. Due to oxidation in the body, the concentration of alcohol is significantly reduced. Simultaneously, modern research show that reproductive system the body and the brain will retain the breakdown products of alcohol much longer than circulatory system. And the longer the substances of alcohol will be contained in these organs, the more negative impact they will have on the human body.

After some time (which is different for each person), alcohol enters the bloodstream through the walls of the intestines and stomach, and therefore red blood cells will begin to decay due to rupture of the membranes. Under a microscope, you can see that the place of red blood cells is taken by a bloody lumpy mass - these are deformed and bursting blood cells. At the same time, hemoglobin begins to be excreted into the plasma (red blood cells). But erythrocytes in this case cannot do their job.

Observations show that with the constant intake of alcoholic beverages, serious diseases in a person can be detected by the age of 30. Among the most common are: diseases of the liver, stomach, cardiovascular system, disorders of the genital organs, neuroses. These diseases may have the most different shape, because alcohol is universal in its own way, therefore it often strikes the most different systems and organs of our body.

Particular attention should be paid to the use of beer. The very fact that a large amount of fluid enters the body will adversely affect the functioning of the kidneys and liver, as well as the cardiovascular system. When drinking a large amount of beer, a “bull” or “beer” heart begins to form in a person. Experts note that the boundaries of the heart expand, there is an increase in heart rate, increases the level blood pressure, arrhythmias appear.

In addition, alcohol begins to damage the mechanisms of regulation of glucose (sugar) in the blood, therefore, marks either an increase or decrease in its level. Serious danger is to lower glucose levels. In this condition, the human body in a short period of time receives a serious negative impact. In addition, the person will receive nutrients in sufficient quantities, and the breakdown products of alcohol will not allow glucose and other chemicals to form.

The effect of alcohol on the nervous system and brain in the human body

It is the brain and central nervous system that suffer from alcohol in the first place. And if until some time the effect of alcohol on other organs remains invisible, then in the case of the brain and nervous system, everything becomes obvious.

First of all, alcohol poses a danger to the brain because the concentration of alcohol here is very high compared to other organs. Alcohol has a particularly negative effect on brain tissue, which is why we quickly become intoxicated when we drink strong drinks. It is believed that such a state is harmless, because at these moments a person relaxes, forgets, gets tipsy, etc. In reality, everything is more sad and prosaic - alcohol disrupts the functioning of the cerebral cortex, as a result of which some areas become numb and die.

Photos of the brain of alcoholics are especially frightening: the organ is reduced, wrinkled, covered with ulcers and scars, has numerous vascular ruptures, there are serious areas with cell death.

The nervous system when drinking alcohol also receives a serious negative impact. Due to the paralysis of mental centers, problems with attention and memory, perception of reality, thinking, mental development, psyche are observed, drug addiction occurs, and the personality degrades.

As a result, a large dose of alcohol (more than 1 liter for an adult) often leads to a coma and subsequent death.

The effect of alcohol on the liver in the human body

The liver is one of the most important organs of the human body. It is in the liver, as experts note, that about 95% of all alcohol consumed is oxidized. As a result of oxidation, aldehyde acetate is formed, which is a toxic and dangerous substance. Then the acetate is oxidized to acetic acid, which is further broken down into carbon dioxide and water. In other organs, alcohol is also often “digested”, but the doses there are too small, if we compare liver indicators.

The decay products of ethyl alcohol, when passing through the liver, will negatively affect liver cells, which actively die when exposed to alcohol. In place of dead cells begins to form connective tissue or a scar that is unable to perform normal functions. In addition, there is a decrease in the ability of the liver to store vitamin A, as well as a violation of many other metabolic functions. This is how alcohol affects the human body.

The size of the liver when exposed to alcohol begins to seriously change. At the same time, the pressure in the body increases several times. As a result, the vessels begin to rupture, causing serious bleeding that can cause an early death. According to statistics, about 80% of patients are prone to death within 12 months after the first such bleeding. The changes described above are called cirrhosis of the liver. The number of patients with such a diagnosis is an indicator of the level of alcohol dependence.

Cirrhosis of the liver with alcohol abuse is a hopeless and serious disease for any person. According to some data published back in 1982, cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol consumption is one of the main causes of death of the world's population.

The effect of alcohol on the reproductive system in the human body

If we talk about the reproductive system with alcohol abuse, then in this case, infertility is very often observed. Scientists have proven that alcohol will affect this system in any case, regardless of gender. With daily use of alcohol, the female body is destroyed much faster than the male.

In women, first of all, ovarian damage is observed, which leads to a violation menstrual cycle. With continued use of alcohol, infertility almost always occurs.

Alcohol affects the reproductive system in men as well. Initially, there is a decrease in sexual function, impotence is actively developing, and then infertility. Drinking in men is the main cause of testicular atrophy and sexual weakness.

We should not forget that when exposed to alcohol, sexual intercourse occurs, which usually leads to the appearance of sexually transmitted diseases. Of course, this is only an indirect effect of alcohol on the human reproductive system, but this is directly related to sexual function.

The effect of alcohol on the kidneys, lungs, muscles and immune system in the human body

Of course, with alcoholism, the excretory function of the kidneys begins to be disturbed. In addition, the work of the entire pituitary-hypothalamic-adrenal system is disrupted, so the regulation of kidney activity changes. Alcohol also has a negative effect on the renal epithelium (the tissue that protects inner surface reproductive system), which also affects the functioning of the kidneys.

Not a single person can live without normal breathing, so it must be of the highest quality. The breathing process consists of 4 main stages, if one of them is violated, serious consequences. In patients with the first stage of chronic alcoholism, there is a stimulation of the function external respiration: minute volume of breathing increases, breathing quickens. With the development of the disease, breathing noticeably worsens, so serious diseases arise (tracheobronchitis, chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis, lung enphysema). Often alcohol is combined with smoking, so the negative impact on the body is doubled. Tobacco smoke begins to damage the structure of special cells (alveolar macrophages) that protect lung tissue from mineral and organic dust and neutralize viruses and microbes. Alcohol combined with tobacco is a serious threat to humans.

The human immune system suffers greatly from alcohol abuse. Weathering processes are seriously disturbed, the production of lymphocytes decreases, and allergic symptoms develop.

Daily alcohol consumption causes a serious negative impact on the activity of all human organs and the body as a whole, therefore, several glasses of vodka or cognac should be systematically discarded.

In chronic alcoholism, muscle wasting and weakening occurs. Alcohol damages muscles directly. A poor diet is also a cause of muscular dystrophy. With alcohol abuse, 50% develop various skin diseases. Skin lesions are the result of direct exposure to alcohol, impaired liver function, and poor diet.

With severe alcohol intoxication, delirium tremens may occur. In this condition, 1-2% of alcoholics die, despite high-quality drug treatment. Mortality without treatment reaches 20%. Delirium tremens is known for hallucinations, clouding of consciousness, and disorientation. In addition, there is agitation, trembling, increased heart rate, fever, increased blood pressure. Many people with alcohol dependence during their "dry period" (detox) need urgent help medical care. The detox period lasts from a few days to a week.

With the systematic use of alcohol, premature old age, disability, and a decrease in life expectancy by 20-25 years are noted.

The effect of alcohol on the female body, pregnancy and fetus

Of course, you should not once again remind that alcohol is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women. But not everyone knows that how alcohol will affect the female body with constant use.

Women who are thinking about pregnancy should avoid alcohol completely. Even small doses of ethyl alcohol will reduce the chances of conceiving a child. In addition, alcohol leads to infertility. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, alcohol will pass to the fetus through the placenta, so the risk of miscarriage is greatly increased. In addition, alcohol penetrates the baby during breastfeeding.

Ethanol has a serious effect on the state of the female body: the level of estrogen rises due to alcohol consumption. In other words, for female alcoholics, the characters should have problems:

• Alcohol negatively affects women's fertility (the body's ability to give birth to healthy offspring);
• Alcohol use causes premature menopause;
• Ethanol enhances side effects menopause;
• Alcohol leads to disruption of the menstrual cycle.

In addition, alcohol abuse increases the risk of oncological diseases breast, intestines, liver, larynx, esophagus. Studies show that the risk of developing breast cancer increases by 6% for every 10 g of alcohol consumed.

The effect of alcohol on the body of adolescents

How alcohol affects the body of an adult has long been known. If we talk about teenagers, then alcohol poisoning can lead to major changes work of the cardiovascular system, which manifests itself in acrocyanosis, blanching skin, muffled heart tone and tachycardia.

In addition, the manifestation alcohol poisoning in this case is constant vomiting. With a single use of small doses of alcoholic beverages, adolescents experience symptoms of intoxication (especially the nervous system). The most severe poisonings are typical for persons with a aggravated history against the background of concomitant somatic pathology or cerebral organic insufficiency. Such an effect on the body of a teenager.

The effect of alcohol on the psyche of a teenager is more difficult to describe. By and large, clinical picture teen intoxication looks like this:

• Stunned;
• Short-term excitement, replaced by general oppression;
• Increasing drowsiness;
• lethargy;
• Slow incoherent speech;
• Loss of orientation.

More than half of adolescents experience disgust when drinking alcohol. After that, when the experience of drinking increases, the objective picture begins to change dramatically. Almost all adolescents who have been drinking alcohol for 1-2 years claim that the state of intoxication is accompanied by a surge of strength, a feeling of comfort and contentment, and an increase in mood. In other words, those attributes of a psychological state appear in their judgments that are usually attributed to the effects of alcohol.