Why is alcohol harmful? Alcoholic drinks: harm and benefit.

Harm of alcohol for the human brain. What are the factors that determine the extent to which alcohol affects the brain? Why is the harm of alcohol more pronounced in women than in men? What happens to brain size in people who drink alcohol regularly? What vitamin deficiency causes regular alcohol intake and what does it lead to? What is Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's psychosis? How to treat Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome? What is hepatic encephalopathy, due to the influence of what substances does it develop, and when can it be fatal? How to treat hepatic encephalopathy? What is fetal alcohol syndrome and how is it treated? Do nerve cells regenerate? What is neurogenesis? What is the mystery regarding the organic brain damage by alcohol has not yet been solved by scientists? What modern technologies are scientists using to defeat the harm of alcohol?

Harm of alcohol. Destructive effect on the brain.

Alcohol certainly has a detrimental effect on the brain, as evidenced by staggering legs, blurred vision, slow reaction times, slurred speech, and memory lapses, all of which are seen after drinking alcoholic beverages. However, almost all of these reactions, which appear after taking only a few doses of alcoholic beverages, quickly disappear after the intake of alcohol in the body stops. On the other hand, if you drink alcohol frequently and in large doses, then its harmful effect on brain cells is noticeable even after the direct effect of alcohol has long ended. Today, the study of the mechanisms of the effect of alcohol on the brain, as well as the likelihood of irreversible changes in brain activity with regular use of large doses of alcoholic beverages, is a popular topic of scientific research.

Everyone knows that alcohol abuse can have negative and far-reaching health consequences. The harm of alcohol manifests itself, ranging from banal memory lapses to serious illnesses, which can lead to the need for lifelong treatment in the clinic. However, as the results of recent scientific studies of the influence of alcohol intake on driving behavior have shown, even moderate alcohol consumption is extremely harmful to the body.

There are several factors that determine the degree of influence of alcohol on brain cells and, accordingly, the harm of alcohol. These factors include:

the dose of alcohol and the frequency of drinking alcoholic beverages
the age at which the person began to drink alcoholic beverages, as well as the length of the period during which alcohol was consumed regularly
age, education, gender, genetic predisposition to alcoholism, the presence of alcoholics among close relatives
prenatal alcohol poisoning, which also increases the risk of future alcoholism
general health

This article on the dangers of alcohol provides an overview of several of the most common diseases resulting from harmful influence alcohol on the brain, and also identifies the circle of people who are most at risk of brain damage as a result of taking alcoholic beverages. The article also discusses the methods of treatment of these diseases, methods of their prevention and modern technologies that are used by scientists in order to determine exactly how alcohol affects brain cells.

Harm of alcohol. Clouding of consciousness and lapses in memory.

Drinking alcohol can cause memory impairment even after taking a small amount of alcohol - and the more you drink, the longer and more severe the memory lapses will be. The harm of alcohol is manifested in the fact that a large number of drinks containing alcohol, especially taken at a fast pace and on an empty stomach, can cause a short-term clouding of consciousness. This is the name of the period in which a person under the influence of alcohol is unable to properly respond to what is happening around him, and sometimes even adequately perceive the speech and actions of other people.

Short-term clouding of consciousness after drinking alcohol is observed much more often than previously thought in medicine. This effect can be considered as a potential consequence of harmful alcohol poisoning, regardless of the age of the patient or whether he has signs of alcoholism as a disease. Scientists conducted a study to identify the harm of alcohol associated with short-term clouding of consciousness. In this study, 772 young people studying in higher education were asked: "Have you ever been unable to remember what you did last night or where you were after drinking alcohol the next morning?" Of the students who had a history of drinking alcohol, 51% answered yes, reporting that they had experienced memory lapses after drinking alcohol, and 40% indicated that memory lapses had happened to them less than a year ago. Of those who have consumed alcohol in the past two weeks, 9.4% report memory lapses during this period. Those who experienced memory lapses admitted that after taking alcohol they even participated in vandalism, had unprotected sex and drove a car while drunk, but in the morning they could not remember anything.

Among the older people interviewed, cases of short-term memory lapses were also noted, both in men and women, despite the fact that in general men drink alcohol much more often than women and in much larger doses. Thus, it is logical to assume that the risk of memory lapses and clouding of consciousness after taking alcoholic beverages is higher for women than for men. Therefore, the harm of alcohol is much greater for women than for men. Drunk women lose consciousness more often than men and more often cannot remember what they did after drinking alcohol - this is due to the difference in the specifics of the mechanism of alcohol absorption in the body of a man and a woman. In addition, when taking the same amount of alcohol, memory lapses in a woman are likely to be significantly more severe than in men.

Harm of alcohol. The effect of alcohol on the brain of women.

For women, many of the consequences of alcohol intake are more severe than for men. Some clinical researches have shown that the harm of alcohol is much more aggressive in relation to women than to men because alcoholic women much faster than alcoholic men develop cirrhosis of the liver, weakening of the heart muscle under the influence of alcohol (for example, cardiomyopathy) and damage nervous system(for example, peripheral neuropathy). However, studies that have looked at the effects of alcohol on brain cells do not suggest that women's brains are more susceptible to the harmful effects of alcohol than men's.

Using method computed tomography, the researchers, through a comparative analysis, were able to establish that the harm of alcohol manifests itself as a compression (reduction) of the brain. This level of contraction is a major indicator of the presence of organic changes in the brain cells, and it is significantly higher in both male and female heavy drinkers compared to those who drink alcohol very infrequently. Studies have also shown that male and female alcoholics have the same memory and learning problems that result from regular drinking of high doses of alcohol. However, the men who took part in the experiment regularly consumed large doses of alcoholic beverages for twice as long as women. Thus, the harm caused by alcohol to the brain of both men and women was determined approximately the same, but at the same time, women regularly consumed alcohol 2 times less than men. This fact allows us to conclude that alcohol has a stronger effect on the female brain than on the male brain.

However, others Scientific research did not lead to such significant results, proving that the harm of alcohol is more potent in relation to women. So, recently in the American Psychiatric Journal (American Journal of Psychiatry) were published two reports on clinical experiments related to the study of the influence of gender on the degree of susceptibility of the body to the effects of alcohol. The results were exactly the opposite. Obviously, further research is needed in this area, primarily because female alcoholism is still poorly understood. medical problem, despite the fact that the characteristics of the female body suggest more a high degree exposure of women to the negative consequences of alcohol abuse.

Harm of alcohol. Vitamin B1 deficiency.

For people who regularly take large doses of alcohol during long period time exists big risk get the harm of alcohol in the form of a brain disorder associated with damage to brain cells. Violation of brain activity can be the result of both the actual intake of alcohol itself, and arise under the influence harmful effects alcohol abuse leading to deterioration general condition body, as well as as a result of serious liver diseases due to alcoholism.

The harm of alcohol, for example, in people suffering from alcoholism, often manifests itself as a lack of a substance called thiamine, also known as vitamin "B1". The cause of thiamine deficiency is malnutrition and violation metabolic processes in the body. Thiamine is very important trace element, which is necessary for the normal functioning of all organs, including the brain. Thiamine is found in foods such as animal and poultry meats, grains, nuts, and legumes. The recommended daily allowance for thiamine is 1.2 mg per day for men and 1.1 mg per day for women.

Harm of alcohol. Syndrome of Wernicke-Korsakoff.

In 80% of people suffering from alcoholism, there is a lack of thiamine in the body. In some cases, the harm of alcohol is manifested in the fact that it is the deficiency of thiamine that leads to a serious brain disease known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This disease includes two stages, or two different syndromes: short-term exacerbations, called Wernicke's encephalopathy, and long periods of a calmer, but at the same time significantly debilitating course of the disease - Korsakoff's psychosis.

Symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy include clouding of consciousness, paralysis optic nerve(oculomotor imbalance) and coordination problems. So, patients with Wernicke's encephalopathy often cannot find a way out of the room or even are not able to move independently at all. However, many patients do not have some of the symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy, so physicians working with patients suffering from alcoholism should be aware that Wernicke's encephalopathy can occur even if only one or two of the above symptoms are present. There have been cases where, only after the death of the patient, it was found that the cause was thiamine-deficient encephalopathy, which was not diagnosed during life only because the patient did not have a full set of classic symptoms.

The harm of alcohol is also manifested in the fact that approximately 80-90% of patients with alcoholism and Wernicke's encephalopathy develop the so-called Korsakov's psychosis - chronic and quite serious disease, which is characterized, first of all, by memory lapses and difficulties with remembering new information. Patients with Korsakoff's syndrome are forgetful, constantly depressed, easily lose their temper, and also have difficulty walking and coordinating movements. These patients have difficulty both with reproducing information already known to them (the so-called retrograde amnesia) and with the assimilation of new information (anterograde amnesia), which is the most remarkable symptom of the disease. For example, such patients can discuss in detail with the doctor any event from their life, and after an hour they no longer remember not only about this event, but even about the conversation.

Treatment of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Motor coordination and perhaps some form of information processing is controlled by the cerebellum, which is extremely sensitive to thiamine deficiency and also highly susceptible to the harmful effects of alcohol when consumed regularly and in excess. Taking medications containing thiamine helps restore normal functioning brain, especially early stages development of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. If the harm of alcohol has manifested itself especially strongly and the organic changes in the brain have become irreversible, treatment involves not so much the normalization of the patient's condition as providing him with proper care, and his family with support. Approximately 25% of patients with irreversible changes in brain function and cognitive impairment need qualified medical care. Some scientists believe that the development of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in some patients suffering from alcoholism and thiamine deficiency in the body may be due to a genetic predisposition. Thus, further research is needed in this area to determine the likelihood of developing this syndrome from genetic factors.

Harm of alcohol. Hepatic encephalopathy.

Most alcoholics know that excessive drinking over a long period of time can lead to problems with the liver, the organ that breaks down the alcohol that enters the body into harmful substances. by-products and then removing them from the body. However, not everyone knows that the harm of alcohol in relation to the brain can manifest itself in a very specific way. It is expressed in the fact that long-term liver dysfunction, for example, cirrhosis, the cause of which was the regular use of alcohol in large quantities, can also lead to brain damage, including a serious brain disorder known as hepatargia, or hepatic encephalopathy, which itself can be deadly. Those. alcohol, in addition to direct damage to the brain, destroys the liver, which in turn damages the brain on its own.

Thus, the harm of alcohol can manifest itself as hepatic encephalopathy, which can be expressed in sleep disturbances, mood swings, changes in personality characteristics, anxiety and depressive state, disorders of cognitive (i.e. cognitive) functions, for example, inability to concentrate, as well as problems with coordination of movements (for example, asterixis is often observed - a non-rhythmic flapping tremor). In the most severe cases patients may fall into coma (hepatic coma), which is often fatal.

New brain-scanning technologies allow scientists to analyze activity various areas of the brain in patients with liver diseases caused by alcoholism and, thus, to study the development of hepatic encephalopathy. According to the results of studies already conducted, at least two toxic substances have been identified that provoke the development of hepatic encephalopathy - ammonia and manganese. The harm of alcohol in this case is applied as follows. Alcohol-affected liver cells secrete excess amounts of these harmful substances, which then enter the brain and destroy brain cells.

Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy

The following medical procedures are commonly used to prevent the development of hepatic encephalopathy:

Prescribing drugs that reduce the level of ammonia in the blood, for example, L-ornithine, L-aspartate.
Use of various medical technologies, for example, liver support devices, also known as "artificial liver", which help cleanse the patient's blood of toxic substances. Studies have shown that when using devices of this type, the concentration of ammonia in the blood of patients is significantly reduced, which makes it possible to partially reduce the encephalopathic effects.
Liver transplantation is widely used to treat patients with severe (end-stage) cirrhosis of the liver. According to the data medical statistics, liver transplantation using the latest medical technologies leads to a significant improvement in cognitive functions in patients, up to their complete recovery, as well as a decrease in the concentration of manganese and ammonia in the blood to normal levels.

Harm of alcohol. Fetal alcohol syndrome.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to negative consequences for the developing brain of the fetus, which will later be expressed in the physiological, cognitive and behavioral aspects of the personality. The harm of alcohol is manifested in the fact that in the most severe cases, a complex of symptoms develops, known as fetal (fetal) alcohol syndrome. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome often have malformations of external organs, and also usually grow and develop more slowly than healthy children. Their brain volume may be smaller than normal (microencephaly), while these children also have fewer brain cells (including neurons) than others. Neuronal brain cells in children with fetal alcohol syndrome are not able to function normally, which leads to cognitive impairment and various behavioral abnormalities.

Treatment of fetal alcohol syndrome

Researchers are currently developing an effective complex method treatment that would help people overcome the harms of alcohol, expressed as the consequences of fetal alcohol syndrome. The developed method of treatment includes both exercises for the development of motor skills, and drug treatment. In one experiment, Dr. Klintsova and her colleagues used a motor skills training course organized as an "obstacle course" that allowed patients to overcome the negative effects of alcohol on their brains during the fetal period. Interestingly, the training on the development of motor skills contributed to the restoration of the functions of various parts of the brain (including the cerebellum) in adults as well. This experiment has the most important scientific significance, since its results indicate that the complex rehabilitation treatment, aimed at developing motor skills, can lead to positive results not only in children, but also in adults with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Scientists are also actively working on the invention medical preparations that can slow down or prevent the harm of alcohol, expressed in the destruction of brain cells, including through the fault of fetal alcohol syndrome. Clinical experiments on animals have shown the effectiveness of antioxidant therapy and vitamin "E". Also good results are obtained by the use of 1-octanol, which, paradoxically, is itself an alcohol-containing substance. As shown by experiments carried out on mouse embryos, drug treatment with the use of 1-octanol made it possible to significantly reduce the degree of the harmful effect of alcohol on the embryos. In addition, two substances have been discovered that are responsible for normal development fetus that are able to protect nerve cells from harmful effects alcohol, while the mechanism of their action is similar to that of octanol. These substances are called NAP and SAL. The component MK-801, which is able to block the action of some chemical compounds formed as a result of taking alcohol (for example, glutamate) on the brain. The use of MK-801 in the treatment of the consequences of early postnatal (postpartum) alcohol syndrome gives good results.

Although these components have been shown to be effective in combating the harms of alcohol in animal studies only, they positive effect in the treatment of humans has not yet been proven. Best way prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome is a complete rejection of the use of alcoholic beverages during pregnancy. Doctors who see expectant mothers regularly remind their pregnant patients that this syndrome can and should be prevented, and it depends only on the mother herself.

Let's overcome the harm of alcohol! The formation of new brain cells.

For many decades, scientists believed that the number of nerve cells in the adult brain is fixed in the first days of life and remains unchanged throughout it. Thus, if there is destruction of brain cells, then the only way treatment is the strengthening of the remaining cells, since new ones cannot be added. However, in the 1960s, researchers found that the formation of new brain neurons also occurs in adulthood This process is called neurogenesis. New brain cells are formed from stem cells - these cells can divide randomly, renew themselves and become the source material for cells various types. The discovery of brain stem cells and neurogenesis in adults has made it possible to develop a new scientific approach to the treatment of organic brain damage caused by alcohol exposure, as well as to improve the effectiveness of the treatment of alcoholism in general.

For example, animal experiments have shown that high doses alcohol cause significant harm and disrupt the process of formation of new brain cells. Scientists believe that it is the disorder of neurogenesis that causes disruption in the functioning of various areas of the brain (for example, the hypothalamus) in the future. It is necessary to comprehensively study the process of interaction between alcohol and brain stem cells, as well as the study of brain cells of patients suffering from alcoholism - all this can be the first step in the development of a new method of treating alcoholism and its consequences through cell therapy.

conclusions

All patients suffering from alcoholism are significantly different from each other. The disease manifests itself differently in everyone, and also has various origins. That is why, at the moment, researchers have not been able to identify a common cause of brain dysfunction in patients with alcoholism. It still remains a mystery why alcohol is so harmful as organic lesion Everyone's brain is different. Namely, it is not entirely clear why some alcoholics have serious organic brain damage, while other patients, other things being equal, do not have such damage - today this problem is quite relevant for scientific research.

The good news is that most patients with alcoholism and related cognitive impairments show positive changes in brain structure and general bodily function within a year of complete failure from alcohol consumption, although some patients require much longer recovery time. Physicians may try wide range treatment methods to help the patient to stop drinking alcohol and recover from the negative consequences of alcohol abuse, thereby completely eliminating the harm of alcohol to the patient. Of course, the complex of treatment methods is compiled taking into account individual features patient.

An important role in the development of alcoholism treatment is played by the use of modern technologies. Physicians can use computerized brain scanning technologies to track positive changes in the course of treatment and, accordingly, to get an idea of the effectiveness of the chosen course. A computer scan can show structural, functional and biochemical changes in the patient's body, as well as their progress over time, which, accordingly, will show how the harm of alcohol is reduced. Also, promising new medicines are being actively developed that will help prevent the harmful effects of alcohol on the body and the formation of new brain cells to replace those that were destroyed under the influence of alcohol.

Nowadays, any doctor can tell you what the harm of alcohol to the human body is. The Ministry of Health regularly warns everyone, but it does it so quietly that almost no one hears it. The problem is really serious, because today not only men, but also women, and even schoolchildren are addicted to alcohol. In a gathering of young people, it is difficult to find a person without a bottle of beer or a can of some other low-alcohol drink in their hands. Perhaps if people thought more about what they were doing, they would be able to maintain their health. What is the harm of alcohol? The photos in our article will help you figure it out.

What harm does alcohol do to the human body?

Everyone knows that alcohol is the most powerful blow to the brain. In connection with the emerging intoxication, oxygen access to neurons is impaired. The death of brain cells that occurs as a result of prolonged use of alcoholic beverages leads to alcoholic dementia.

The abuse of strong drinks has irreversible consequences, such as depression of brain function. Autopsies of deceased alcoholics showed significant depletion of this organ and obvious degenerative changes in his cells.

But the harm of alcohol affects not only the brain, but also many others. internal organs person.

Heart

Alcohol affects the heart muscle, which can lead not only to serious illness, but also to death. In patients who have even a short history of alcoholism, the volume of the heart may increase, which is noticeable during an x-ray examination. Violation of the rhythm of heart contractions can be observed even in a healthy person who has drunk a large dose of alcohol. Alcohol abuse often causes heart attacks, and also contributes to the development and progression of ischemia and hypertension.

Respiratory system

In people who suffer from the first stage of alcoholism, there is an increase in breathing, as well as an increase in its minute volume. During the development of alcoholism, the breathing process may be difficult. In addition, there may appear various diseases: tracheobronchitis, chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis, pulmonary emphysema and others.

Stomach

Liver

The liver is another organ that is regularly remembered by all people who drink alcohol. She is the "chemical laboratory" of the body, performing an antitoxic function. Alcohol renders Negative influence on the liver, under its action there is a violation of the functioning of this organ. In hospitals and clinics, you can often find pictures on the posters about the dangers of alcohol. And they often depict the liver of a person who abuses alcohol - ugly, pathologically altered, terrible.

Therefore, even with occasional alcohol consumption, it is necessary to protect liver cells by taking hepatoprotectors. For example, Legalon, an original preparation based on milk thistle extract with the highest bioavailability among analogues and a high content of the active component silymarin, which strengthens membranes, stimulates the functioning of liver cells, and prevents the penetration of toxic substances into it. Apart from protective action, the remedy relieves inflammation and stimulates the regeneration of liver cells.

kidneys

Most people with alcoholism also have impaired kidney function. Harmful alcoholic drinks act on the epithelial tissue of these organs, which leads to disruption of the genitourinary system.

Nervous system

Alcoholism has a detrimental effect on the nervous system. With this disease, mental abnormalities and various disorders occur. For example, an alcoholic is often accompanied by numbness of some parts of the body, weakness of the limbs, disorientation, hallucinations. Paralysis of certain muscle groups is also considered a common occurrence. These symptoms may disappear if you stop drinking alcohol.

Immunity

Also one of the main, but little-known factors is the effect of alcohol on immune system. With regular abuse of strong drinks, the immune system is significantly weakened, which contributes to the development of various infectious diseases as well as allergic reactions. In such subtle moments, the harm of alcohol is very often hidden. The photo in this article clearly demonstrates what alcohol abuse can lead to.

sexual dysfunction

Every third man who abuses alcohol has a decrease in sexual function. And against the background of "alcoholic impotence" among representatives strong half humanity can be observed different kind depression and neuroses. As for women, due to alcohol abuse, their reproductive function decreases, severe toxicosis is observed during pregnancy, and menopause occurs much earlier than in a healthy woman.

Muscles, bones, skin

Consistent drinking can lead to wasted, damaged, and weakened muscles. The pictures about the dangers of alcohol, which were already mentioned above, also demonstrate the danger of the disease for the musculoskeletal system. They do not bypass their attention and the consequences that overtake the skin. Defeat skin occurs both due to the direct effects of alcohol, and as a result of impaired liver function.

Alcohol abuse leads to disability and premature aging. According to statistics, people suffering from alcoholism live 15-20 years less than healthy people.

About the dangers of alcohol for teenagers

Teenagers should generally avoid drinking alcohol. Hot drinks are able to slowly kill the already strengthened body of an adult. The body of a teenager is not fully formed, so he is more vulnerable. During this period, a restructuring of all organ systems occurs. And if you suddenly strike with alcohol at this unstable moment, the harm of alcohol will become even more terrible and noticeable. For example, in addition to the fact that the liver has not yet had time to get stronger, at this age it also has a high throughput. Therefore, liver disease can develop literally after drinking a few grams of alcohol.

It is not so important what kind of alcohol a teenager consumes, because beer, wine, and vodka equally harm the body, resulting in damage to the brain, liver, nervous system and respiratory tract. You should explain to children in advance about the dangers of alcohol, so even the first 100 g of alcohol can lead to the development of addiction.

With regular drinking of alcoholic beverages, adolescents may experience various malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract. Alcohol has a negative effect on the stomach, while there are changes in the properties and quantity gastric juice, as well as disruption of the pancreas, and this can lead to both pancreatitis and diabetes. Teenagers may argue that beer is a fairly light alcoholic drink. Yes, it is, but at the same time it is a strong diuretic. Therefore, with its regular use, minerals and nutrients are washed out of the child's body. The loss of such irreplaceable compounds and trace elements in the future may be irreplaceable.

Various low-alcohol drinks, in addition to alcohol itself, contain a lot of other harmful substances, such as caffeine, dyes, sugar. Therefore, teenagers should be told in advance about the dangers of alcohol. Instructive lectures are often held for schoolchildren. This is a mandatory and correct tactic for teachers, as it can stop at least some teenagers.

Harm of alcohol for women

Everyone knows that it is easier for a woman to move from the stage of “moderate drinking” to the stage of “neglected alcoholism”. Therefore, alcoholic beverages are no less terrible for fair half humanity. If we talk about the dangers of alcohol for adolescents in more detail, you need to make a significant bias towards girls and women. It should be remembered that any young girl is a future mother. It is not known when this happy period in her life will come, but at the same time, you should not ruin your health before the desire to have a baby comes. How does alcohol affect a woman's health? To answer this question, you don’t need to think long, just to the consequences of male alcoholism, you should add the likelihood of the birth of a disabled baby. The fact is that the male seed tends to be updated every few months, and the female eggs are not capable of this. A woman has a certain number of ready-made germ cells, some of which are destroyed by alcohol, hence unhealthy children are taken, as well as infertility and various other diseases.

How do other drugs harm the human body?

If a person is a regular intravenous drug user, the average life expectancy will be approximately 6 to 8 years. The harm of drugs and alcohol on the human body is approximately the same. They bring with them heart disease, pathology of the brain and the liver itself, because it is the first one that cannot withstand the load. Very often people die from accidents while under the influence of drugs.

One of the most common causes of both alcohol and drug use is thirst. thrill. Thus, people relieve stress, forget about problems, in a word, run away from a boring life. But it should be borne in mind that at the end of the drug effect, a state of apathy, depression and hopelessness sets in.

The benefits of alcohol

People who advocate a healthy lifestyle often state that the harm of alcohol to the human body is devastating. Scientists who have conducted research on this topic refute the opinion of "teetotalers". The researchers were able to prove that in small doses alcohol is still useful, but only if alcoholic drink is of good quality. According to them, alcohol positive action on the mental state and acts as a prophylactic for many diseases.

The harm and benefits of alcohol are the concepts of measure. Therefore, it is very important to draw the right conclusions.

So acceptable daily allowance no more than 20 grams of pure alcohol can be considered. If we translate this rate into a traditional alcoholic drink, we get approximately 0.5 liters of beer or 50 ml of wine. The amount of vodka turns out to be so small that it makes no sense to even count, because this alcoholic drink is not consumed in such doses.

In our country, it is not customary to drink alcohol every day, although small doses. Therefore, it would be logical to count the alcohol that can be consumed per week. That is, multiplying 7 days by 20 grams, you get 140 grams. This is the weekly rate of alcohol for the body. In terms of an alcoholic drink, it turns out 350 grams of strong alcohol, such as vodka or cognac, 3 liters of beer or one liter of wine. This is the amount of alcohol that is considered acceptable for a healthy adult.

It is believed that wine causes minimal harm to health. Alcohol of this type often used in preventive purposes. Wine is indeed the most harmless alcoholic drink, but only if it is of high quality, made from natural grapes, and of course, if consumed in reasonable doses.

Many wine drinks can actually be harmful. But often this is not associated with alcohol, it all lies in various chemical additives. We can say that in many store wines both the harm and the benefits of alcohol are embodied. Therefore, you need to use only high-quality drinks and in small quantities. It should be borne in mind that this applies not only to wine, but also to any other types of alcohol.

With the help of alcoholic beverages, diseases such as hypertension, angina pectoris, various diseases can be prevented. colds, lymphoma, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, kidney tumor, stroke, heart attack, stress.

The dangers of alcohol have been known since ancient times. Alcohol, getting into the human body, poisons it with its poison. The severity of poisoning depends on the type of drink and its quantity.

How bad is alcohol

In order to understand the mechanism of action of alcohol, it is important to know the features of the main component - Ethanol.

It leads to poisoning and causes diseases of the intestines, liver and stomach. This ingredient of the drink has a negative effect on the nervous system. Food alcohol affects the coordination of movements and destroys nerve cells.

When choosing a type of alcoholic drink, it is important to consider how dangerous its other components are. These are fusel oils, acetals, ketones, acetaldehyde and phenols.
The less natural additives in the drink, the greater the damage to organs and systems.
For example, wine in comparison with vodka is considered even healthy drink. It is made from grape juice and contains polyphenols and antioxidants. In moderation, wine contributes to the prevention of many diseases. And, on the contrary, vodka does not contain anything but water and edible alcohol and does not bring a person anything but harm.
In addition to natural additives, artificial colors, sugar and flavoring additives are added to other drinks. All this improves the taste of the drink, but adversely affects the body. Especially a lot of chemical ingredients in cheap alcoholic beverages. A counterfeit product can even lead to serious illness and even death.

Strong alcohol is dangerous for its effect on the nervous system. Vodka and cognac accelerate intoxication, wine and beer act more slowly, gradually poisoning the brain. Ethanol tends to accumulate in tissues and have a negative effect on all organs, disrupting their functions. In addition, the sugar contained in food alcohol contributes to the growth of excess weight.
To minimize the danger of alcohol exposure, it is worth choosing drinks on natural basis, without artificial additives and produced by a trusted performer.

About safe alcohol

There is no absolutely harmless alcohol-containing drink in nature, no matter how much they talk about it. All drinks are just different percentage food alcohol.
Most of all harmful impurities are found in unrefined moonshine, fortified wine and cocktail mixtures.

To minimize the danger posed by ethanol, you need to follow a few rules:

Do not drink on an empty stomach;
Limit its quantity;
Purchase only products on a natural basis;
Give preference to soft drinks.

Doctors determined more or less safe dose alcoholic beverages for the body, that is, how much you can drink without causing irreparable harm. You can drink a glass of vodka (50 ml), half a liter of light beer or a glass of wine no more than three times a week. The female body is more susceptible to ethanol than the male body, so this minimum dose should be reduced by a quarter.

What is dangerous alcohol, poisonous ingredients in drinks:

Wine contains sulfite compounds that cause headaches.
Alcohol-containing cocktails, so popular among young people, contain dyes, taurine, caffeine, preservatives and sweeteners.
Beer is rich in vegetable estrogens, fusel oils and stabilizers.

The effect of ethanol on the body

Brain
Food alcohol impairs reaction speed and the brain's ability to process data. The person loses the ability to control his actions and loses peripheral vision. Ethanol disrupts muscle control and dulls the feeling of pain. With the development of alcoholism, brain structures are irrevocably destroyed, and a person loses memory and does not absorb new information. Violations can provoke hallucinogenic visions. It is noted that in a person who regularly and in large doses uses dries out and decreases in size. One glass of alcohol kills from a thousand to two thousand nerve cells.
Influence on the circulatory organs
Alcohol increases the risk of a heart attack. The mechanism of the effect of ethanol on the circulatory system involves the destruction of a special type of cholesterol cells that form in the body during exercise. exercise. The heart muscle, not receiving the necessary nourishment, weakens and heart failure is formed. The main symptom of this condition are rhythm disturbances and pain.
The danger of alcohol in its effect on the level of blood pressure, increasing it. This factor provokes the development of a stroke.
Alcohol and the gastrointestinal tract
Why is alcohol harmful? It adversely affects the process of digestion. It increases the acidity in the stomach, causing the mucous membrane of this organ to suffer. Gradually develops gastritis and peptic ulcer. Symptoms of the disease are usually stomach pain and bleeding. In the esophagus, under the influence of alcohol, varicose formations are formed, which, with a minor injury, can cause heavy bleeding.
Alcohol and oncology
Destroying tissue structures, alcohol provokes the development cancerous tumors. It can not only lead to cancer of the digestive organs, but also to oncology of the mammary glands, liver, and larynx. Most of all goes to the liver, which accounts for the main blow. It is a barrier on the way of ethanol to other tissues and organs. Under the influence of food alcohol, liver cells die, are replaced connective tissue and cirrhosis begins.
The disease of alcoholism
Alcohol addiction is a serious disease chronic nature. This disease destroys the protective mechanisms of the human body and adversely affects its personal qualities. It is difficult to get rid of addiction, and in advanced cases it is completely impossible.
Young people and women are most at risk of the disease. The consequences of alcohol abuse affect reproductive function and lead to the birth of babies suffering from severe defects. It has been proven that the death rate at birth in children of women suffering from alcoholism is five times higher than the norm.

It is difficult to calculate how many families have been destroyed because of alcohol. The number of suicides and accidents is growing, there is a degradation of a certain part of society, not only mental, but also genetic
According to the World Health Organization, every third person on earth dies from alcohol-related causes.
Initially, a person does not need to drink alcohol. It is formed with age and under the influence of the environment. Not everyone manages to stay at the line that delimits the positive aspects and the destructive effects of alcohol. Important to know about possible consequences and avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Most people are quite tolerant of occasional drinking, believing that alcohol is only harmful to health in large doses. However, it is not. Even irregular drinking can produce irreversible processes in the human body. Let's try to answer the question: why alcohol is harmful to health and how it affects the physical and mental state human?

Oxygen-carrying erythrocytes are surrounded by a surface layer that prevents red blood cells from sticking together. Alcohol, getting into the blood, deprives them of the shell and allows them to stick together, forming blood clots. Passing through thin capillaries and venous vessels, they slow down blood flow, leading to catastrophic oxygen starvation brain.

Sleep, in most cases accompanying alcohol intoxication, in fact, nothing more than a coma caused by cerebral hypoxia and the death of neurons. This leads to memory loss and loss of cause-and-effect relationships.

Everyone knows how bad alcohol is for the liver. Ethyl alcohol, which is part of alcoholic beverages, requires the active participation of liver enzymes for splitting. Gradually, exposure to alcohol leads to deformation of the liver cells, increasing their volume, leading to scarring and the development of cirrhosis.

More than half of traffic accidents, a third of suicides and the lion's share of malignant neoplasms of the oral cavity and esophagus are caused by alcohol abuse.

Even small amounts of alcohol lead to mental retardation and growth retardation of the embryo in the womb, and also cause miscarriages and all sorts of birth complications. That is why it is harmful for a pregnant woman to drink alcohol.

According to the World Health Organization, every third person in the world dies from causes caused by alcohol abuse. Only in Russia annually this figure exceeds one million people.

Creating the illusion of relaxation and stress relief, alcohol actually only aggravates psychological problems person. After the alcoholic euphoria passes, difficulties pile up with new force. To this is added the physical malaise caused by intoxication and the weakening of the will.

Alcoholic beverages, getting into the body, lead to hormonal imbalance. Growth hormone, testosterone and insulin are especially affected, and their levels can be halved.

To the question: is alcohol harmful to the body, everyone answers for himself. The main thing to remember is that there are so many bright, fascinating, interesting things in the world that you can and should look at with clear and sober eyes.

Noisy parties, home feasts and other holidays rarely go without alcohol. However, few people think about the fact that such a treat can not only give a feeling of relaxation and cheer up, but also cause significant harm to health up to lethal outcome. Find out how harmful alcohol is, how it affects ethanol on the human body, the use of which drinks and in what doses is considered optimal.

What is alcohol

Alcohol is essentially ethyl sleep, a colorless liquid that begins to boil at 78 degrees and is highly flammable. He possesses specific smell and taste. These characteristics largely depend on its variety. For example, a glass of red wine has a slight tart or sweet aftertaste, but smells like grapes. At frequent use any type of alcohol can be highly addictive, causing various diseases up to death.

Is alcohol harmful in small doses?

A little alcohol will help cheer up a person with low blood pressure, and a glass of red wine once a week will prevent the development cardiovascular disease and oncology. However, no doctor will be able to recommend this method of treatment to his patient, and all because long-term use of strong drinks leads to alcoholism. For the same reasons, WHO has established conditionally safe doses of alcohol for a person per day (provided that two days a week are non-alcoholic):

for men - 40 grams;
for women - 30 grams.

Natural wines and beer

No one will refute the fact that a moderate amount of high-quality wine or beer drunk has a beneficial effect on the body. These types of alcohol and champagne are prepared by fermentation. For the production of the first drink, grapes are used, for the second - hops with malt. The dose of quality drinks per day is:

for women - 1 bottle of beer or 2 glasses of dry wine;
for men - 2 bottles of beer or 3 glasses of dry wine.

Strong drinks

Spirits are obtained by distillation of certain fermentation products. For example, for the production of vodka, grain, beets, different types wheat, water. Compared to natural wines and beer, strong alcohol is considered more harmful to the body and more likely to lead to alcoholism. The minimum daily dose should not exceed:

for men - 100 ml of vodka;
for women - 80 grams of vodka.

Why alcohol is dangerous

You can argue about the dangers of alcohol or its benefits endlessly, but scientists advise, first of all, to pay attention to the composition of drinks. Good alcohol should consist only of natural ingredients, but in the vast majority of drinks there are also additional elements. To enhance the taste and give a special aroma or color to low-quality products, add:

various essences;
dyes;
flavors;
fusel oils;
acetaldehyde;
harmful preservatives.

Toxic effect of ethanol

Ethanol is a natural psychoactive substance that has a negative effect on the nervous system and the body as a whole. Among other derivatives of alcohols, ethanol has a relatively low toxicity, but if the dosage is exceeded, it negatively affects the brain and can lead to death. The same element reduces the speed of a person's reaction, affects the coordination of movements and clouds thinking.

Fusel oils phenols and acetaldehyde

Often alcohol-containing drinks are rejected due to the excessive content of aldehydes or fusel oils in them, in the presence of phenols. These indicators determine the quality characteristics of many alcoholic beverages. Depending on the type, alcoholic poisons affect the human body in different ways:

Aldehydes begin fermentation and transformation reactions in the production of strong drinks, actively interacting with other impurities. Its amount, even in the lowest grade "swill" should not exceed 8 mg/dm3.
Phenols in any form are hazardous to health. They cause burns, food allergic reactions, lead to tissue necrosis, respiratory arrest, paralysis. In quality products, their presence is unacceptable.
Fusel oils give alcoholic beverages organoleptic characteristics. Without them, cognac would be only an admixture of water and alcohol. However, an excess amount leads to severe intoxication, poisoning and a painful hangover. The norm of fusel oils is 4 mg/dm3.

Food additives and dyes

The original drink should consist only of an organic base: malt, hops, herbs, berries or fruits, spices. These additives give the drink a special flavor, aroma and color. However, these drinks tend to be expensive. Sugar, dyes, various essences are added to cheap products. Such harmful additives not only improve taste, but also negatively affect health, worsening the functioning of the digestive tract (gastrointestinal tract), heart muscle, endocrine system.

Harm of alcoholic beverages

How quickly alcohol is absorbed depends on its concentration in the drink. For example, strong alcohol harms health more and is absorbed faster than wine or beer. About 20% of what you drink is absorbed by the stomach, and the remaining 80% is sent to small intestine. After the alcohol has entered the stomach and intestines, it enters the systemic circulation, along with the blood entering the rest of the organs and systems of the body. Approximately 10% of everything drunk is excreted by the kidneys and lungs. The liver has to deal with the rest of the harmful substances.

Brain dysfunction

Regular use of ethanol-containing products affects a person's ability to control his speech, coordinate movements, and an alcoholic's vision deteriorates. Harmful substances irrevocably destroy the neurons of the brain, due to which pain is dulled, muscle control is reduced. With the development of alcoholism, a person's memory deteriorates, he perceives the information received poorly, and reacts inadequately to what is happening.

Deterioration of the cardiovascular and circulatory system

Red blood cells carry oxygen, nourish the soft tissues of the whole body. Top red blood cells covered with a fatty membrane that helps them move freely, pushing off each other. As soon as a person takes extra grams of alcohol, the process of destruction of red blood cells starts - the bodies stick together and can no longer freely get into small capillaries, which leads to blockage of blood vessels, the formation of blood clots, which provokes strokes and heart attacks.

Problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Drinking has a detrimental effect on the digestive system. The gastric mucosa takes the first blow. It becomes thinner over time, which leads to the development of an ulcer or gastritis. Under the influence of alcohol, varicose formations are formed in the esophagus, which, even with a minor injury, can provoke internal bleeding. Under the influence of harmful ethanol, the structure of tissues changes, which is why alcohol is considered one of the factors in the development of cancer.

Endocrine disorders

The negative effect of ethanol also affects sexual activity. In men, an erection disappears, libido fades, the production and mobility of spermatozoa decreases, and impotence develops. Ethanol reduces the production of testosterone, but increases the level of estrogen - the female hormone. This is why adult men who drink take on feminine traits, such as enlarged breasts, fat on the thighs or in the abdomen.

Ethanol affects the female body just as actively. In a woman who drinks, on the contrary, the production of estrogen decreases and the amount of testosterone increases. As a result, the voice of the ladies becomes rougher, the gait changes, there is a violation menstrual cycle lost the ability to bear children. An alcoholic woman does not feel sexual desire, often suffers from early menopause.

Liver and kidney damage

The processing of ethanol and its derivatives is carried out by the human liver and kidneys. If the normalized doses are violated, the liver does not have time to neutralize the entire amount of alcohol, which leads to the deposition of fat in its cells. Over time, such formations lead to hepatosis and cell death. In place of healthy tissues, scars form, cirrhosis of the liver develops. With absence adequate treatment the disease develops into cancer.

Obvious signs that the kidneys can not cope with alcohol can be felt even absolutely healthy man, sorting out the excess is high blood pressure, headache, swelling, pain in the lumbar region. Regular drinking leads to a violation of the acid-base balance, the kidneys cease to cope with their functions, they begin to accumulate toxins and other decay products of alcohol.

Degeneration of the nervous system caused by alcohol

The use of alcoholic beverages from time to time does not lead to serious changes in the psyche, unlike alcoholism. A sick person first experiences joy, euphoria, peace, which are subsequently replaced by depression, aggression, loss of interest. Personal degradation is irreversible - drunkenness often leads to hallucinations, mental insanity, delirium tremens.

Damage to nerve cells

Alcohol produces alcohol addiction leads to degradation of the nervous system. Scientists have found that ethanol not only destroys the connection between brain cells, but can also change their structure, which leads to the development of cancer. In addition, irreversible damage to nerve cells is fraught with the development of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. it neurological disease characterized by memory problems, visual impairment, can lead to paralysis, complete amnesia.

Aggression and irritability

The stage of intoxication, in which a person begins to experience aggression, becomes irritable and gets into a fight, is dangerous for others. Sound arguments no longer work on such a person, often what has been said only worsens the situation. Studies show that aggressiveness largely depends on individual personality traits. The list of such criteria includes:

aggressive character;
previous head trauma;
mental disorders;
nervous tension before taking alcohol.

depressive states

There is also an absolutely opposite effect of alcohol on the human body, when instead of irritability, a person begins to experience apathy. Almost all inveterate alcoholics have such deviations in the psyche, the intensity of which depends on the duration of alcoholism and the amount of alcohol taken. The main symptoms of alcoholic depression are:

apathy;
vision of the world around in gray tones;
tearfulness;
lack of brightness of emotional sensations;
lack of joy.

dementia

Dementia is a disorder mental functions caused by serious damage to the structures of the brain, or, more simply, dementia. Regular drinking makes it difficult to acquire new knowledge, leads to partial or complete loss of previously acquired skills. Dementia is dangerous because a person can no longer make decisions on his own, reason logically, his sense of duty, politeness, and delicacy disappear.

Why alcohol is bad for teenagers

That it is harmful to drink alcohol, parents should constantly remind their growing child and serve own example healthy lifestyle life. Quite often, children turn to alcohol because of a lack of attention in the family, when they feel like a burden or unnecessary and seek to assert themselves. First, they begin to use low-alcohol drinks, gradually increasing their strength.

If we recalculate sweet drinks for vodka, then one package will have about 50-10 ml of strong alcohol. Canned cocktails contain a lot of sugar and chemical additives that have a negative effect on gastrointestinal tract metabolism, absorption of vitamins and useful substances. What is harmful alcohol for a teenager is the development in the future diabetes, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis, hepatitis.

Consequences of female alcoholism

If we compare male addiction with female addiction, then the latter is much more dangerous and difficult to treat. It is scientifically proven that women get drunk faster than men due to physiological characteristics, lower body weight, psychological factors. Harm of drinking alcohol for women:

they are more prone to early cirrhosis of the liver and other pathologies;
impaired thyroid function;
sharply worsening memory, the ability to perceive new information;
alcohol is especially harmful for expectant mothers - it leads to infertility, reduces the production female hormones- estrogen.

Pregnant women should remember that ethanol negatively affects not only their body, but the formation of the fetus and mental development child. Such ladies have a high risk of giving birth to disabled children, babies with physical or mental disabilities. Alcohol abuse in the first trimester can cause miscarriage, in the second - placental abruption, and in the third - premature birth.