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A few drinks in, and you might feel full of confidence and on top of the world. Unfortunately, this is all an illusion. Recently, the MSN Health Channel in the US explained the dangers of excessive drinking from various aspects.
Kidneys. After alcohol enters the human body, it inhibits the production of antidiuretic hormone. Without this hormone, the body's reabsorption of water by the kidneys is suppressed. This is why drinkers frequently run to the bathroom. As the body loses a large amount of water, the electrolyte balance of body fluids is disrupted, leading to symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and headaches.
Breasts. Alcohol stimulates estrogen secretion, causing the breasts of men who drink regularly to gradually "enlarge and fatten." Because drinking impairs liver function, and estrogen is broken down in the liver, heavy-drinking men are more susceptible to breast cancer. Due to their flatter chests, breast cancer in men tends to spread more quickly.
Stomach. Alcohol causes the gastric mucosa to secrete excess stomach acid. After heavy drinking, the epithelial cells of the gastric mucosa are damaged, inducing mucosal edema, bleeding, and even ulcers and erosion. In more severe cases, gastric bleeding can occur.
Pancreas. Alcohol can induce acute pancreatitis through multiple pathways. For example, alcohol stimulates gastric wall cells to secrete hydrochloric acid, which in turn affects the normal secretion of secretin and cholecystokinin in the duodenum, ultimately leading to excessive pancreatic secretion. Even small amounts of alcohol can worsen chronic pancreatitis, with symptoms表现为 an increased frequency and severity of abdominal pain.
Liver. Alcohol causes the liver to store more and more fat, which slowly turns into inflammation. Over the long term, cirrhosis of the liver is inevitable. It is important to note that you must not drink alcohol after taking certain medications, such as acetaminophen and statins for lowering cholesterol. They can exacerbate liver damage.
Brain. Alcohol damages brain cells. Researchers at the University of Heidelberg Medical School in Germany confirmed that brain cells begin to be damaged just 6 minutes after drinking. The memory of long-term heavy drinkers will progressively worsen. A 2009 study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research showed that alcohol impairs a person's ability to understand others' expressions, easily leading to conflicts and misunderstandings.
Heart. Alcohol can induce myocarditis. In heavy drinkers, a series of inflammatory reactions occur in myocardial cells, causing them to swell and necrose. Under the influence of alcohol, the heart rate quickens, the body's oxygen consumption by the heart soars, and the myocardium is damaged from fatigue. With long-term heavy drinking, alcoholic cardiomyopathy will become a problem.
Blood Pressure. Alcohol has the effect of raising blood pressure. British researchers found that even moderate drinking can cause blood pressure to rise, significantly increasing the risk of various cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.
Bones. Excessive alcohol consumption accelerates the loss of calcium in the body, making heavy drinkers more prone to osteoporosis and fractures. However, a 2009 report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition pointed out that moderate consumption of beer or wine can increase bone density. A 2010 study in the Journal of Food Science and Agriculture also found that the silicon in beer is beneficial for bone health, but it must be consumed in moderation.