Everyone knows that drinking is not good. But still, strong drinks are used for and without reason. But every reception on the chest is a blow to your liver and other internal organs. Of course, a lot depends on the dosage and frequency of drinking strong drinks. If a person once “went through”, then the body can easily cope with it. But if this happens regularly, then the consequences accumulate and multiply. Usually, heaviness in the stomach soon begins to bother. The effect of alcohol on the liver has been fairly well studied by doctors, but this does not reduce the number of drinkers. Therefore, today we will analyze this issue once again.
Alcohol tolerance
This question is often asked by doctors. Why can a neighbor drink almost any amount of alcohol and always feel great in the morning? The fact is that alcohol and the liver can "live in harmony" for a long time. But when the damage to the liver cells becomes critical, all the symptoms will bloom violently. Moreover, the effect of alcohol on the liver cannot be calculated in advance. That is, it will be uniquely toxic, but when a person crosses that line, then the affected organ will no longer be able to fulfill the functions assigned to it.
How quickly this happens depends on many factors. This includes the types of alcohol consumed, the frequency of feasts and the amount of daily alcohol consumption. Add to this the person’s age, the presence of concomitant diseases and the initial state of the liver. The effect of alcohol on this organ cannot be positive, because its cells have to process the strongest toxins to their own detriment.
Mechanism of action
Any drink that includes ethanol is harmful to liver cells. This also applies to alcohol tinctures. Another thing is that we consume them in small doses. That is, the body does not notice the action of ethanol in this case. Moderate alcohol consumption is also not a big tragedy. The liver is prone to regeneration. That is, a small number of its cells will die, but others will replace them. The effect of alcohol on the liver increases as a person begins to apply more often to the bottle.
Liver damage
Having tasted alcohol for the first time, a person will not even notice a morning hangover. The effect of alcohol on the liver is increasing gradually. Time after time, more and more serious damage to her cells will occur. Despite their ability to regenerate, the number of functioning ones is getting smaller.
Doctors distinguish 4 stages of damage:
- Alcohol entering the body goes to the liver for disposal. In this case, hepatocytes turn ethanol into acetic aldehyde, which the body is able to process at the cellular level and excrete through the kidneys. But the liver cells themselves are exposed to it, which leads to the destruction of their membrane. That is, the effect of alcohol on the human liver is obtained directly, and all other tissues suffer already from its derivative.
- Increasing the dose leads to the following unpleasant consequences. The liver is no longer able to block part of the alcohol, and it enters directly into the blood. This causes damage to the nervous system.
- When liver cells are no longer capable of regeneration, major changes occur in this large organ. Metabolic processes are disrupted and fat accumulation begins.
- Cirrhosis develops. From alcohol, cells not only lose the ability to function properly, but also die pretty quickly.
Danger of alcoholism
All these processes proceed hidden from the person. The liver is a very "patient" organ. To the last, he will carefully utilize the poison that a person consumes completely voluntarily. And only when her strength is running out, you will feel the symptoms of severe intoxication.
The main problem is that the symptoms begin to appear only in the latest stages of the disease. A person does not worry about liver damage and does not consult a doctor. Periodic pain in the right side, belching and other dyspeptic symptoms can be considered as a digestive disorder. Moreover, they often cope with them by taking the next dose of alcohol.
Light alcohol or the worst enemy?
The liver suffers from alcohol anyway. It doesn't matter if you have beer, schnapps or whiskey on your table. Of course, if you compare a drunk bottle of vodka or a glass of beer, it is obvious which drink will do less harm. But usually the opposite is true. It is customary to drink beer in liters. Of course, this does not apply to everyone. If you buy yourself a bottle of a cold drink once a week after a bath, then it is unlikely that this will greatly affect your state of health, as well as your figure.
The pronounced diuretic effect of this drink leads to the fact that all the liquid is replaced by a toxic product. Such a volume is not able to process liver cells, and alcohol enters the bloodstream, affecting all internal organs. Do not forget that non-alcoholic beer is also not safe for humans. In addition, the drink disrupts metabolism and leads to an increase in body weight.
Vodka or beer
What is more harmful? All strong drinks contain alcohol to a greater or lesser extent. But the oppression of consciousness when drinking vodka is much faster. That is, it is physically impossible to drink a few liters. In the case of beer, a dosage of 2-3 liters per evening is considered quite usual for many. In addition, beer is now made using preservatives, which are quite harmful to the whole body. Surely you heard the concept of "beer alcoholism." A person does not see a day without beer, and he considers this normal. The farther, the greater the quantity. And when there is not enough beer, then vodka is also suitable, and as a snack - fat. A double blow to the unfortunate liver, which will be very difficult for her to survive. Do not be surprised at your well-being.
Safe dose
Briefly, the effect of alcohol on the liver can be described as follows. Any amount of ethanol is harmful. But if a small dose of the liver neutralizes and then recovers quite quickly, then a large amount kills it. Cells degenerate and become ordinary connective tissue. Anatomically, the organ is in place, but can no longer fulfill its functions. Based on this, the question arises: how much can you drink so as not to jeopardize your body?
Based on numerous studies, experts conclude that a dose of 1 g per 1 kg of weight is safe for human health. It is difficult to understand how much this will be in the end.
- For a woman, this is 150 ml of wine, 330 ml of beer, 30 ml of cognac or vodka.
- For a man - up to 250 ml of wine, up to 500 ml of beer and up to 50 ml of strong alcohol.
It doesn’t have much in common with the usual “between the first and second”, but it’s precisely the framework that allows you to maintain health and not break away from the team.
Alcohol and gastrointestinal tract
The effect of alcohol on the pancreas and liver should be known to everyone. This will allow you to consciously say no at the right time. The liver is a natural barrier that is created to neutralize toxins. Other organs of the gastrointestinal tract are much more sensitive to such effects.
Comparing the effect of alcohol on the liver and pancreas, it should be noted that the development of pancreatitis under its influence occurs much faster than cirrhosis. In more than 50% of cases, the development of chronic pancreatitis is caused precisely by alcohol abuse. Alcohol causes a spasm of the sphincter, through which the contents of the gland are released into the duodenum. These enzymes do not participate in digestion, but continue to digest the organ from the inside.
Signs of a pancreatic lesion
The following symptoms are characteristic of pancreatitis:
- Tinea pain that seizes the entire hypochondrium.
- Dyspeptic syndrome. This is increased salivation, severe bloating, nausea and belching, sometimes vomiting and aversion to fatty foods.
- Diarrhea with the release of a large amount of porridge-like feces, characterized by an unpleasant smell.
Recovery and treatment
The first task is the treatment of alcoholism. If a person continues to drink, then the disease will progress. In the most severe cases, when alcohol intoxication is very strong, blood purification may be required. For this patient is placed in a special institution where special solutions are administered.
If a person is ready to refuse to drink himself, then this moment can be skipped. Then you need to help the body cleanse itself. To do this, you need to drink a lot. Suitable water, weak brines and juices. About a week after drinking alcohol, you can start a course of treatment. It includes adsorbents and drugs to restore liver function. These are Karsil, Essentiale and many other hepatoprotectors. Traditional medicine also works very well. In particular, try oatmeal jelly. And of course, you need to follow a strict diet throughout life. Sweet, greasy, fried - only in minimal quantities, occasionally, during remission.
Instead of a conclusion
Health and alcohol are poorly compatible concepts. If you use it sometimes in minimal quantities, it will not cause much harm. Our biological filter neutralizes ethanol. But, drinking in large doses and regularly, you expose your body to very serious stresses. Digestion, metabolism, dry skin and hair problems, constant fatigue and poor health - these are the things to pay for bad habits. Add to this the problems with blood vessels and the heart, reproductive functions, disruption of the urinary system, and you will realize that it is much better to give up alcohol completely.