What is alcohol?
Chemically, alcohol is defined as organic compounds containing hydroxyl groups bearing the chemical symbol (-OH), and the term alcohol with its common definition is a toxic substance found in spirits that include beer, wine and distilled liquor, and the two chemicals that contain alcohol are known as ethanol. It consists of carbon and one hydroxyl group, and alcohol is considered toxic because of its ability to dissolve fats, as it works to dissolve fats in cell membranes, which destroys the structure of cells and works to kill them, and in this way alcohols work to kill microbes, and they are effective in sterilization.
Ethanol is considered less toxic than other alcohol, but it should be noted that consuming alcohol, regardless of its quantity and concentration, cannot be completely safe and without risks.
Many people in many regions of the world drink alcohol on social occasions, but drinking alcohol entails many health and social risks and consequences, and despite the fact that the majority of chronic diseases resulting from drinking alcohol result from drinking it frequently and for long periods, However, drinking it in small quantities or in separate periods also carries with it many risks, and science has concluded that there is no safe minimum for drinking alcohol .
Alcohol in the human body
Alcohol contained in spirits does not need to be digested before being absorbed, so it is quickly absorbed into the blood, as about 20% of it can be absorbed directly from the empty stomach walls, and reach the brain within one minute, while the presence of food slows down the absorption and arrival of alcohol to the brain, and works to keep it in the stomach for a longer period.
The stomach works to digest part of the alcohol through the enzyme "alcohol dehydrogenase", thus reducing the amount of alcohol that reaches the brain, but the enzyme that digests alcohol is more in men than women, so the toxicity of alcohol is greater in women, and in fact The body gives priority to alcohol in its metabolism in order to ensure its disposal as quickly as possible, as the body cannot store alcohol, which also indicates that the body deals with it as a toxic substance.
Alcohol-laden blood is transported from the digestive system to the liver, so that this blood reaches all liver cells, which are the only cells that also contain good amounts of the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme , which enables the body to get rid of part of the alcohol before it reaches the rest of the body’s cells, Therefore, the greatest damage caused by alcohol occurs in the liver, although it affects all parts of the body.
Consequences of drinking alcohol
Alcohol has many consequences, the most prominent of which are:
Short term consequences
Drinking alcohol causes a loss of focus and the ability to judge and act on situations, and it also affects the ability to see and affects memory, and may cause fainting, and there are other consequences that occur due to alcohol, attributed to its use incorrectly or incorrectly.
Alcohol is responsible for a third of all cases admitted to the emergency department.
Alcohol is responsible for half of all homicides.
Alcohol is responsible for half of all domestic violence cases.
Alcohol is responsible for half of all traffic accident deaths.
Alcohol is responsible for half of all fire deaths.
Alcohol affects university students in the world more than others; Because individuals of this age group accept excessive drinking.
Long-term consequences
Scientific research has found that drinking alcohol is associated with more than 60 diseases, and it has many effects on the body, which have not yet been fully discovered, and when the quantities of alcohol consumed are large or the period between consumption is short, the body cannot recover properly. Full of the effect of the drink, and its repetition affects all parts of the body, so that the risk of death from all causes is greater in people who drink alcohol a lot, especially people under the age of 35 years, and from the long-term health problems caused by drinking alcohol are the following:
High risk of developing arthritis.
Drinking alcohol can cause anemia .
High risk of cancer, especially cancer of the liver, pancreas, rectum and breast, and it also increases the risk of developing cancer of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, and esophagus, and if a person smokes in addition to drinking alcohol, the risk of these types of cancer will increase even more.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy causes the so-called fetal alcohol syndrome, in which the fetus suffers from congenital malformations and abnormal changes in behavior, and this effect is considered the most dangerous of drinking alcohol.
Drinking alcohol significantly increases blood pressure and blood fats, and it also increases the risk of stroke and heart disease, which includes heart failure .
Drinking alcohol can cause high blood sugar, and it may cause it to drop, especially in people with diabetes.
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of miscarriage in women and infertility in women and men.
Drinking alcohol increases the size of the kidneys, affects the functions of hormones, and increases the risk of kidney failure .
Drinking alcohol causes fatty liver disease, cirrhosis , and alcoholic hepatitis.
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing protein-energy malnutrition, and causes a deficiency in vitamin A, calcium, iron, vitamin C, thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin, known as “vitamin B2”, and vitamin B6, and an imbalance in Absorption of calcium, phosphorous, vitamin D and zinc.
Drinking alcohol causes nerve damage , dementia, imbalance and memory, and it also causes what is known as alcohol-related neuropathy (alcoholic neuropathy), which results in tingling and numbness in the extremities, muscle weakness, incontinence , erectile dysfunction, and others.
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of obesity and weight gain.
Drinking alcohol causes depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of stomach ulcers and cancer .
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of epilepsy, and it causes seizures even in people without epilepsy , and it also interferes with medications used to treat convulsions.
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing gout , and worsens the condition of the disease in sufferers.
Drinking alcohol reduces the efficiency of the immune system and increases the risk of infection, especially tuberculosis, pneumonia, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases, which include diseases that lead to infertility.
Drinking alcohol causes gastritis and pancreatitis, which affects the digestive process, causes abdominal pain and persistent diarrhea, and alcohol is responsible for about 60% of cases of pancreatitis.
alcohol addiction
Alcohol addiction is defined as having unhealthy and dangerous drinking habits, and a person is considered to be addicted to alcohol if he or she has three or more of the following problems within one year:
Inability to stop drinking or control the amount of drink consumed.
The need to drink larger quantities to get the same effect.
Having withdrawal symptoms, which include stomach upset, sweating, tremors, and anxiety when you stop drinking.
Spending a long time drinking, recovering from the effect of the drink, or giving up other activities in exchange for drinking.
Previous failure to stop drinking or reduce intake.
Continuing to drink even though it harms social relationships, or causes physical problems.
Alcoholism is a chronic disease in itself, with well-known developing symptoms, a disease that needs treatment that may require hospitalization or a treatment center.