It is well known that alcohol consumption can have adverse effects on heart health, weight and liver, but if you take a closer look at the damage it causes inside your body this will surely affect you. to think twice before consuming a lot of alcohol.
In an American show called Dr. Drew, Lifechangers, Dr. Drew Pinsky explained concretely how excessive alcohol consumption can damage the liver.
Difference between a normal liver and a liver with cirrhosis
Dr. Pinsky compared a healthy liver to another with cirrhosis to warn two twin sisters invited to the show of excessive drinking that could harm them. A healthy liver is smooth, reddish-brown, and uniform in color, while the liver with cirrhosis is gray, lumpy, and scarred.
During his demonstration of the damaged liver, the doctor explained that the liver is full of scar because it tries to regenerate and as it regenerates, scars are formed more.
Dr. Pinsky also said the liver was from a person who died of cirrhosis, adding that once the liver is not functioning properly, the rest of the body also begins to fail, including the immune system, circulation blood is blocked and the blood passes through blood vessels that quickly turn into gastroesophageal varices. These can break and cause bleeding and bleeding.
Cirrhosis occurs when the liver is permanently damaged and marked by long-term lesions due to alcohol abuse, hepatitis or obesity. Although cases vary, cirrhosis usually occurs after 10 years of heavy drinking. Liver damage can not be eliminated, but alcohol abstention may prevent further impairment.
Other physical and mental health problems can affect people who consume alcohol excessively.
Depression
According to Ray Lebeda, a family medicine specialist at Orlando Health Physician Associates, as the body breaks down the chemicals in alcohol, the balance of mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters in the brain can be disrupted. In the short term, this can affect the mood of the person. According to The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), over time, this causes a decrease in brain cells, which can lead to problems such as depression.
Obesity
According to a 2015 Canadian study, alcohol consumption can be a risk factor for obesity, particularly in the case of regular consumption. Experts know that when we drink, we usually do not compensate by eating less. In addition, according to a study done by the University of Liverpool, even some drinks can make you eat more than during the state of sobriety.
Loss of memory and dementia
According to The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, disrupted neurotransmitters do not only interfere with mood. They can lead to short-term memory loss and long-term cognitive problems, including dementia.
In a study of more than one million adults, researchers found that of the 57,000 cases of early dementia, nearly 60% were related to excessive and chronic consumption of alcohol.
Fatty liver disease
The liver metabolizes the nutrients in our diet and eliminates toxins. But overeating alcohol overloads the liver, causing fat accumulation. All this extra amount of fat can increase the risk of inflammatory diseases such as alcoholic hepatitis. This can also lead to cirrhosis, where the liver is unable to do its job and actually begins to deteriorate.
Stroke
Even if the heart is healthy, there is a risk of having a stroke if the person consumes a lot of alcohol. According to a study conducted by the National Institute of Public Health in Helsinki, Finland, men who consume more than 6 glasses a day or women who consume more than 4 glasses a day, are at risk of stroke by almost 40% compared to those who never drink. Researchers do not fully understand the relationship between heavy drinking and risk of stroke. But excessive alcohol consumption is linked to high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke.
