Why You Should Reduce Your Level Of Alcohol Intake

Alcohol is a beverage widely consumed in most secular societies. A glass a day can do less damage but if the habit grows and one can find himself taking more, and the effect can pile up over time.

People drink alcohol for different reasons, some drink alcohol out of peer pressure, others engage in it for fun, and it is also a way of relieving stress for some.

An alcoholic beverage is a drink that contains ethanol, commonly known as alcohol, which are divided into three main classes: beers, wines, and distilled beverages.

Undistilled alcoholic products like beers are made from grain-mash fermentation brought about by yeast. It is generally prepared from malted barley but other starchy grains, e.g..maize, rice are also used as raw materials with yeasts used in the fermentation process.

Wines are made from grapes, fermented without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, water, or other nutrients. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide

A distilled drink, spirit, or liquor is an alcoholic drink containing ethanol that is produced by distillation (i.e., concentrating by distillation) of ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables. – Wiki

Alcohol consumption is legal in most countries but consumption is controlled with a policy that stipulates the minimum age a person must attain to buy or drink alcohol, usually between the ages of 16 and 25 years.

Consumption of excessive can lead to many health hazards. According to drugfreeworld.org alcohol overdose causes depressant effects such as, inability to feel pain, toxicity where the body vomits the poison, and finally unconsciousness or, worse, coma or death from severe toxic overdose. These reactions depend on how much is consumed and how quickly.

Different types of alcoholic beverages with their levels of ethanol (alcohol)

Beer 2–6% alcohol
Cider 4–8% alcohol
Wine 8–20% alcohol
Tequila 40% alcohol
Rum 40% or more alcohol
Brandy 40% or more alcohol
Gin 40–47% alcohol
Whiskey 40–50% alcohol
Vodka 40–50% alcohol
Liqueurs 15–60% alcohol

According to an article by Dr. Mercola, Alcohol acts as a depressant to your central nervous system, which means when you drink it your brain cells communicate at a slower rate than normal. The limbic system of your brain, which controls emotions such as anxiety and fear, is also affected.

The article also pointed out that alcohol poisoning impairs your body and eventually can shut down the areas of your brain that control basic life-support functions like breathing, heart rate, and temperature control. Women are more vulnerable to alcohol poisoning, in part because they have lower body water percentage in the body.

Here are some health effect of consuming alcohol:

1) Digestive and endocrine glands: Drinking too much alcohol can cause abnormal activation of digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas. Buildup of these enzymes can lead to inflammation known as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can become a long-term condition and cause serious complications.

2) Inflammatory damage: The liver is an organ which helps break down and remove harmful substances from your body, including alcohol. Long-term alcohol use interferes with this process. It also increases your risk of chronic liver inflammation and liver disease.

3) Birth defect: a pregnant woman with heavy drinking can increase a baby’s risk for several conditions, including fetal alcohol syndrome and issues with mental development.

4) Frequent diarrhea: alcohol consumption can damage your intestines. Which may lead to bouts of diarrhea or stomach pain.

5) Central nervous system: One of the easiest ways to understand alcohol’s impact on your body is by understanding how it affects your central nervous system. Slurred speech is one of the first signs you’ve had too much to drink. Alcohol can reduce communication between your brain and your body. This makes coordination more difficult. You may have a hard time balancing. You should never drive after drinking.

6) Blackouts: alcohol can interfere with how your brain makes memories. It is possible to wake up without remembering what you did while you were drinking or even before.

7) Muscle cramps: people who drink often experience muscle cramping, weakness, and eventually muscle death.

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Parts of this article contains texts from articles originally published on healthline.com and mercola.com