The Effects of Drinking

Let's face it: drinking is a huge problem in today's world. Whether you're a "problem drinker" or just an "average drinker," consuming alcohol can take a major toll on your health. Underage drinkers tend to neglect the fact that drinking can cause liver disease later in their lives, which can lead to death. Just because you're not identified as a "problem drinker" doesn't mean you won't be affected by alcohol. Sure, it may seem like a party to you, but let's take a look at the long-term affects of drinking.

Alcohol is a poison. When you consume alcohol, it goes through the stomach and into the bloodstream. There is no digestion involved; it is simply absorbed. Eventually, the alcohol absorbed into your bloodstream reaches your brain. However, it's not necessarily the brain that you need to worry about when it comes to alcohol; the worst impact of alcohol is on the liver. The liver normally uses fatty acids as fuel, but when alcohol is present, the liver is forced to use the alcohol instead and let the fatty acids accumulate. Seeing that the liver can only metabolize about 1/2 ounce of ethanol per hour (about 1 drink), the alcohol will begin to circulate to all parts of the body in excess. That said, it is probably not a good idea to consume more than one drink per hour. Overtime, heavy drinking can cause the liver to accumulate too many fat cells, which greatly affects the liver's ability to filter toxins from the body. When the liver fails to do its job, your body will suffer severe health problems. Worst case scenario, your liver fails and you die.

So what if you're only a casual drinker? There are still other health risks that you should be aware of, such as an increased risk of cancer (liver, pancreas, rectum, breast, mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus). Consumers of alcohol also have an increased risk of heart disease. You don't have to avoid alcohol completely (unless, of course, you are underaged), but knowing the facts about how alcohol affects your health can help you make an informed decision about drinking.