- high blood pressure.
- irregular heartbeat.
- difficulty pumping blood through the body.
- stroke.
- heart attack.
- heart disease.
- heart failure.
How does alcohol affect physical health?
Organs known to be damaged by long-term alcohol misuse include the brain and nervous system, heart, liver and pancreas. Heavy drinking can also
increase your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
, both of which are major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.
What are 3 ways alcohol can affect your physical health?
- High blood pressure.
- Gastritis, or inflammation of the stomach.
- Heart disease.
- Liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver, liver cancer)
- Pancreatitis (infection and inflammation of the pancreas).
- Stomach ulcers.
- Mouth cancer.
- Depression.
How does alcohol affect the body short-term and long-term?
Potential short-term effects of alcohol include
hangover and alcohol poisoning, as well as falls and accidents, conflict, lowered inhibitions and risky behaviours
. Long-term alcohol consumption contributes to more than 200 different types of diseases and injury.
What are four short-term effects of alcohol?
- A relaxing effect.
- Reduced tension.
- Lowered inhibitions.
- Poor concentration.
- Slow reflexes.
- Slow reaction time.
- Reduced coordination.
- Slower brain activity.
What are short term effects of drinking?
The short-term effects of alcohol (more specifically ethanol) consumption range from a decrease in anxiety and motor skills and euphoria at lower doses to intoxication (drunkenness), stupor, unconsciousness, anterograde amnesia (memory “blackouts”), and central nervous system depression at higher doses.
How does alcohol affect digestion?
A single heavy episode of drinking can damage the mucous cells in the stomach, and induce inflammation and lesions. High alcohol content beverages (more than 15% alcohol volume) can
delay stomach emptying, which can result in bacterial degradation of the food, and cause abdominal discomfort
.
How does alcohol affect behavior?
Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it can
disrupt the balance of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in your brain and affect your feelings, thoughts and behaviour
. Alcohol affects the part of your brain that controls inhibition, so after a drink or two you may feel relaxed, less anxious and more confident.
How does alcohol affect the community?
Alcohol use has been identified as a major risk factor for acute and chronic health harms and
imparts economic, health, and social costs to individuals, communities, and societies
(Rehm et al. 2009). Alcohol intoxication is linked to injury, violence, and traffic crashes (Edwards et al.
How does alcohol affect a person's reaction time?
Studies have shown that
increasing BAC is also associated with a decreased reaction time
. One study pointed to an average decreased reaction time of 120 milliseconds — just over a tenth of a second — associated with a BAC level of 0.08, the legal limit in the United States.
Do different alcohols have different effects?
The direct effects of alcohol are the same whether you drink wine, beer or spirits.
There's no evidence that different types of alcohol cause different mood states
. People aren't even very good at recognising their mood states when they have been drinking. So where does the myth come from?
How does alcohol affect the heart?
The cardiovascular system is affected by alcohol.
At the time of drinking, alcohol can cause a temporary increase in heart rate and blood pressure
. In the long-term, drinking above the guidelines can lead to on-going increased heart rate, high blood pressure, weakened heart muscle and irregular heartbeat.
How does alcohol affect your brain?
Even in the short term, alcohol
affects areas of the brain controlling cognitive and motor functions, causing them to slow down
. Alcohol impairs memory, judgment, and coordination and disrupts sleep patterns. When used long-term, alcohol may cause permanent brain damage.
Does alcohol affect concentration?
Ongoing, chronic alcohol abuse can make your memory and concentration progressively worse
. Attending class or work with a hangover makes it difficult to pay attention and absorb information, and this can damage your long-term goals of success.
How does alcohol affect the large intestine?
Your intestines – Whatever food that is undigested passes from the small intestine to the large intestine and is then expelled from the body through the anus. Alcohol reaches the large intestine by way of your bloodstream, where
it can increase the risk of bowel cancer
.
How does alcohol affect the muscles?
Drinking alcohol after a workout
prevents efficient healing of the muscles by decreasing the secretion of the hormone
. As a result, you will feel sore longer and have to wait a longer time period for your muscles to fully heal. Binge drinking also plays a role in decreasing your gains from the gym.
How does alcohol affect the mouth?
Not only can alcohol
contribute or speed up gum disease, but it can also lead to dental decay
. Like with periodontal disease, alcohol-induced dry mouth can also increase the risks of cavity development. This happens because your mouth won't have as much saliva, and saliva serves a purpose in your mouth.
