Alcohol is a harmful substance for health, it is capable of inducing permanent changes at the organic and mental level. This can lead to various diseases and even death.
At the brain level, alcohol acts as a neurotoxin, its action is so strong that in a few minutes it can lead the brain to alter the entire functioning of the body, leading the person to experience changes not only at the metabolic level, but also at the behavioral and cognitive level. This can have temporary and prolonged effects according to the degree of intake that is made of it, this together with the health condition of the person and many times genetic and hereditary factors.
Among the most common consequences, we have that alcohol can reduce brain capacity and some cognitive abilities, all this coupled with the amount of it that is used to ingesting and with the frequency.
Among the short-term changes that we have from alcohol intake we can mention that it is transported through the blood very quickly to the brain, this causes neurological changes to be generated in just 10 minutes, such as: an increase in the production of endorphins, which are the hormones responsible for the sensation of relaxation and well-being.
This is what produces a state of sudden relaxation, sociability and well-being, however, this effect can change quickly if the alcohol intake is very accelerated, interfering with the communication pathways of the brain and causing the way in which you we receive and issue the information is altered.
Thus, sudden changes of mood are created, and you can experience a deterioration in the ability to concentrate and even have difficulty coordinating ideas, the way of speaking and in the worst case, difficulty coordinating some movements.
If the way in which alcohol is consumed in a cycle is very constant, this can lead to states of profound drowsiness, and even loss of consciousness, as well as invalidation when making decisions. If a person ingests this harmful substance continuously, it can affect his cognition ability, due to which he experiences a neuronal deterioration that causes damage to brain functions. This can affect memory, and difficulty understanding the information that is received. Memory loss can be mild, as only a few short episodes, or conversations, are forgotten.
This happens because alcohol affects the hippocampus, which is the area of the brain that is responsible for memories. Although the periods of forgetfulness can be mild, in the worst case there may be complications and it would lead to higher consequences that can lead to behaviors that affect the family, work and social environment of the person. Regarding the transmission and interpretation of ideas, people can experience a total blockage and express themselves incoherently even when they think they are doing well; this occurs even with small doses. If alcohol consumption is very constant in a person's life, this can cause irreversible damage to the brain, leading to brain atrophy, which is nothing more than the loss of functional tissue in different regions of the brain. This is because alcohol affects various parts of the brain such as: the hippocampus, the density of gray matter, and the microstructure of white matter. Which affects the gradual loss of cognitive ability.
Another damage caused by alcohol is neurogenesis problems, which directly intervenes in the ability of neurons to regenerate, this is compared to the ability of cells to be reborn and give way to new cells. Neurogenesis must occur constantly in a healthy brain, because this facilitates neural connections, providing new pathways for the transmission of signals and nerve impulses. Alcohol intake slows down this process and this puts neurological abilities at risk.
However, this type of damage can be compensated by abstaining from the consumption of this type of beverages, at least at the neuronal level; however, it is unknown whether the production of the new neurons could help repair cognitive damage.
Another very harmful effect is the so-called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which consists of a type of amnesia, which can occur in people with frequent use of this harmful substance, it is due to a deficiency of thiamine, or vitamin B1. Among the symptoms of this syndrome we have the loss of memory both in the short and long term, drowsiness, loss of balance and paralysis of some nerves that coordinate eye movements.
Thiamine plays an essential role in the maintenance of brain functions, since without it, selective neuronal death occurs, which alters the proper functioning of the brain.
Alcohol poisoning also occurs when there is an excessive intake of alcohol in a very short time. This presents an irregular heart rhythm, respiratory disorders, vomiting, seizures, blue or pale skin, hypothermia and even loss of consciousness. In this type of case, immediate medical assistance should be obtained, since it can lead to death if it is not treated in time with the required measures.
If there is the case of a pregnancy, and the consumption of alcohol is very frequent, this can cause fetal death or spontaneous abortion, as well as a series of physical, intellectual or behavioral disabilities. If alcohol consumption occurs in the first three months of pregnancy, this can result in the baby having abnormal facial features at birth, as well as low weight and alterations in the development of its central nervous system.
However, prolonged consumption of alcohol, even in small amounts, can lead to the development of pathologies such as heart problems, since it can raise blood pressure and alter the metabolic system, causing the person to accumulate more fat, which that increases the risk of obstruction in the arteries and increases the effort of the cardiac muscle, thus increasing the risks of heart attacks or strokes.
Gastrointestinal problems can also occur, since this type of substance is an irritant of the gastric mucosa, which can predispose people to diseases such as reflux, gastritis, ulcers and internal bleeding.
The liver is another of the organs that is affected by alcohol, this is the main one in charge of controlling the toxins generated by the consumption of this substance and transforms it into a compound that affects the health of liver cells which in turn causes damage to that organ. The consumption of alcohol on a daily basis, although in a few doses can be equally harmful in people, due to the long-term toxins accumulate that generate certain pathologies, such as those described above, this together with a poor diet and lack of some type of Physical activity can be presented as catalysts when it comes to developing some type of alcohol-related illness. On the other hand, these types of substances can lead us to aggressive social and family behavior, which can lead to the deterioration of relationships and later create a vicious circle generated by states of depression.