Drinking, in the long term, increases the risk of developing a long list of serious health conditions, which include heart disease, oral cancers, liver cirrhosis, strokes, oral cancers, and breast cancer. According to research a high intake of alcohol can also reduce fertility, impair memory skills, and damage mental health.
The direct link between alcohol and the liver is well understood, but what about its impact on other organs? Numerous heart studies suggest the moderate consumption of alcohol can help protect against heart disease since it raises the levels of good cholesterol and stops the formation of blood clots in the arteries.
Toxicity
Drinking over 3 drinks a day has been found to have a direct and damaging effect on the heart. Over time, heavy drinking may lead to alcoholic cardiomyopathy, high blood pressure, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Heavy drinking also puts more fa into the body’s circulation.
The link between cancer and alcohol is well established, according to Cancer Research UK. According to a study published in the BMJ, it is estimated that the consumption of alcohol can be attributed to at least 13,000 cases of cancer in the United Kingdom each year – about 4,000 cases in women and about 9,000 cases in men.
According to cancer experts, for each 10g of alcohol consumed a day, the breast cancer risk increases by about 7 to 12 per cent. For bowel cancer, prior studies show that the increase in the intake of alcohol by 100g each week increases the risk by 19 per cent.
A recent report in BioMed Central’s Immunology journal found that the body’s ability to fight off viral infections is impaired by alcohol. According to fertility studies, heavy drinking in men can lead to lower sperm quantity and quality while even light drinking is enough to make a woman less likely to conceive.
The reason why alcohol has such an adverse effect on all elements of human health comes down to acetaldehyde, which is the product that alcohol is broken down into the body. It is not only toxic but also may cause damage to DNA.
Dr KJ Patel from Cambridge’s Medical Research Council laboratory of molecular biology recently completed a study into the toxic effect alcohol has on mice. According to his research, a single dose of binge-drinking while pregnant can be sufficient to cause permanent damage to the baby’s genome. He says that foetal alcohol syndrome can give rise to children that are seriously damaged, born with head and facial abnormalities, as well as mental disabilities.
January is the time for most people to make New Year’s resolutions to stop drinking. People often wait until January even when their drinking has been an issue for months before. After that they start again and the drinking escalates quickly from just 1 or 2 drinks at weekends to a drink e very day. Chaos starts reigning over their lives again, jobs suffer, loved ones argue, and families start feeling the consequences.
If there’s a drinking problem, it won’t disappear on its own. The person may require professional help. A professional Addictions Therapist specialises in helping people face the reality of their addiction and guides them through the chaos into long term recovery from their drinking problem.
The vast majority of such addiction professions are actually recovering addicts, which means that they know what it is like to have a drinking problem and know how to help you stop drinking and move on with your life. Treatments offered are confidential.
Addiction professionals not only help clients dealing with alcohol problems but rather all kinds of addictions including drugs, alcohol, food, sex, gambling, pornography, internet and gaming, spending, co-dependency, or even relationships.