How alcohol affects the body and the brain

According to a study by David Natta British psychiatrist and pharmacologist, alcohol is the most harmful substance to the human. More harmful than heroin, cocaine, the LSD and other drugs. We decided to find out how alcohol affects your body and should I be concerned about how much alcohol we consume.

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Have you ever thought about how many people drink alcohol?

According to statistics American Institute on Alcohol, 87% of people aged 18 and older had used alcohol in their lifetime. 71% consumed alcohol in the past year, 56% - within the last month.

Generalized statistics on the world not easy to find, therefore, focus on US data.

Every other person drinks alcohol occasionally.

If to take into account the harm to the man himself and others, alcohol - this is the most harmful drug in the world. More harmful than heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine. The first is related to the amount of used products. Alcohol is more popular than any other drug.

These data were obtained from research David Nutt, a British psychiatrist and pharmacologist who studies the influence of drugs on our body.

We are accustomed to alcohol, and it's scary.

News reports cover crimes committed on the grounds of drug intoxication, but no one pays attention to crimes committed on the basis of alcohol. This resembles the situation with accidents. Nobody cares to automobile accidents, but only worth the ship to run aground or be wrecked plane, all these events are scattered over the Internet.

Perceiving alcohol as a given, we forget that slurred, fun and hangover - it's not all the effect of alcoholic drinks on our body.

How alcohol affects the body

About 20% of alcohol consumed is absorbed by the stomach. The remaining 80% go into the small intestine. How quickly learned alcohol - it depends on its concentration in the drink. The higher it is, the intoxication will be faster. Vodka, for example, be acquired much faster than beer. A full stomach slows down the absorption and the appearance of the intoxicating effect.

Once the alcohol is entered into the stomach and small intestine, it is sent through the bloodstream throughout the body. At this time, our body tries to bring it.

Over 10% of the alcohol the kidneys and lungs through urine and breath. That is why alcohol testers allow you to determine whether or not you were drinking.

With the rest of the liver by alcohol to cope, so she is a body that deals the most damage. There are two main reasons why alcohol is harmful to the liver:

1. Oxidative (oxidative) stress. As a result of chemical reactions that accompany alcohol withdrawal via the liver may suffer its cells. The Authority will try to cure himself, and because of this may start the inflammation or scarring.
2. Toxins in the intestinal bacteria. Alcohol can damage the intestine, due to which intestinal bacteria enter the liver and leads to inflammation.

Alcohol effect occurs immediately, but only after several stages. It occurs when the amount of alcohol entering exceeds the number that is displayed by the body.

How alcohol affects the brain

Thickly, unruly parts of the body and loss of memory - it's symptoms effects of alcohol on the brain. People often use alcohol, are beginning to experience problems with coordination, balance and common sense. One of the main symptoms is inhibited reaction, so the drivers are forbidden to manage transport in a drunken state.

The effect of alcohol on the brain is that it changes the level of neurotransmitters - substances, which transmit the momentum from neurons to muscle tissue.

Neurotransmitters are responsible for the processing of external stimuli, emotions and behavior. They can either excite the electrical activity in the brain or inhibit it.

One of the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter - gamma-aminobutyric acid. Alcohol enhances its effect, thereby making traffic and drunk people it slow.

How to reduce the negative effect of alcohol

on the wagon. But it is unlikely you decide to do so.

So here are some more benign tips to help reduce the effects of alcohol on the body:

1. Drink plenty of water. Alcohol withdrawal of fluid from the body. Ideally, you should liter drink extra waterOr even two, if you know you are going to drink alcohol.
2. Eat. As already mentioned, a full stomach slows down the absorption of alcohol, thus giving the body time to gradually withdraw it.
3. Do not lean on fatty foods. Yes, fats create a film that prevents the absorption of alcohol stomach, but excessive amounts of fatty foods more likely to harm than be useful.
4. Avoid carbonated beverages. Carbon dioxide contained therein, accelerates the absorption of alcohol.
5. If you just want to support the company and do not intend to get drunk, the best option - a strong drink per hour. By following this rule, you will give your body time to ensure that alcohol withdrawal.