13 common effects of drinking too much alcohol

The effects of drinking too much alcohol are harmful and may lead to death or severe health problems. While the impact on the body from an excess amount of booze may not manifest instantly, the consequences can appear later and be difficult to control. Thus, the best thing is to drink responsibly, if at all, to enjoy good health.

1. Firstly, liquor alters sleep patterns

Enough sleep is essential for the normal functioning of the body. A drunk person may oversleep or stay awake for long after the sedative clears off. Alcohol increases snoring, too, which may irritate your partner. If you have a drinking problem, check https://www.gallusdetox.com/ for addiction treatment by professionals.

2. Impaired reasoning

Feeling drunk? You may have impaired reasoning and may indulge in dangerous behaviors because you feel they make sense at the time. It could be unprotected or multiple sexual partners, drinking and driving, or something else.

3. Brain damage

Alcohol interferes with brain functioning, which leads to memory lapse, blurred vision, and unclear speech. In some cases, alcohol affects the brain’s neurotransmitters, which lead to mood changes and emotions. It also depresses the central nervous system and serotonin receptors, leading to slow thinking and risk-taking behaviors. In some cases, alcohol affects balance, leading to falls or injuries.

4. Common effects of drinking too much alcohol on the heart

Heavy drinking raises blood pressure, which affects the heart’s functioning. This may lead to heart failure, heart attack, angina, and arrhythmias. Excessive alcohol can cause other diseases like a stroke, which may lead to immobility or death.

5. Injuries and deaths

Heavy drinking is associated with deaths and injuries from accidents, domestic violence, suicide, and drowning. A drunk person may lose concentration on the road, causing a fatal accident. Avoid alcohol when driving, while operating machinery, or swimming.

6. Miscarriage and stillbirth

Alcohol harms unborn babies. It is advisable not to drink at all if you are pregnant to prevent miscarriage and stillbirth.

7. Osteoporosis

Teenagers who drink too much alcohol are at risk of contracting osteoporosis (loss of bone mass). Alcohol affects bone health in youths, increasing the chances of fractures. In other cases, alcohol alters vitamin D and calcium balance in the body, which is a potential cause of weak bone structures.

8. Drinking too much alcohol: Effects on the immune system

Alcohol intake weakens the immune system, which exposes the body to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia. Drinking may also affect the production of platelets and white blood cells, which helps the body fight off infections.

9. Seizures

Too much drinking raises the chances of contracting epilepsy. Alcohol withdrawal may also cause seizures, ranging from mild to fatal.

10. Liver damage

Alcohol is a toxin that the liver is supposed to flush out. However, your liver may not properly work if you drink a lot. Drinking kills liver cells, which can lead to cirrhosis. Other effects of alcohol on the liver are fibrosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and steatosis.

11. Cancer risks: More effects of drinking too much alcohol

The National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services findings show that excess alcohol leads to various types of cancer. The more a person drinks, the higher chances of alcohol-associated cancer such as esophageal, head and neck, liver, breast, and colorectal cancer.

12. Gout

Apart from eating food with purine chemicals, such as red meat and shellfish, drinking alcohol is also a major cause of gout. Gout causes joint pains due to uric acid build-up.

13. Ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems

Alcohol causes digestive system problems, leading to severe stomach ulcers, heartburn, and gastritis. A damaged digestive system can lead to internal bleeding.

Concluding thoughts on the effects of drinking too much alcohol

If you have a drinking problem, please get help. Limit how much you drink slowly over time at a professional rehab center until you stop completely. Some people drink for fun, peer pressure, or cover-up for stress, and they forget every bottle they take has risks connected to it.