THIS IS WHAT ALCOHOL DOES TO YOUR BODY
6pm One Unit: It's been a long day...
BRAIN: From the first sip, alcohol is
absorbed into the bloodstream and reaches
the brain. Although you won't be aware of
it, there is an impairment of brain function,
which deteriorates further the more you
drink. Cognitive abilities that are acquired
later in life, such as conduct and behaviour,
are the first to go. Early on you will
experience mild euphoria and loss of
inhibition, as alcohol impairs regions of the
brain controlling behaviour and emotion.
Most vulnerable are the brain cells
associated with memory, attention, sleep
and coordination. Sheer lack of mass means
that people who weigh less become
intoxicated more quickly, and women will
feel the effects faster than men. This is also
because their bodies have lower levels of
water.
HEART: Your pulse quickens after just one
unit. Alcohol is a vasodilator - it makes the
peripheral blood vessels relax to allow more
blood to flow through the skin and tissues,
which results in a drop in blood pressure.
In order to maintain sufficient blood flow to
the organs, the heart rate increases. Your
breathing rate may also speed up.
8pm Five Units: Whose round is it then?
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM: The Government
advises men to drink no more than three to
four units a day and women no more than
two to three, so after two pints of normal-
strength beer (four units) or a large glass of
red wine (3.5 units) we have already
exceeded our healthy guidelines. The
alcohol is absorbed through the stomach
and small intestine and if you are not used
to it, even small amounts of alcohol can
irritate the stomach lining. This volume of
alcohol also begins to block absorption of
essential vitamins and minerals.
SKIN: Alcohol increases bloodflow to the
skin, making you feel warm and look
flushed. It also dehydrates, increasing the
appearance of fine lines. According to Dr
Nicholas Perricone, a dermatologist, even
five units will lead to an unhealthy
appearance for days.
11pm 10 Units: Sorry, what was your
name again?
LUNGS: A small amount of alcohol speeds
up the breathing rate. But at this level of
intoxication, the stimulating effects of
alcohol are replaced by an anaesthetic effect
that acts as a depressant on the central
nervous system. The heart rate lowers, as
does blood pressure and respiration rates,
possibly to risky levels - in extreme cases
the effect could be fatal. During exhalation,
the lungs excrete about 5 per cent of the
alcohol you have consumed - it is this effect
that forms the basis for the breathalyser
test.
1am 15 Units: Let me tell you about my
ex...
LIVER: Alcohol is metabolised in the liver
and excessive alcohol use can lead to acute
and chronic liver disease. As the liver
breaks down alcohol, by-products such as
acetaldehyde are formed, some of which are
more toxic to the body than alcohol itself. It
is these that can eventually attack the liver
and cause cirrhosis. A heavy night of
drinking upsets both the delicate balance of
enzymes in the liver and fat metabolism.
Over time, this can lead to the development
of fatty globules that cause the organ to
swell. It is generally accepted that drinking
more than seven units (men) and five units
(women) a day will raise the risk of liver
cirrhosis.
3am 20 Units: Where am I? I need to lie
down
HEART: More than 35 units a week, or a
large number in one sitting, can cause
'holiday heart syndrome'. This is atrial
fibrillation - a rapid, irregular heartbeat
that happens when the heart's upper
chambers contract too quickly. As a result,
the heartbeat is less effective at pumping
blood from the heart, and blood may pool
and form clots. These can travel to the
brain and cause a stroke. Atrial fibrillation
gives a person nearly a fivefold increased
risk of stroke. The effect is temporary,
provided heavy drinking is stopped.
BLOOD: By this stage, alcohol has been
carried to all parts of the body, including
the brain, where it dissolves into the water
inside cells. The effect of alcohol on the
body is similar to that of an anaesthetic - by
this stage, inhibitions are lost and feelings
of aggression will surge.
The morning after: Can you please just
shut up...
BRAIN: Alcohol dehydrates virtually every
part of the body, and is also a neurotoxin
that causes brain cells to become damaged
and swell. This causes the hangover and,
combined with low blood-sugar levels, can
leave you feeling awful. Cognitive abilities
such as concentration, coordination and
memory may be affected for several days.
DIGESTION: Generally, it takes as many
hours as the number of drinks you have
consumed to burn up all the alcohol.
Feelings of nausea result from dehydration,
which also causes your thumping headache.
KIDNEYS: Alcohol promotes the making of
urine in excess of the volume you have
drunk and this can cause dehydration
unless extra fluid is taken. Alcohol causes
no damage or harm to the kidneys in the
short term, but your kidneys will be
working hard.
One year on: Where did it all go wrong?
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS: Heavy drinking
causes a drop in testosterone levels in men,
and causes testicular shrinkage and
impotence. In females, menstrual cycles can
be disrupted and fertility is affected. Studies
have shown that women who drink up to
five units of alcohol a week are twice as
likely to conceive as those who drink 10 or
more. It is thought it may affect the ability
of the fertilised egg to implant.
BRAIN: Over time, alcohol can cause
permanent damage to the connection
between nerve cells. As it is a depressant,
alcohol can trigger episodes of depression,
anxiety and lethargy.
HEART: Small amounts of alcohol (no more
than a unit a day) can protect the heart, but
heavy drinking leads to chronic high blood
pressure and other heart irregularities.
BLOOD: Alcohol kills the oxygen-carrying
red blood cells, which can lead to anaemia.
CANCER: Excessive alcohol consumption is
linked to an increase in the risk of most
cancers. Last week, Cancer Research UK
warned how growing alcohol use is causing
a steep rise in mouth cancer cases.
PANCREAS: Just a few weeks of heavy
drinking can result in painful inflammation
of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis. It
results in a swollen abdominal area and
can cause nausea and vomiting.
