Kidneys, liver, heart, lungs, brain, intestines, abdomen… no organ can escape the destructive power of alcohol if you consume this beverage excessively. If you are planning to host extravagant drinking sessions during the Tet holiday, think again.
Men often have the habit of gathering for drinks, especially during Tet and festivals, indulging until they are completely intoxicated, at which point they stagger off in different directions. This is a dangerous habit because a large amount of alcohol entering the body can lead to unpredictable harm.
Kidneys
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Kidney (Image: ykhoa) |
Only 5% of the alcohol in the blood is filtered and excreted by the kidneys through urine. Don’t think that whatever you drink will come out the same; in reality, the amount excreted is greater than what is consumed.
Alcohol destroys the production and excretion of vasopressin, a hormone that stimulates the kidneys to retain fluids and concentrate urine. Without it, urine becomes diluted due to excess water.
If you drink a lot of alcohol, the fluid balance is disrupted, and the waste excretion process slows down. As a result, healthy cells weaken, and the body will require the help of medications and nutrients to restore them. This leads to the risk of high blood pressure, hepatitis, cirrhosis, and kidney failure.
Excessive alcohol is one of the causes of gout. Initially, the surplus alcohol accumulates after frequent excessive drinking, causing disruptions in metabolism and energy conversion. Each time you consume half a liter of strong liquor, it increases the uric acid level in the blood. Kidney function will be affected, and the excess uric acid will gradually form tiny, sharp crystals similar to glass shards, causing damage to the kidneys.
Brain
Everyone knows that drinking too much leads to intoxication, and when intoxicated, one loses control over the brain, leading to nonsense speech or silly actions. After a sleep, everything seems to return to normal, and the mind becomes as sharp as if… one had never drunk alcohol (provided you drank quality liquor or at least one of clear origin).
But it’s not as simple as you think. What would you say if you knew that every 50 ml of alcohol takes away 10,000 brain cells (which cannot regenerate)?
Heart
The heart is also made of muscle, and high-alcohol beverages weaken muscles, which naturally weakens the cardiovascular system. The heart cannot pump blood effectively as usual, leading to fluid accumulation in the lungs.
The higher the alcohol concentration, the greater the impact on the heart; it narrows blood vessels and increases blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder. Additionally, it disrupts electrolyte signals, causing arrhythmias.
At this point, many will argue that science has proven that alcohol can be beneficial for cardiovascular health, with consuming 1 to 2 glasses of wine daily, especially red wine, potentially reducing the risk of stroke and heart failure. In some cases, moderate alcohol consumption can help keep arteries and the heart “clean,” with 1-2 glasses of red wine helping to clear excess HDL cholesterol, softening arterial walls, and reducing the risk of blockages in blood cells. Here, alcohol is a toxic substance, but it is not as toxic as the fatty plaques that cling to arteries. However, the key point many overlook is that alcohol can only reduce the risk of heart failure or stroke for those already suffering from heart disease. In other words, this is merely a case of using poison to treat poison!
Liver
Just 10 minutes after alcohol is ingested, 90% of the alcohol is absorbed by the blood, as the absorption time is much shorter than the liver’s time to eliminate it (usually about 1 hour).
High alcohol levels produce many free radicals, which are molecules that often destroy healthy cells, creating scars in tissues and cells, accelerating aging processes and increasing the body’s susceptibility to diseases.
When you drink excessive alcohol, the alcohol levels in the body put pressure on the liver, causing it to become fibrous. At that point, the diameter of blood vessels in the liver narrows, making blood circulation difficult. Imagine pumping water from a pipe with a diameter of 5 cm into another pipe with a diameter of 2 cm; what would happen? The pressure will surely force the water back. The same applies here: the pressure on the liver will cause other veins to swell to relieve the pressure on the liver, leading to conditions such as hemorrhoids. The consequences do not stop there; swollen veins can also lead to esophageal varices.
Lungs
Approximately 5% of the alcohol in the blood will quickly diffuse into the sacs in the lungs. The lung sacs will warm the alcohol solution, converting it into vapor that, when exhaled, will serve as a measure of the alcohol content in the breath.
If alcohol is consumed over a long period, it will deplete an important antioxidant in the lungs, causing permanent lung damage. This increases the risk of pneumonia and other respiratory infections.
Small Intestine
After 20 minutes, 80% of the alcohol ingested will be transferred to the small intestine, most of which will diffuse into the blood. In the small intestine, alcohol destroys the absorption of water and sodium, causing dehydration in the body and damaging proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, reducing the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids.
Abdomen
After being ingested, the abdomen is the first stop for alcohol. Within just 5 minutes, 20% of the alcohol will immediately enter the bloodstream by slipping between the epithelial cells producing mucus. Here, alcohol weakens the protective epithelium of the abdominal muscles, thereby increasing the risk of infections, acid reflux, ulcers, and bleeding.
