Concerned that consuming too much clear alcohol might be harmful to health, people have come up with the idea of infusing alcohol with herbs, plants, and even animals for added benefits. But is this really true?
Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital, states that even with pure, uninfused alcohol, consuming too much can pose serious health risks for healthy individuals. Mild cases may result in stomach pain, vomiting, and gastrointestinal bleeding, while severe cases can lead to coma and respiratory failure. Frequent excessive drinking may contribute to liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis.
Infused medicinal alcohol consists of two types: herb infusions and animal infusions.
Currently, many people are inclined to use infused alcohol believing it to be health-promoting and safe. However, according to Dr. Nguyen, alcohol used as medicine must be prescribed by a qualified physician. Therefore, people should not infuse alcohol at will based on hearsay. The casual use of herbs without proper dosage calculations and insufficient knowledge of their components can lead to adverse effects, with consumers at risk of serious harm, poisoning, or severe intoxication.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, the reasons for cases of poisoning from unregulated clear alcohol account for about 42%, while infused herbal alcohol accounts for approximately 36%, and animal and organ infusions (such as earthworms, geckos, various animal bile, etc.) account for about 10%. This serves as a warning for those who have a penchant for consuming unverified infused alcohol.
Dr. Nguyen Van Thuy, from the Central Acupuncture Hospital, notes that medicinal alcohol infusions include two types: herb infusions and animal infusions. However, the current trend of self-infusing alcohol without proper control and understanding of herbal properties can lead to dangerous poisoning situations. To infuse alcohol for medicinal purposes, guidance from a traditional medicine physician is essential; it shouldn’t be done randomly.
Dr. Thuy also mentions that the types of alcohol people are currently infusing have not been scientifically validated for their effects; these are primarily based on word-of-mouth. Before using infused alcohol, it is crucial to know its source and consume it in moderation. Abusing alcohol in any form can harm health.
In cases where individuals infuse alcohol without a clear understanding of the effects of each type of root, wild plant, or animal, it can be very dangerous. In reality, some herbs can be toxic to the nervous system, cardiovascular system, and respiratory system, potentially endangering life.
