Risks From Alcoholic Beverages
The blood alcohol level differs from person to person, which makes calculating sobriety and moderating particularly tricky. Weight is the main factor in how quickly one processes alcoholic beverages, yet metabolic rates, medication, food consumed that day and the type/amount of alcohol consumed all play a part in how intoxicated you become. Over time, some people find their tolerance increasing so what may have gotten them wasted last month now seems to do very little, prompting them to drinking more. The reality is that physical and mental impairment can be found at the bottom of the first drink. The legal limits for intoxication are defined as .08 to .10 in most states. This could be anywhere from 1-3 drinks in an hour, depending on alcohol content and weight. However, the recommended drinking rate is one drink per hour.
How does the binge drinking of alcoholic beverages affect the brain in the long run? As many as 80% of alcoholics have a thiamine deficiency, which predisposes them to serious brain disorders like Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS). WKS consists of a short–lived (but severe) condition called Wernicke’s encephalopathy and a long–lasting (and debilitating) dysfunction known as Korsakoff’s psychosis. The encephalopathy side induces mental confusion, nerve paralysis in the eyes and poor muscle coordination. Korsakoff’s psychosis leads to learning and memory failure, frustration and forgetfulness bordering on amnesia. Chronic alcohol consumption hurts the cerebellum worst of all and 25% of patients who develop WKS require a caretaker.
In some cases, excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages can even lead to Cancer. While there is no definitive cause-and-effect link, it’s believed that alcohol increases the carcinogenic effects of other substances, like cigarette smoke. In fact, roughly 75% of esophagus cancers, as well as 50% of mouth and throat cancers, are attributed to alcoholism. Smoking combined with drinking enhances the risk for most of these cancers dramatically. Women who consume as little as one drink a day can increase their chances of breast cancer by as much as 30%! Moderation is generally said to be the key. A few drinks per week won’t likely send you into a tail-spin of maladies, but if you have an “addictive” personality, better stick to non alcoholic drinks!
Drinking alcohol can cause other problems that may not be as life threatening as some already discussed but never the less can be quite discomforting. Alcohol is a known cause for snoring and should be avoided in the evenings if you suffer from snoring. Another problem aggravated by alcohol is acid reflux. If you are currently on any acid reflux remedy you should avoid alcohol as advised by health blog online.
