By Raymond Geok Seng Lee

Keeping alcohol intake moderate is critical to proper liver and kidney function. Alcoholic beverages have been part of human culture for thousand of years. Alcohol is used for all kinds of social gatherings, celebrations, and rituals. Millions of people drink moderately several times a week and experience no ill effects. But others are more vulnerable to the problems alcohol can cause. Your response to alcohol is in part a matter of biochemical individuality. Alcohol is a drug. As is true of other drugs, the impact of alcohol depends to a significant degree on the dose. Its main ingredient, ethanol, acts as a stimulant at low doses, but at higher doses it acts as a depressant even as an anesthetic. Continued drinking of alcohol creates tolerance. The more you drink, the more you need to consume to achieve the same effect.

Alcohol passes quickly from the stomach into the bloodstream, where it travels to the brain. As a depressant, it decreases the activity in the central nervous system, reducing anxiety, tension, and inhibitions. That is why alcohol is so often used as a ‘social lubricant,’ and why many events begin with a cocktail party. Drinking makes many people feel more relaxed and confident, more at ease in social settings. However, with continued drinking or drinking at high levels, alcohol slows reactions, impairs concentration, and interferes with judgement. At low doses alcohol causes the blood vessels to widen, causing increased blood flow and sensations of warmth. As a blood thinner, alcohol may help reduce the risk of clotting and heart attacks. However, with high doses, you can actually lose body heat. Having a drink can trigger the flow of gastric juices. This stimulates appetite and can improve digestion, which again is one reason people have a drink before a meal. But continued drinking at high levels can cause inflammation and weakening of the stomach lining, increasing the risk of gastric ulcers.

As any beer drinker can tell you, drinking increases urine flow. Obviously, drinking large amounts of fluid means your body must increase the output of urine to maintain its balance. But alcohol also acts to inhibit production of antidiuretic hormone (ADH). Without instructions from this hormone, your kidneys speed up the process of filtering water out of the blood. For this reason, alcohol causes you to lose more fluid than you take in, increasing the risk of dehydration. The hangover from excessive drinking is largely the result of lack of body water. Molecules of alcohol are broken down by liver enzymes. However, if you drink too much, you can overwhelm this detoxification system. Damage to liver cells can cause the development of a kind of scar tissue, resulting in cirrhosis, which severely even fatally impairs liver function. Also, some people have bodies that simply do not produce adequate levels of enzymes needed to break down alcohol. These people are particularly vulnerable to alcoholism.

There are many other psychological problems associated with excess alcohol intake. Just a few examples: Alcohol doubles the risk of cancer of the mouth and throat. Smoking and drinking combined increases the risk fifteenfold. Alcohol kills brain cells, leading to nerve, muscle, and cognitive impairment. Immune system cells decline in number and activity with alcohol intake, increasing the risks of infection.

I do not tell my friends that they must never drink. In fact, I will often point out that population studies are showing that moderate alcohol consumption, particularly red wine, is associated with some protection against heart disease. I myself enjoy a glass of good red wine with meals. However, to gain the benefits from alcohol you must drink only in moderation. Limit alcoholic drinks to one a day – two at most. Keep in mind that 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of distilled beverages all contain the same dose of alcohol. If you drink, it is recommended to select fermented beverages (beer and wine), whose alcohol is produced by the natural fermentation of fruits and grains, rather than distilled beverages such as vodka, gin, and whiskey.

About the Author: Raymond Lee is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. He is currently the author of the latest edition of “Neck Exercises and Workouts.” Visit

bodyfixes.com

for more information.

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