What Effect Does Alcohol Have on a Person's Health and Life Expectancy?

The pathophysiology of alcoholism begins after alcohol the ingestion of alcohol. It is absorbed and unaltered through the stomach and intestines. Next it is distributed throughout the body through the blood and absorbed by all tissues and fluids (Huether, 2012, p. 72). Furthermore, in the liver the alcohol blood content is metabolized into acetaldehyde by the enzymes process of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS), and catalase (Huether & McCance, 2012). Next, the metabolizing effects the central nervous system (CNS) and exhibits a depressant action. It is first expressed in the subcortical structures of the brain. This has an effect of disorientation of motor skills and intellect. With an increase in blood alcohol concentration, the medullary centers become depressed and as a result affects respiration (Huether & McCance, 2012). In addition, the effects of alcoholism encourage hepatic and gastric changes. The hepatic effect is caused by acetaldehyde, in which, induces inflammation, fatty deposits and enlargement of the liver (Huether & McCance, 2012).

The body has no storage capacity for alcohol like it does for carbohydrates and fats. Since alcohol must be detoxified as quickly as possible, its oxidation takes priority over that of other macronutrients. In other words, while the liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, the utilization of fats, carbohydrates, and protein has to be temporarily suppressed. The burning of fat is suppressed the most, because it's at the bottom of the oxidative hierarchy.

One of these symptoms is jaundice, which is characterized by yellowish skin and eyes because of an inability of the liver to remove bilirubin from the blood. Patient with cirrhosis also suffering from itching, due to deposited bile's products in the skin. This patient also suffers from accumulation of fluid in legs that is called edema. As a result of the blockage of blood flow via the liver, fluid accumulation in abdomen which is worsen by the decrease in protein production. Other symptoms include fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss and nausea. As the disease progress, complications may develop ,such as varices that happens with cirrhosis patient when the blood flow through the liver slows, so the blood from intestine go back to the vessels of the stomach and esophagus, these vessels are not meant to carry this much of blood so they dilate (varices), with increasing

Many people, including alcoholics, are not fully aware of the devastation caused by alcohol abuse. Not only does alcohol have an impact on physical health, it causes a host of problems from a mental and emotional standpoint. This addiction is not only harmful to the body, it tears families apart, leads to job loss, and often causes isolation for the person who drinks.

Alcohol use has spanned history. In fact, there is speculation that alcohol use actually preceded the formation of societies (Doweiko, 2015, p. 30). Thus, alcohol has long been a part of mankind’s life. The function of alcohol has unarguably changed throughout the course of history, as it was first used for nutritional purposes and then later on for religious purposes (Doweiko, 2015, p. 32). Today, alcohol serves a social purpose. In the United States, the prevalence of use is quite high, with just over 50% of the population partaking monthly (Doweiko, 2015, p. 34). This statistic is somewhat alarming considering alcohol use comes with a number of potential adverse consequences. Case in point, even

The use of alcohol has been dated back thousands of years past the Egyptians and Greeks, drinking wine or beer was not an uncommon sight to see thousands of years ago and although times have changed its still not uncommon to see someone drinking today. Fermenting grains or fruits simplifies the processes of making the substance we call “booze”. Drug-Free World’s “The Truth about Alcohol” provides information to anyone free on the Internet about alcohol, the drug, we commonly consume today. It not only tells us that alcohol is a depressant but explains to us a depressant is a drug that slows down our bodily function systems. Drug-Free World also explains why people drink, the reactions that happens to these people, and tells us that

Alcohol has been the lifeblood of civilization dating thousands of years back in time, and it is clear to see the culture impact it has made throughout history. People perceive alcohol in many different ways; depending on gender, age, religious background, or social upbringing. Throughout history alcohol has affected different cultures and various demographics. It has been a source of pleasure and aesthetic in many cultures, along with being one of the oldest rites of passage, especially in modern day American society. Alcohol and drinking were also an integral part of religious observances throughout history and culture. The use of alcohol can be seen as a social lubricant, and besides being a thirst quencher, it can play a pivotal role

Alcoholism can take a toll on a person’s body, it can affect the mind, heart and most well known the liver. Alcohol can interfere with the brain’s ability to function, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a long term effect on the brain that can cause lack of coordination as well as learning and memory problems. Alcohol also effects the heart, it can cause cardiomyopathy which is the stretching and drooping of the heart muscles, stroke, irregular heart beat and even high blood pressure. The liver is the most known organ to be affected, cirrhosis of the liver is when the alcohol consumed over time leads to the healthy liver

Over several years, the scientific research of alcohol and its affects on the human body and brain have gradually progressed. Most people who indulge in alcoholic beverages do not think of the consequences it may have on their bodies over time. Alcohol can affect the nervous system, as well as the peripheral nervous system, which controls the nerves throughout your entire body. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol over an extended period of time can lead to a series of problems that impair the muscle tissue and brain. Neuroimaging and advanced technology has shown changes in blood flow in and around the brain, the brains metabolism, and the neurophysiological measures in the brain. Alcohol remains a poisonous toxin that affects the nerves

Oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde involves NAD+, an intermediate electron carrier, reduced by two electrons to form NADH (2). The oxidation of alcohol therefore, involves the generation of a cytosolic environment, which is extremely reduced in liver; this in turn leaves the cells of the liver cells in a condition that is highly susceptible to damage from the by-products of ethanol metabolism, such as acetaldehyde and free radicals (2, 4).

Alcohol, like many other drugs, is dose dependent, readily absorbed, and widely distributed. As a result, alcohol affects many organ systems of the body, including the central nervous system (CNS). Alcohol is easily absorbed, is soluble across all biological membranes, and does not bind to any plasma proteins. There is no place in our bodies where alcohol cannot reach. Alcohol absorption occurs between 80-90 minutes, and is affected by whether or not someone has eaten, as this will affect the speed at which the alcohol enters the blood stream. Alcohol is metabolized similarly to food. Approximately 85% of ingested alcohol is metabolized by the liver, 5-10% is metabolized in the stomach, and approximately 5% is excreted, unchanged, through sweat and the lungs. Men metabolize alcohol faster than women. This is due to the fact that women have 50% less enzymes in the stomach that metabolize alcohol than men, and the fact that women have more body fat than men. The blood supply to fat is much less than that found in muscles. Therefore, alcohol does not get metabolized as quickly in individuals with a higher fat content. When alcohol is metabolized, acetaldehyde, a poisonous byproduct, is formed. Alcohol dehydrogenase breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase further breaks down the poisonous acetaldehyde into acetic acid. Some ethnicities, such as some Asian groups, have less active acetaldehyde dehydrogenase leading to a buildup of

​The human body consists of five vital organs. The functionality of the heart, the lungs, the brain, the liver and the kidneys are crucial for existence. Damaging any of these organs can result in death. All of the organs in the human body have their own functions that ultimately interact with the others. Therefore, if one organ fails, others will eventually fail as well. Nurturing the human body is imperative and prevention of anything that might cause damage to these important organs is essential in order to live a long and healthy life. The use of drugs, cigarettes and alcohol are some of the causes of how people damage their bodies. The following paper will explain the damages of alcohol abuse on the human liver.

The abuse of alcohol over long periods of time may also cause diseases such as cirrhosis, acute alcohol hepatitis, and the most severe liver disease. Cirrhosis is a disease in which the liver becomes so scarred that the patient lacks sufficient healthy tissue to perform the organ?s functions. Once you?ve got it, you are stuck with it. (Gross, 6) The worst thing about these diseases is that you will not know you have them unless you are medically examined on a regular basis. Alcohol consumption is a large contributor to the development of several types of cancer- mostly dealing with the neck and brain. We know that cancer kills and therefore it is safe to say that in some cases, alcohol can be deadly. It is important to realize that alcoholism is a disease. A heavy drinker will experience the effects of withdrawal syndrome (which include hypertension, anxiety, disorientation, hallucinations, and seizures) if he decides to stop drinking. Being addicted to alcohol is similar to being addicted to any other drug in that once one starts using, it is tough to live without. It is also a ?gateway drug? just as marijuana and other sedatives. (Bennett, Woolf, 13-23)

The physical results of drinking alcohol can be life-threatening. Within moments of ingestion, alcohol moves from the blood stream into every part of the body that contains water. (Vasap.state/effects.com November 30) This includes major organs like the brain, lungs, kidneys, and heart. (Vasap.state/effects.com November 30) Alcohol stimulates and agitates, depresses and sedates, produces

As we all know, alcohol is a product that has provided a variety of functions for people in the world. Alcoholic beverages have been consumed by humans in the very early time, they were one of the most popular drink and have been widely used in everywhere of the world. Also they were used medicinally, chemically, physically and so on.