Surely you have often heard about the dangers of alcohol, especially if consumed in excess. Loss of self-control, the risk of having an accident, committing acts of violence, to alcohol poisoning, are short-term dangers that can arise from consuming alcohol.
On the other hand, consuming alcoholic beverages in moderate levels is thought to reduce the risk of dangerous diseases, such as stroke, diabetes, to heart disease. However, if you want to consume a little or a lot of alcohol, it still doesn't reduce the dangers that these substances can cause.
Various Dangers of Alcohol for Health
Here are some of the dangers of alcohol if consumed in excess, namely:
- Broken heartThe liver is the largest organ in the human body that functions to neutralize toxins from the blood. In addition, the liver also plays a role in cholesterol metabolism, and produces proteins that are useful for the blood clotting process. However, liver function can be impaired or even damaged if you drink too much alcohol. When alcoholic beverages enter the body, the liver will work harder to process alcohol. The danger of alcohol can make the liver inflamed and trigger the emergence of disorders, such as fatty liver (fat accumulation in the liver), cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis, to liver cancer.
- Vulnerable to pancreatitis
The pancreas is one of the important organs in the body that plays a role in producing enzymes and hormones that are useful for helping the digestive process. But when you consume too many alcoholic beverages, the pancreas will produce toxic substances that cause you to easily experience inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
- Having digestive system problems
Consuming alcohol in excess and in the long term can also cause damage to the digestive tract. This damage to the digestive tract makes the nutrients that enter the body are not absorbed properly, so you easily experience nutritional deficiencies. In addition to damaging digestion, the dangers of alcohol consumed in excess can also cause ulcers in the stomach wall (gastritis) and even cancer in the digestive tract.
- Decrease brain function
Brain function can decrease if you consume too much alcohol. This is because the dangers of alcohol can interfere with the performance of chemicals in the brain that function as a regulator of brain function. As a result, drinking too much alcohol can decrease your brain function. Loss of coordination, reduced body reflexes, decreased vision, mood disorders, forgetfulness, fainting, to an increased risk of stroke, are conditions that can occur in your brain if you consume too many alcoholic beverages.
- Risk of heart disease
Excessive alcohol consumption can trigger heart problems, such as heart rhythm disturbances, increased blood pressure, weakened heart muscle, and increases the risk of heart disease.
- Increases cancer riskA study revealed, the habit of consuming alcohol can increase the risk of developing various types of cancer. This is because alcohol is known to have carcinogenic properties that can damage cells in the body and trigger cancer. Several types of cancer that can appear, such as mouth and throat cancer, neck cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer.
Although alcohol is believed to have a positive impact on the body, this positive impact is not comparable to the dangers of alcohol that can be caused. In addition, irresponsible alcohol consumption behavior, for example while driving, can lead to life-threatening accidents.
Therefore, start to reduce alcohol consumption to prevent various health problems. If you still want to consume alcohol to get the benefits, you should first consult with your doctor.