Alcohol's Effects on the Liver, Heart, Brain, and Mental Health

Introduction

Alcohol is a legal substance, but legality does not preclude harmful effects on the body. Some alcoholic beverages have proven to be beneficial in small quantities; however, overconsumption of alcohol can have serious and harmful effects. It is widely known that drinking and driving is illegal because too much alcohol impairs a person's judgment as well as physical coordination. These effects are usually temporary — once the alcohol wears off, the person returns to normal. The long-term use of alcohol, however, can have serious health consequences, including liver disease, heart disease, stroke, and depression.

Alcohol and the Liver

The liver is a vital organ in the human body. Unlike the kidney or heart, the liver cannot currently be transplanted, and the body cannot survive without it. The liver is responsible for many critical functions: it converts glucose to glycogen, breaks down fats, and filters harmful substances from the blood, among a host of other roles. Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the leading threats to healthy liver function.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of liver disease. Common symptoms include jaundice, fever, and malaise; however, accurate diagnosis generally requires a liver biopsy. Liver disease progresses through several stages. Steatohepatitis is an early stage that is usually reversible once the patient stops consuming alcohol. Cirrhosis, a later and more serious stage, occurs when the liver has deteriorated severely and can no longer function properly. At this stage, the condition is generally not reversible (Diehl 9).

According to Szabo, up to 50% of end-stage liver disease is attributable to overconsumption of alcohol. He notes that the disease progresses more easily in women, who require a smaller amount of alcohol than men to reach advanced stages of liver disease (S49). The question of what constitutes moderate alcohol consumption has long been debated. Because women can develop liver disease faster than men even when consuming the same amount, it is difficult to establish a universal safe threshold. Every person is different, and to err on the side of caution, a maximum of two to three drinks per week might be considered a moderate and relatively safe amount. Even then, two to three drinks per week for a woman weighing 100 pounds or less may cause more liver damage than the same amount would cause a man weighing over 200 pounds. For this reason, individuals bear a responsibility to make informed choices about alcohol consumption.

Alcohol and Heart Disease

Depending on the amount consumed, alcohol can be either beneficial or detrimental to the heart. Studies have shown that drinking in moderation can have a positive effect on cardiovascular health and may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Overconsumption, however, has been shown to contribute to cardiovascular disease (Britton et al. 932). Rimm and Moats note that the definition of moderate alcohol consumption covers a broad range, but the general standard is no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men (S3). Moderate drinking is associated with raising HDL (good) cholesterol and reducing plaque accumulation in the arteries. Excessive drinking, by contrast, can be toxic — heavy drinking over time can weaken the heart, cause hypertension, and lead to congestive heart failure.

For these serious consequences to occur, drinking must reach a level most agree is excessive: three or more drinks every day over a considerable number of years can cause serious, irreversible heart problems. Binge drinking — consuming excessive amounts on one or a few days a week over a prolonged period — can similarly weaken the heart. As heart disease progresses, it can greatly diminish a patient's quality of life, increasing the risk of heart attacks and making it difficult to perform ordinary daily activities.

Heart disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption is preventable. Those at risk might consider switching from heavy liquor to one glass of red wine per day. Red wine is rich in antioxidants, which help neutralize excess free radicals that can weaken cells and increase susceptibility to heart disease and cancer. Certain fruits are also high in antioxidants. For those who feel the need to drink an alcoholic beverage or two per day, red wine is the best choice, as studies have shown it can actually benefit the heart rather than damage it.

Conclusion

Drinking alcohol is not a problem for many people. Having a glass or two at a social event or a beer while watching a game is normal for most and does not pose significant health concerns. In fact, given recent positive findings on the benefits of moderate red wine consumption, many people have incorporated it into their diets. Alcohol is not illegal and can be sold to adults over the age of twenty-one. However, because even small quantities can affect the body, warnings about responsible drinking are found nearly everywhere. The well-known dangers of drinking and driving are a reminder that even a drink or two can impair judgment — it is always better to be safe than sorry.

While most people can manage their alcohol consumption, some fall into patterns where moderation is not easily maintained. Alcoholism is a disease that many believe has a genetic component: if a person's parents or grandparents were addicted to alcohol, the individual's own risk of addiction is considerably elevated. There is also social pressure to drink. Alcohol is present at sporting events and social gatherings, and those who choose not to drink are often pressured by peers. Those predisposed to alcoholism can find themselves set up for failure by these social dynamics.

Many people are unaware of the dangers of excessive drinking, or believe that serious harm cannot happen to them. Drinking in moderation has been shown to be relatively safe, but excessive drinking can be deadly. The physical damage that overconsumption of alcohol can cause is alarming. Liver damage resulting from chronic alcohol abuse can be irreversible. Because the liver cannot be transplanted and is essential to so many bodily functions, irreversible liver damage amounts to a devastating, life-limiting outcome.

The heart is another vital organ that excessive drinking can destroy. Once weakened, the heart struggles to function properly, leading to fluid retention, hypertension, and numerous other conditions that diminish quality of life. When the heart can no longer function as intended, the affected person may become largely confined to the home and reliant on around-the-clock care. These outcomes are especially tragic because excessive drinking is a controllable behavior.

Stroke is another condition that can rob a person of quality of life. While no method guarantees that a stroke will never occur, preventative measures can meaningfully lower the risk. Eliminating excessive alcohol consumption is one such measure. Alcohol reduces blood flow to the brain and thereby decreases oxygen delivery — a significant contributing factor to stroke. Reducing or eliminating heavy drinking gives a person a better chance of avoiding stroke and maintaining their independence.

It may be tempting to argue that alcohol should simply be made illegal to prevent these health problems. However, prohibition has historically shown that eliminating one substance simply leads people to seek out alternatives that may be equally or more dangerous. The more practical approach is to provide the public with comprehensive information on the dangers of overconsumption, empowering people to make informed decisions for themselves.

Works Cited

Britton, Kathryn A., Gaziano, John Michael, Sesso, Howard D., and Djusse, Luc. "Relation of Alcohol Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease in Hypertensive Male Physicians (from the Physician's Health Study)." The American Journal of Cardiology 5.36 (2009): 932–935.

Caicoya, Martin, Rodriguez, Teresa, Corrales, Carmen, Cuello, R., and Lasheras, Cristina. "Alcohol and Stroke: A Community Case Control Study in Asturias, Spain." Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 52.7 (1999): 677–684.

Diehl, Anna Mae. "Liver Disease in Alcohol Abusers: Clinical Perspective." Alcohol 27 (2002): 7–11.

Rimm, Eric B., and Moats, Caroline. "Alcohol and Coronary Heart Disease: Drinking Patterns and Mediators of Effect." Annals of Epidemiology 17.5S (2007): S3–S7.

Szabo, Gyongyi. "Moderate Drinking, Inflammation and Liver Disease." Annals of Epidemiology Journal 17.5S (2007): S49–S54.