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ALCOHOL
AND HEALTH |
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Alcohol
affects many parts of your body and we hope this page
gives you some information on some of the acute effects. |
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Central Nervous
System - Alcohol acts as a depressant on the CNS
;and our inhibitory restraints are released. Whilst one
or two drinks may make you feel relaxed, a few more and
we may do things and behave in ways we wouldn't
normally dream off when sober.
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Liver - The
liver processes the alcohol. It takes 1 hour to process
1 unit of
alcohol - it can't be speeded up. Drink more than the
liver can cope with and you puke. (Puke whilst
unconscious and you could die by choking on your own
vomit.) The liver also produces the sugar (Glucose) to
feed your brain cells. If it's too busy metabolising
alcohol and you haven't been eating properly for a day
or two, hypoglycemia may result. Fat gets deposited in
the liver causing abdominal discomfort and nausea.
Alcoholic Hepatitis and Cirrhosis may occur in heavy
chronic drinkers
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Kidneys -
Not only the amount you have drunk makes you go to the
loo but alcohol depresses kidney function. After a heavy
drinking spell it's not unknown to have discomfort in
the kidney area and to have urinary problems.
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Circulatory
System - Moderate use of alcohol causes the blood
vessels on the surface of the skin to expand leading to
a flush of warmth. However, the heat is lost from the
body through the skin. Unconsciousness outside in the
cold could lead to hypothermia.
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Weight Gain
- Alcohol, when broken down by the liver produces fat
and sugar = weight gain. 3 pints a day for 4 weeks adds
4 pound on in weight or 2-3 shots of sprit every day
will have the same effect.
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Hangover -
Alas there is no cure. Headache, nausea, tiredness,
irritability....Despite the myth that mixing drinks or
red wine causes hangovers, it's just that - a myth.
'Congeners' are added to alcoholic drinks to make them
taste like they do and it is believed that it is these
(in quantity) that add to the hangover itself.
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