Alcohol is a drug. It is often believed that it is a
stimulant, but alcohol is in reality a neurodepresseur which slows down the
brain functions.
The effects of alcohol on health depend on many
factors:
* The weight
* The sex and age
* Global health, and the power supply
* The habits of alcohol consumption
* The amount that we drink
In general, the less it weighs heavy, more than one
feels the effects of alcohol. These effects are therefore more pronounced among
women, the elderly and adolescents, who are usually smaller and have less of
liver enzymes which dissolve the alcohol.
In small quantity (for example, a drink with dinner or
to celebrate a special occasion), alcohol may be good for cardiovascular
health. In large quantity however, alcohol deprives the body of nutrients, and
if it is abused over a long period, it can damage the organs and lead to
serious health problems.
It has not been able to determine what would be the
safe limit of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Specialists recommend to
pregnant women or nursing mothers not to drink alcohol at all, to protect the
baby against the potentially dangerous effects, the main one being the whole of
with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a phrase used to designate various
adverse effects of alcohol during pregnancy.
Short-term effects
After a drink or two, most of the people have a sense
of well-being accompanied by sensations of drowsiness, dizziness and a certain
loss of coordination.
If we exceed this dose, alcohol has effects on the
elocution, the balance and the vision. The occasional excesses of alcohol (the
fact of drinking too much alcohol in a short period of time) can cause errors
of judgment, impulsive behavior patterns and an alcohol intoxication. The latter
can cause permanent brain damage or even death.
When you have drunk too much, it was often a
"hangover" from 8 to 12 hours after the last consumption. The usual
symptoms of a hangover are headache, tremors and nausea. Caused in part by the
dehydration and by the accumulation of chemical toxins, these symptoms
disappear when the systems of the body back to normal.
It is dangerous to drink alcohol when taking other
drugs, because even a small amount of alcohol can change the effects of the
drug. The mixtures of alcohol and drugs, including the drugs in free sale, are
responsible for a good number of cases of overdose treated in emergency rooms
in Canada.
Long-term effects
The excess of alcohol in the long term can cause
permanent damage to the body and lead to:
* Brain damage
* Several types of cancers
* Diseases of liver
* Of the stomach ulcers
* Sexual problems
Most people are able to drink alcohol in a safe and
responsible manner. Other font however the occasional excesses of alcohol or to
become physically dependent. When we suddenly stop drinking alcohol after a
long period of excesses, is to feel usually symptoms of withdrawal:
* Insomnia
* Nervousness
* Sweating
* Earthquakes
* Hallucinations
* Convulsions