Alcohol is a drug, positive or negative, that depends on the person consuming it. When consumed in modest quantities then it can be a blessing, but once you over-consume it, then it becomes the worst curse. Harvard School of Public Health has regarded alcohol, as both a poison and a tonic. Let’s discuss the Disadvantages of alcohol due to which you are advised to quit it and let us also find out why that is.

When does it become poison from tonic and in what ways this poison harms our body, acknowledging you with this important information is the aim of this post. While a glass of wine or cocktail is healthy for your heart, drinking more than one glass per day can also lead to cardiovascular disorders. Other disadvantages of over drinking alcohol include the development of cancerous cells in body, liver problems, and depression. However, its effects vary from person to person, therefore, it is important to know your capacity before you start drinking.

Given below are some disadvantages that can be caused by the consumption of alcohol.

Disadvantages of drinking alcohol

Causes Liver Problems

People who drink Alcohol as if they are drinking water they are the people who are at the risk of cirrhosis, jaundice, liver cancer and liver failure. This is one of the most dangerous disadvantages of alcohol. The liver is that organ in our body, which filters harmful substances out of our body, by filtering the blood. The liver is the organ that processes 90% of the alcohol that we consume. The rest 10% alcohol is removed from the body through urine, sweat, and breathing. The liver takes about one hour to process one alcoholic beverage, and as the number of glasses increases, so does the processing time. So, when someone drinks too much the unprocessed drink circulates in the blood, reaches to organs like heart and brain, causing intoxication. But the chronic alcohol abuse hurts the cells of the liver, destructing them and scarring them which leads to diseases like cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis. Further consumption leads to mutation in the cells of the liver, resulting in liver cancer.

A risk to Pregnant woman

Pregnant women are not allowed to consume alcohol as it can damage or be harmful to the fetus inside them. Their children are prone to have genetic defects and syndromes if you have consumed alcohol during pregnancy. This is a disadvantage of alcohol in pregnant women.

Your body becomes out of control

One of the most common disadvantages of alcohol drinking is that your body will not remain in your control. This result in many problems such as walking out of control, abusing, you may face lots of problems, and it’s very hard to even talk properly. This affects for about one or two hours, but occasionally overnight. Do you know some amazing benefits of beer?

Depression

Alcohol is good in changing your brain interaction risking of depression. A new British survey stated that people suffering from nervousness or depression were twice as possible to be the heavy problem for regular drinkers. Depressions result in several health problems and occasionally even push you to death.

Causes Psychosis

Psychosis is caused by extreme levels of drinking in a human being. Psychotic symptoms occur when heavy drinkers suddenly stop drinking. Psychosis is the mental state where hallucination begins and persecution develops. This state of mind is known as ‘delirium tremens’. So, it is recommended for heavy drinkers to avoid sudden quitting of alcohol.

Causes family problems

Heavy drinkers make a habit of drinking about 20 to 30 times a day which causes depression, headache and they started fighting with their family members and friends. Improve your Mental clarity, Focus and Memory, so that you dont make drinking your habit.

Causes Skin problems

The other one of the main disadvantages of alcohol is the dry skin problem. Alcohol causes capillaries of the face to dilate, which allows extra blood to enter the pores. You can look for some home remedies for dry skin problems. Alcohol makes skins looks gray, pale yellow and tired. The British Association of Dermatologists Nina Goad explains: “Alcohol dries your body commonly, plus the skin, which is the largest organ of your body part. This occurs each time you drink. Alcohol causes liver problems, which affects many parts and organs of the body, especially the skin. Wanna get party-ready in an hour? Here is how to get rid of a pimple in an hour?

Causes Anemia

Heavy alcohol drinkers can cause several oxygen-carrying red blood cells to be unusually low. This condition is known as anemia which can trigger a mass of signs, including shortness of breath, fatigue, and lightheadedness. The best natural way to cure anemia is by eating a pomegranate.

Find more benefits of pomegranate

Causes Cancer

There is the high risk of cancer by regular drinking of alcohol says Jurgen Rehm, Ph.D., chairman of the University of Toronto. Scientists consider the increase in risk when the body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde. Cancer risk increases even more in heavy alcohol drinkers who also use tobacco. You must know the benefits of white wine.

Causes Cardiovascular disease

The researchers of the University of Harvard found that blind drinking doubled the risk of death among the people who originally survived a heart attack. The disadvantages of alcohol are that it may cause rapid loss of awareness and, in the lack of immediate treatment sudden death can also occur.

Body Nutrients are reduced

Drinking alcohol results in the starvation of the whole body along with the skin. Essential nutrients are lost. An array of nutrients are depleted if alcohol consumption is too high. The health issues that accompany this nutrient loss are plenty. This is one of the major disadvantage of drinking alcohol.

Effects Digestive System

Addition of this point in the list of Disadvantages of alcohol might surprise you, but Alcohol’s effect on the digestive system is something which is not very noticeable, yet it is there. The harm caused to the digestive system becomes clearer after the damage has been done. The relation between consumption of alcohol and its side effects on the digestive system is very much direct (1). Here are the doctor’s prescribed best digestive enzymes.

Excessive consumption of alcohol harms the tissues of the digestive tract as a result of which the human intestines are unable to digest food and absorb nutrients. This results in malnutrition. Along with causing direct harm to your intestines, drinking also causes a number of side effects to human Digestive System which includes: a feeling of fullness, diarrhea, gassiness, bloating.

It is very likely for heavy drinkers to develop Cancer of mouth, throat, esophagus, colon, liver. Mix tobacco and alcohol together and you are inviting an untimely death.

The list of problems does not end here; it is very common for heavy drinkers to suffer from Ulcers and hemorrhoids. Both the diseases can cause heavy internal bleeding which ultimately leads to death.

Another major disadvantage of drinking alcohol is that it worsens the gastrointestinal disorders, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and Cohn’s disease, to name a few. Irritate bowel syndrome also gets affected by its excessive consumption.

Effects Skeletal and Muscular Systems

Disadvantages of drinking alcohol include poor Skeletal and Muscle System. Consumption of too much alcohol deteriorates your bones which increases the chances of fracturing them even from a small fall. Not just that, once that weak bone is fractured, it takes too long for that bone to heal itself. Other Skeletal and Muscle System problems that are common to heavy drinkers include weakness of Muscles which leads to cramping and ultimately Atrophy.

Read – Prednisone Side Effects

Effects Immune System

Human Body’s natural ability to fight against potential germs and viruses decreases as the consumption of alcohol increases. It is because drinking weakens the immune system of the body leaving the drinkers vulnerable to even the weakest germ. Over a long period of time, it can prove to be fairly harmful to the body. Yogurt also helps in boosting the immune system of the body. (2)

The Probability of developing pneumonia and tuberculosis is high for the people who consume alcohol on daily basis than the people who don’t. Studies show that over 10% tuberculosis cases in the world account to alcohol consumption. A Weak immune system can be another fatal point in the list of Disadvantages of alcohol

Effects Sexual and Reproductive Health

Sexual and Reproductive Health is another point in the list of Disadvantages of drinking alcohol. The major reason is that consumption of alcohol causes erectile dysfunction and reduces the production of sex hormone causing various problems.

In women, excessive drinking can make the menstrual cycle irregular leading to infertility. Drinking habits of pregnant women cause harm not only to themselves but to the fetus as well which includes miscarriage, stillbirth or premature delivery (3)

Dependency

This is one of the most serious Disadvantages of drinking alcohol. When people get addicted to alcohol then they can’t function physically or emotionally without Alcohol. This condition is called Alcohol withdrawal and can sometimes prove to be severe. This is where the role of a counselor comes. Counselors are trained professionals who help an individual to help with Alcohol and its withdrawal symptoms.

Interferes with blood sugar level

One of the many negative effects of drinking alcohol is that it interferes with sugar levels of the blood. Glycogen, which is stored in the liver, is converted into glucose by the liver and released into the bloodstream. But alcohol present in the alcohol interferes with this conversion. When this conversion is hindered then we experience urge to eat more food, resulting in weight gain.

High in Calories

Alcohol is loaded with calories and contains fewer to no nutrients, so if you want to lose weight, drinking alcohol will reverse all your efforts. Instead of losing calories, like you should when you want to lose weight, you gain calories. In addition, the liver converts alcohol present in alcohol into acetate. The body, then, is forced to convert acetate into energy and the fats are stored in other body parts like belly and hips. So, another side effect of drinking alcohol is it is high in calories and increases body fats.

Works as diuretic

A glass of alcohol on a day when it is scorching hot will bring you a great deal of relief. But you can feel increased urge to urinate because intake of alcohol because alcohol inhibits the functioning of anti-diuretic hormones, rendering body unable to retain bodily fluids. This activity makes people severely dehydrated. These effects become rigorous when you exercise. Because while exercising you are losing the fluids through urinating as well as by sweating. This forms another disadvantage of drinking alcohol.

Causes Gluten Insensitivity

If you are sensitive to gluten then alcohol should be a big no-no for you. Majority of alcohols contains malted barley in them and barley contains gluten, which is a type of protein. So, if you are allergic to gluten, then avoid drinking alcohol.

You May Develop Beer Belly

Another major disadvantage of drinking alcohol is that your slim waist no longer remains slim. Abdominal obesity caused due to excessive intake of alcohol is called a beer belly. And although its side effects are different in men and women, one thing that does not change is its calorie content. While its calorie content is very high, its nutritional value is very low, aiding to the development of that beer belly. Studies say that metabolic activity in men starts to decrease after the age of 35, so if men drink alcohol after 35, that alcohol is not metabolized and the belly becomes more prominent.

In women, the effect is a tad bit different. Fat gets stored in the hips and backside of women. However, wherever the fat is being accumulated, it is not healthy. It increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and imbalance in cholesterol levels.

Leads to intoxication and hangover

Another negative effect of drinking alcohol is that you will wake up the next day with an intense hangover. Drinking alcohol in any form will affect the motor skills and nerves, leading to accidents.

Interacts With Certain Medications

A side effect of drinking alcohol is that it interacts with a few medicines. Actions of medicines such as antibiotics, sedatives, and erythromycin are affected by drinking alcohol and lead to health problems like vomiting, nausea, and headaches.

Allergies

Along with gluten insensitivity, there are other kinds of allergies that are ignited by the excessive consumption of alcohol. Alcohol contains an allergen called histamine which is produced while the fermentation of beer. Histamine is known to cause many allergies such as hives, hoarseness, flushing, bloating. This is another disadvantage of drinking alcohol.

Worsens Asthma

Alcohol is also prone to cause Asthma because like any other alcoholic drink, alcohol is also preserved by sulfites. And sulfite is known to cause asthma and many other allergic symptoms. Some people can suffer from simple wheezing while many other people can be affected largely, even getting an asthmatic attack. This forms another disadvantage of drinking alcohol.

Attracts Mosquitoes

Heavy drinkers attract mosquitoes; mosquitoes love the taste of alcohol in your blood. When you consume enough amount of alcohol then you are exposing yourself to mosquitoes and many diseases that they carry with themselves. Malaria, dengue, and Zika virus are the names of the few diseases that you have become vulnerable to because of excessive drinking. The major reason for peeked interests of mosquitoes in you is drinking leads to sweating and sweating increases your body temperature, making your body a perfect breeding ground for them. This forms one of the many side effects of drinking alcohol.

Not safe for breastfeeding mothers

If you are breastfeeding your infant then avoiding alcohol is the best course of action for you. Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant harms the baby and damages the chances of its survival. Mothers who are breastfeeding their infants should avoid alcohol too, as it can mix with the milk and harm the baby. This is another reason why you should not drink alcohol.

Signs of Alcohol withdrawal

High blood pressure
Nervousness
Anxiety
Heavy sweating
Irregular heartbeat
Tremors
Hallucinations
Seizures
Delirium

More diseases that can be caused by alcohol to the body are:

Poor or Memory Loss
Aggression
Impulsive, risky behavior
Difficulty planning and reasoning through problems
Poor attention span
Mood swings
Impaired verbal skills

Read More-

Consumption of Alcohol leads to these Disadvantages