What is really going on in your body when you drink alcohol? Here is the answer in a few points.
France is one of the biggest consumers ofalcohol in the world, ranked in 6e position of the 34 countries ofOECD. In 2017, nearly a quarter of the population between the ages of 18 and 75 exceeded the consumption benchmarks, while there are no less than 41,000 alcohol-related deaths per year. It is therefore important to better understand what happens in your body when you drink alcohol, because to better understand a situation, it’s better to control it.
From stomach to blood
Once the alcohol is swallowed, it goes down into thestomach, where about 20% of the ethanol (more or less, depending on what you’ve eaten before) is absorbed. Then it passes into the small intestine, where the blood capillaries allow the remaining 80% to pass directly into the blood. It is then metabolized by the liver, where the enzymes are responsible for breaking it down into ethanal, a substance more toxic than ethanol and even carcinogenic.
Because your body can only handle a limited amount of alcohol at one time, ethanal builds up in the blood and tissue, and can be responsible for migraines, nausea, vomiting, or even tremors. The kidneys also take part in the task by removing more water than usual, in order to expel some of the toxins. The dehydration resulting from this phenomenon is the cause of the muscle cramps and headaches typically associated with the mouth of drink.
Alcohol in the brain
Some of the alcohol (again, more or less depending on the quantities ingested) can finally reach the brain within five minutes and start to interfere with the signals it produces after ten. The symptoms usual then go from one euphoria noticeable to complete disorientation which may be dangerous for the person who has been drinking. At a sufficiently high level, the risks of coma then death increases rapidly.
On the long term, alcohol abuse can lead to health problems physical (cirrhosis, hypertension, cardiovascular or digestive disorders) or cognitive and mental (insulation, memory loss, depression, anxiety, psychosis). So always drink in moderation and remember to eat before and during your evening.
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