Alcohol and Non Communicable Diseases
FACTS ON ALCOHOLISM AND DIABETES
Health and Diseases answers to lifestyle. One of the prevalent causes of NCDs is the wrong lifestyle which are sometimes linked to substance abuse especially socially acceptable drugs like alcohol – in the form of beers, gins, and spirits.
Excess intake of alcohol (alcoholism) is a risk factor for the occurrence of Diabetes because the presence of alcohol and its metabolism negatively influence sugar metabolism, increase insulin resistance and chokes pancreas flexibility which are all causes of Diabetes. Diabetes today is one of the leading cause of Global death – a person dies every 8 seconds, and about 2millions cases are diagnosed per annum.
Another case study is that of acidosis from alcohol to Diabetes but I will elucidate more. Alcoholism can worsen Diabetic conditions and one of the main lifestyle changes Diabetics must make is to curb their cravings for alcohol – it’s a killer!
FACTS ON ALCOHOLISM AND LIVER DISEASE
Socially acceptable drugs like alcohol increases the chances of a person to become Diabetic. The principal site of action for sugar metabolism is the Liver – this super organ is made up of millions of integrated cells that runs about 500 Complex reaction at the same time – mostly under neutral to alkaline conditions.
Alcohol is a stressor on the liver function as its oxidation leads to production of acetaldehyde which is toxic and as well increase the acidity of the body system thereby slowing down the Liver functions. It’s also worthy of note that liver cells, and pancreas cells are destroyed by these toxic metabolites of alcohol metabolism which can lead to lack or insufficient insulin production.
Through acidosis, Alcoholism alters sugar metabolism and hence increase the availability of sugars in the blood. Conclusively, chronic Acidosis can lead to inflammation of the liver and liver cancer – one of the most Incurable and deadly cancer. Diabetics should painstakingly stay away from Alcohol, and everyone who desire to live healthy too.
ALCOHOLISM AND DIABETIC PATIENTS
As a diabetic patient, taking alcohol may cause your blood sugar to either rise or fall. Excess alcohol can actually decrease your blood sugar level, sometimes causing it to drop into dangerous levels, especially for people with type 1 diabetes.
Another effect of Alcohol on debates is the fact that it stimulates appetite, which can cause one to overeat and consequently affect the blood sugar control. In most cases alcohol causes people to make poor food choices.
Alcohol may increase blood pressure and can cause flushing, nausea, increased heart rate, and slurred speech.
Alcohol can also interfere with the positive effects of oral diabetes medicines or insulin. It may also increase blood pressure, cause flushing, nausea, increased heart rate, and slurred speech.
ALCOHOLISM AND CANCER
Cancers are mainly caused by the elevation of free radicals in the body system. These free radicals are generated during physiological reactions in the body system and the human body uses chemicals called antioxidants to eradicate them from the body.
Alcohols have a negative effect on the body system through increasing the rate of free radicals in the body. The more a man drinks, the higher the risk of having cancer.
Some of the cancers caused by alcoholism include:
-Mouth and throat.
-Voice box (larynx).
-Esophagus.
-Colon and rectum.
-Liver.
-Breast (in women).
It is advisable not to drink alcohol or reduce intake to the barest minimum. The fight against cancer starts from standing against the factors that increase the risk of having it.
HEALTH ISSUES CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE DRINKING
Alcohol is a depressant; it is classed as a “sedative-hypnotic drug” because it depresses the central nervous system. Every organ in the body can be affected by alcohol. Once consumed, it is rapidly absorbed by the stomach and small intestine and enters the bloodstream (Medical News Today).
According to the American Heart Association , research revealed that drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood known as triglycerides. A high triglyceride level combined with high LDL (bad) cholesterol or low HDL (good) cholesterol has been associated with fatty buildup in the artery walls. That, in turn, can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Excessive drinking can also lead to high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia and even death from alcohol poisoning. And it can interfere with the brain’s communication pathways, affecting the way the brain works.
HIGH ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AND HEALTH RISKS
Binge drinking — having five or more drinks in two hours for men or four or more drinks for women — may put you at higher risk for atrial fibrillation, an irregular or quivering heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure. Heavy drinking may also prematurely age arteries over time, particularly in men, when compared to moderate drinkers.
Alcohol consumption can interfere with blood sugar as well as the hormones needed to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Frequent heavy drinkers can wipe out their energy storage in a few hours.
Over time, excessive alcohol consumption can reduce the overall effectiveness of insulin. This results in high blood sugar levels. Also, Alcohol consumption can lead to dangerously low blood sugar. This is because the liver has to work to remove the alcohol from the blood instead of managing blood sugar levels.
HOW ALCOHOLISM LEADS TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE
The heart and blood vessels form part of the cardiovascular system. Blood is pumped around the body by the heart, via these blood vessels through arteries, capillaries and veins. The blood delivers nutrients and other materials to all parts of the body, including alcohol, which is absorbed directly into the blood stream mainly via the stomach and small intestine.
Data from numerous epidemiologic studies over the last two decades have revealed complex associations between alcohol use and cardiovascular (CV) conditions such as hypertension (HTN), coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and cardiomyopathy. In particular, these associations are strongly modulated by the dose and pattern of alcohol consumption. Low-to-moderate daily alcohol consumption (i.e., <15 to 20 g/day, 1 to 2 standard drinks) is associated with a reduced risk of CV disease and mortality, whereas greater amounts of alcohol consumption and a binge pattern of drinking have been linked to an increased risk.