Alcohol Addiction – What are the causes and effects of alcoholism?

Alcohol addiction is simply defined as a compulsive need for an intoxicating liquid that is obtained from fermented grain or fruit. These liquids include beer, wine, and other hard liquors. 

Alcoholism is present when a person craves alcohol and cannot limit or contain his or her drinking. If someone experiences withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, or anxiety when alcohol consumption has ceased, or if there is a need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to feel a high, that person is most likely alcoholic. 

Some may think that it’s just a matter of having the will to stop drinking, but alcoholism is more complicated than that. An alcoholic’s craving for alcohol is so great that it suppresses their ability to stop drinking. The majority of alcoholics need assistance to stop drinking. With treatment and support from family and friends, many have been able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives. It is a sad fact however that there are still some who are unable to stop in spite of these aids. 

Alcohol Addiction – What are the causes and effects of alcoholism? 

Alcoholism can lead people into serious trouble, and can be physically and mentally destructive. Currently alcohol use is involved in half of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides. There are also many health problems associated with alcohol use such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, and diseases of the liver. Alcoholics who do not stop drinking reduce life expectancy by 10 to 15 years. 

Too much alcohol can destroy brain cells, possibly leading to brain damage. 

Alcohol greatly disturbs the structure and function of the central nervous system, hindering the ability to retrieve, consolidate, and process information. 

Moderate consumption of alcohol can affect cognitive abilities while large amounts interfere with the oxygen supply of the brain causing a blackout when totally drunk. 

Alcohol addiction may also inflame the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, and could cause cancer in these areas, especially in drinkers who also smoke. 

Splurge drinking may produce irregular heartbeats, and abusers experience a higher risk of high-blood pressure, heart attacks, and other heart damage. 

Alcohol also can harm vision, damage sexual function, slow circulation, be the grounds for malnutrition, and water retention. 

It can also lead to skin and pancreatic disorders, weaken the bones and muscles, thus, decreasing immunity 

A large portion of alcohol taken in is broken down in the liver. It is important to note that the liver has a fixed rate of breaking down the alcohol, so as the liver is overused, disorders and malfunctions can result, making the liver the primary location of alcohol’s damage. Liver damage can occur in three stages. The first stage is liver enlargement whereby liver cells are penetrated with abnormal fatty tissue. The second stage is the alcoholic hepatitis whereby liver cells swell, inflame, and eventually die. The third stage is cirrhosis in which fibrous scar tissues are formed, hindering the flow of blood through the liver. 

Alcohol Addiction – What to do with alcoholism? 

Have a desire to stop the alcohol addiction. You must have a serious desire to stop from being an alcoholic. 

Have the initiative to identify the cause of your being alcoholic. Knowing the cause of one problem is an important part to its solution. If being alcoholic is due to some traumatic experiences, you must let go and be delivered from it. Forgiveness is a good thing to do. Seek counseling to aid in healing. 

Make the decision to get help. Recognizing the need for help is one important thing to do. There are a lot of alcohol rehabilitation centers that could give you assistance for your treatment. You can also get different kinds of help from your family, friends, and above all from God. 

Keep reading to find two inspiring success stories of recovery from alcohol addiction. 

 Read Alcohol Addiction Page 2 Now!  
Scientists say that someone who has alcoholic addiction in his/her family is more likely to develop alcoholism if they choose to drink. Alcoholism can also develop or worsen based on a person’s environment and traumatic experiences in life. These factors may include culture, family, friends, peer pressures, and the way the person lives. 

Alcohol Addiction – What is alcoholism?

Alcohol addiction is simply defined as a compulsive need for an intoxicating liquid that is obtained from fermented grain or fruit. These liquids include beer, wine, and other hard liquors.

  

Alcoholism is present when a person craves alcohol and cannot limit or contain his or her drinking. If someone experiences withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, or anxiety when alcohol consumption has ceased, or if there is a need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to feel a high, that person is most likely alcoholic. 

Some may think that it’s just a matter of having the will to stop drinking, but alcoholism is more complicated than that. An alcoholic’s craving for alcohol is so great that it suppresses their ability to stop drinking. The majority of alcoholics need assistance to stop drinking. With treatment and support from family and friends, many have been able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives. It is a sad fact however that there are still some who are unable to stop in spite of these aids.  

Alcohol Addiction – What are the causes and effects of alcoholism?
Scientists say that someone who has alcoholic addiction in his/her family is more likely to develop alcoholism if they choose to drink. Alcoholism can also develop or worsen based on a person’s environment and traumatic experiences in life. These factors may include culture, family, friends, peer pressures, and the way the person lives. 

Alcoholism can lead people into serious trouble, and can be physically and mentally destructive. Currently alcohol use is involved in half of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides. There are also many health problems associated with alcohol use such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, and diseases of the liver. Alcoholics who do not stop drinking reduce life expectancy by 10 to 15 years.  

• Too much alcohol can destroy brain cells, possibly leading to brain damage.
• Alcohol greatly disturbs the structure and function of the central nervous system, hindering the ability to retrieve, consolidate, and process information.
• Moderate consumption of alcohol can affect cognitive abilities while large amounts interfere with the oxygen supply of the brain causing a blackout when totally drunk.
• Alcohol addiction may also inflame the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, and could cause cancer in these areas, especially in drinkers who also smoke.
• Splurge drinking may produce irregular heartbeats, and abusers experience a higher risk of high-blood pressure, heart attacks, and other heart damage.
• Alcohol also can harm vision, damage sexual function, slow circulation, be the grounds for malnutrition, and water retention.
• It can also lead to skin and pancreatic disorders, weaken the bones and muscles, thus, decreasing immunity

A large portion of alcohol taken in is broken down in the liver. It is important to note that the liver has a fixed rate of breaking down the alcohol, so as the liver is overused, disorders and malfunctions can result, making the liver the primary location of alcohol’s damage. Liver damage can occur in three stages. The first stage is liver enlargement whereby liver cells are penetrated with abnormal fatty tissue. The second stage is the alcoholic hepatitis whereby liver cells swell, inflame, and eventually die. The third stage is cirrhosis in which fibrous scar tissues are formed, hindering the flow of blood through the liver.   

Alcohol Addiction – What to do with alcoholism?  

• Have a desire to stop the alcohol addiction. You must have a serious desire to stop from being an alcoholic.
• Have the initiative to identify the cause of your being alcoholic. Knowing the cause of one problem is an important part to its solution. If being alcoholic is due to some traumatic experiences, you must let go and be delivered from it. Forgiveness is a good thing to do. Seek counseling to aid in healing.
• Make the decision to get help. Recognizing the need for help is one important thing to do. There are a lot of alcohol rehabilitation centers that could give you assistance for your treatment. You can also get different kinds of help from your family, friends, and above all from God.

Keep reading to find two inspiring success stories of recovery from alcohol addiction.   

Read Alcohol Addiction Page 2 Now!  

Alcohol-related mortality

The level of alcohol-related mortality has been estimated for several populations, but few studies have reported plausible results on the connection between alcohol-related mortality and age and sex. The Finnish death register includes information on both the underlying and contributory causes of death and it yields an individual-level estimate of the contribution of alcohol in mortality. The data for 1987–1993 are used to examine alcohol-related mortality by cause of death, age and sex and to estimate the impact of excessive alcohol use on life expectancy by sex. According to the results, 6% of all deaths were alcohol related. These deaths were responsible for a 2 year loss in life expectancy at age 15 years among men and 0.4 years among women, which explains at least one-fifth of the difference in life expectancies between the sexes. In the age group of 15–49 years, over 40% of all deaths among men and 15% among women were alcohol related. In this age group, over 50% of the mortality difference between the sexes results from alcohol-related deaths. The use of data on contributory causes of death, the organization of the Finnish death certification system and the relatively high proportion of alcohol-related deaths suggest that these data do not underestimate alcohol-related deaths to such an extent as has been the case in earlier studies using data from death certificates. This study shows that alcohol consumption is an important public health issue in Finland and a significant determinant of male premature mortality.

To Drink or Not to Drink?

Moderate use of alcohol can be an enjoyable, safe experience if used with caution. If you do choose to drink, sip each drink slowly, and always consume alcohol with food.  Spaces drinks out to no more than one drink per hour, and consume plenty of water in between drinks.  Never drink while pregnant and never drive when intoxicated.

• Do you have a problem with Alcohol?
• Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
• Have you ever had a drink the first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?

If you answered ?yes? to one question, you may have a problem with alcohol.  More than one ?yes? answer makes it highly likely that a problem exists.  If you feel you have a problem with alcohol, please see your health professional right away.  Effective treatment is available.

For more information:

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence ? Information on alcoholism and traditional treatment methods

Health Effects of Alcohol Consumption

Health Effects of Alcohol Consumption

Arthritis	Increases risk of gouty arthritis
Cancer	Increases the risk of cancer in the liver, pancreas, rectum, breast, mouth, pharynx, larynx and esophagus
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome	Causes physical and behavioral abnormalities in the fetus
Heart Disease	Raises blood pressure, blood lipids and the risk of stroke and heart disease in heavy drinkers.  Heart disease is generally lower in light to moderate drinkers.
Hyperglycermia	Raises blood glucose
Hypoglycemia	Lowers blood glucose, especially for people with diabetes
Kidney Disease	Enlarges the kidneys, alters hormone functions, and increases the risk of kidney failure
Liver Disease	Causes fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis
Malnutrition	Increases the risk of protein-energy malnutrition,; low intakes of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6 and riboflavin, and impaired absorption of calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and zinc.
Nervous Disorders	Causes neuropathy and dementia; impairs balance and memory
Obesity	Increases energy intake, but not a primary cause of obesity
Psychological disturbances	Causes depression, anxiety and insomnia

Alcohol…..Fatty Liver & Liver Disease

How the Liver Breaks Down Alcohol

The alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme breaks down alcohol by removing hydrogen in two steps:

1.      Alcohol dehydrogenase oxidizes alcohol to acetaldehyde

2.      Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase oxidizes the acetaldehyde to acetyl CoA. These reactions produce hydrogen ions (acid). The B vitamin niacin (in its role as the coenzyme NAD) picks up these hydrogen ions (becoming NADH).  Thus when alcohol is metabolized, NAD diminishes and NADH increases.

• During alcohol metabolism, NAD becomes unavailable for the many other vital body processes for which it is needed, including glycolysis, the TCA cycle and the electron transport chain.   Without NAD, the energy pathway is blocked, and alternative routes are taken, with serious physical consequences:
• The accumulation of hydrogen atoms shifts the body?s balance toward acid.
• The accumulation of NADH slows the TCA cycle, resulting in a build up of pyruvate and acetyl CoA.  Excess acetyl CoA results in fatty acid synthesis and fat begins to clog the liver.   (An accumulation of fat in the liver can be observed after only a single night of heavy drinking).

Fatty Liver and Liver Disease

With moderate drinking, the liver can process alcohol fairly safely.  However, heavy drinking overtaxes the liver resulting in serious consequences.  A liver clogged with fat causes liver cells to become less efficient at performing their necessary tasks, resulting in impairment of a person?s nutritional health.  Fatty liver is the first stage of liver deterioration in heavy drinkers, and interferes with the distribution of oxygen and nutrients to the liver?s cells.  If the condition persists long enough, the liver cells will die, forming fibrous scar tissue (the second stage of liver deterioration, or fibrosis).  Some liver cells can regenerate with good nutrition and abstinence, however in the last stage of deterioration, or cirrhosis, the damage to the liver cells is the least reversible.

Alcohol and Malnutrition

For moderate drinkers, alcohol does not suppress food intake, and may actually increase appetite.  Chronic alcohol consumption appears to have the opposite effect.  Alcohol causes euphoria, which depresses appetite, so that heavy drinkers tend to eat poorly and become malnourished.

Alcohol is very rich in energy, packing 7 calories per gram.  But like pure sugar or fat, the calories are void of nutrients.  The more calories an individual consumes in alcohol, the less likely it is that they will eat enough food to obtain adequate nutrients.  To make matters worse, chronic alcohol abuse not only displaces calories from needed nutrients, but also interferes with the body?s metabolism of nutrients, leading to damage of the liver, digestive system, and nearly every bodily organ

How Alcohol Travels Through the Body

Alcohol, or ethyl alcohol (ethanol), refers to the intoxicating ingredient found in wine, beer and hard liquor.  Alcohol arises naturally from carbohydrates when certain micro-organisms metabolize them in the absence of oxygen, called fermentation. 

Beer, wine and other liquor contain different amounts of alcohol.  The amount of alcohol in distilled liquor is known as ?proof?.  Proof refers to the amount of alcohol in the liquor; for example, 100 proof liquor contains 50% alcohol, 40 proof liquor contains 20% alcohol, and so on.  Traditional wine has approximately 8-14% alcohol, while regular beer has 4-6% alcohol.

Recent studies show that moderate use of alcohol may have a beneficial effect on the coronary system.  In general, for healthy people, one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men would be considered the maximum amount of alcohol consumption to be considered moderate use.  (By ?healthy? people, we are referring to non-pregnant women, individuals not addicted to alcohol, and people without pre-existing medical conditions, among others).  However, the amount of alcohol that a person can drink safely is highly individual, depending on genetics, age, sex, weight and family history, etc.  A ?drink? is considered to be:

• 4-5 ounces of wine
• 10 ounces of wine cooler
• 12 ounces of beer
• 1-1/4 ounces of distilled liquor (80 proof whiskey, vodka, scotch, or rum)

How Alcohol Travels Through the Body

Alcohol is metabolized extremely quickly by the body.  Unlike foods, which require time for digestion, alcohol needs no digestion and is quickly absorbed.   Alcohol gets ?VIP? treatment in the body ? absorbing and metabolizing before most other nutrients.  About 20 percent is absorbed directly across the walls of an empty stomach and can reach the brain within one minute.

Once alcohol reaches the stomach, it begins to break down with the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme.  This process reduces the amount of alcohol entering the blood by approximately 20%.  (Women produce less of this enzyme, which may help to partially explain why women become more intoxicated on less alcohol than men.). In addition, about 10% of the alcohol is expelled in the breath and urine.

Alcohol is rapidly absorbed in the upper portion of the small intestine. The alcohol-laden blood then travels to the liver via the veins and capillaries of the digestive tract, which affects nearly every liver cell.  The liver cells are the only cells in our body that can produce enough of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase to oxidize alcohol at an appreciable rate. 

Though alcohol affects every organ of the body, it?s most dramatic impact is upon the liver.  The liver cells normally prefer fatty acids as fuel, and package excess fatty acids as triglycerides, which they then route to other tissues of the body.  However, when alcohol is present, the liver cells are forced to first metabolize the alcohol, letting the fatty acids accumulate, sometimes in huge amounts.  Alcohol metabolism permanently changes liver cell structure, which impairs the liver?s ability to metabolize fats.  This explains why heavy drinkers tend to develop fatty livers.

The liver is able to metabolize about ½ ounce of ethanol per hour (approximately one drink, depending on a person?s body size, food intake, etc.).  If more alcohol arrives in the liver than the enzymes can handle, the excess alcohol travels to all parts of the body, circulating until the liver enzymes are finally able to process it. (Which is another good reason not to consume more than one drink per hour.).