4 Types of Alcohol That Are Most Harmful to Your Live

Alcohol consumption is a common part of many cultures and social settings worldwide. However, not all alcohols are created equal when it comes to their impact on your liver, the body’s primary detoxification organ.…..CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLES HERE

The harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions.

Worldwide, 3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol. This represents 5.3% of all deaths.Overall, 5.1% of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).

Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alcohol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large.

Alcohol’s affect extends beyond illness. People who consume alcohol at twice the binge drinking threshold ― that’s five or more drinks for men and four or more for women in about two hours ― are 70 times more likely to have an alcohol-related emergency department visit

How Alcohol Affects The Liver

The liver breaks down and filters out harmful substances in the blood and manufactures the proteins, enzymes, and hormones the body uses to ward off infections. It also converts vitamins, nutrients, and medicines into substances that our bodies can use. The liver is also responsible for cleaning our blood, producing bile for digestion, and storing glycogen for energy.

The liver processes over 90% of consumed alcohol. The rest exits the body via urine, sweat, and breathing.

It takes the body approximately an hour to process 1 alcoholic beverage. This time frame increases with each drink. The higher someone’s blood alcohol content, the longer it takes to process alcohol

Alcohol and the process of damage to the liver Although, up to now, there have not been any accurate studies on the harmful extent of alcohol to the liver when drinking a lot of alcohol. However, the following hypotheses have been proposed to explain this problem:

Activation of inflammatory responses Inflammation itself is a local response of the body, in response to tissue damage. or foreign, harmful agents, in order to protect the body against the attack of disease-causing microorganisms.

Drinking a lot of alcohol can cause hepatitis b, in fact hepatitis is a typical condition caused by alcohol.

1. Ethanol in High-Volume or High-Concentration Drinks

Drinking a large amount of alcohol, even for just a few days, can lead to a build-up of fats in the liver. This is called alcoholic fatty liver disease, and is the first stage of ARLD. Fatty liver disease rarely causes any symptoms, but it’s an important warning sign that you’re drinking at a harmful level.

2. Methanol-Contaminated Spirits

Methanol is metabolized to formaldehyde in the liver by alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme. This reaction is slower than the transformation of formaldehyde to formic acid which causes metabolic acidosis

3. Flavored Alcohols with High Sugar Content

Flavored alcohols, including certain liqueurs and pre-mixed cocktails, often contain high levels of added sugar alongside ethanol.

In a population-based cohort, consumption of each extra daily alcoholic beverage was associated with more liver fat. In isocaloric replacement of alcoholic beverages, milk was associated with less liver fat, whereas sugar-sweetened beverages were equally associated with liver fat. This suggests that intake of alcohol and sugars may contribute to liver fat accumulation.

4. Binge Drinking on High-Alcohol-Content Beers Binge drinking

The scientists discovered that just 21 binge drinking sessions in mice were enough to cause symptoms of early-stage liver disease. Binge drinking produced fatty liver tissue and triggered early stages of inflammation, both indicators of alcohol-induced liver disease. Binging also increased the levels of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, whose activity can produce oxidative damage and other forms of harm to the liver.

In Conclusion

Protecting your liver from alcohol-related damage is crucial for maintaining overall health and well-being. While occasional moderate consumption of alcohol may fit into a healthy lifestyle, being aware of the types of alcohol that pose the greatest risk to liver health is important. Prioritizing lower-alcohol beverages, avoiding binge drinking, and steering clear of illegally produced or potentially contaminated alcohols can help minimize the risk of severe liver damage. Always consider consulting with a healthcare professional about safe levels of alcohol consumption, especially if you have existing liver issues or a family history of liver diseases.