Once in a while people ask me if they can drink alcohol and still lose weight. My response is always the same “Don’t plan on it”. The negatives effects of alcohol far outweigh the miniscule positive effects that you may occasionally hear in the media. The science behind the negative effects of alcohol is irrefutable. The science behind “healthful” benefits of alcohol is at best is inconclusive.
I wanted to summarize some of the effects alcohol consumption can have:
Alcohol is toxic; your body must process it immediately. Alcohol is broken down to two by products. They are acetaldehyde and acetate. The body must process alcohol and it’s by products which in turn blunt the fat burning system of the body up to 75 percent.
The effects of alcohol on the brain are far too many to address individually. As a general statement I’ll say that there is nothing positive can come from alcohol on the brain. Alcohol compromises how decisions are made, how the brain physiologically functions and behavioral decisions. Additional effects of alcohol include loss of emotional control, loss of memory, loss of intelligent thinking and loss of balance.
Heavy alcohol consumption, even on a single occasion, can trigger behavior and emotional changes, including memory loss, depression and agitation. Chronic heavy drinking reduces the physical size of the brain resulting in a larger inner cavity. This results in a wide range of changes including but not limited to temperature regulation, loss of motor control, sleep disruption, mood, learning impairment and memory loss.
Refraining from drinking alcohol may reverse the negative effects on cognition and brain function.
Alcohol and its byproducts damage liver cells and the cells cannot function as they should. The impaired liver function results in toxic substances to travel to the brain. Once at the brain, brain cells are damaged which leads to a potentially fatal brain disorder known as hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatic encephalopathy causes a range of problems ranging from mild to serious. They include sleep disturbances, mood and personality changes, anxiety, depression shortened attention span, coordination problems, coma and death.
Excessive alcohol consumption can damage the heart and drinking too much puts your heart at risk and can result in alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This state weakens the heart and it cannot pump enough blood to supply organs which results in damaged organ tissue. Symptoms of cardiomyopathy include difficulty breathing, fatigue, swollen legs and feet and irregular heartbeat and occasionally heart failure.
Long term and binge drinking can lead to stroke; even in people without heart disease.
Alcohol consumption leads to high blood pressure.
The National Cancer Institute identifies alcohol as a risk factor for mouth, esophagus, pharynx, larynx, liver and breast cancer.
Habitual and excessive drinking damages the pancreas, and commonly causes pancreatitis, resulting in hormonal regulation irregularities compromising the body’s ability to use food for energy.
Do not drink alcohol for health benefits.