5 Disturbing Ways Alcohol Damages Your Organs

You might think you know how alcohol affects your body , but the truth is way more shocking than you realize . Today we are uncovering five ways that alcohol actually damages your organs , and some of these might surprise you . We know it impacts our organs , but the science behind the destruction is fascinating . So a very quick introduction .

My name is Leon Sylvester , I'm the founder of Soberclearcom , and we use a totally new method to help business owners and high-level professionals control their drinking in as little as 48 hours .

If you want details on the program itself , go over to SoberClearcom , but if you want to access a free video training that shows you how it works and how to get control of your drinking in as little as 48 hours , then just click the link in the description .

It's a video that I don't publish anywhere else online , so the only way you can access it is by clicking the link down below , putting in your name and email address , and then a new video training will start playing , but that video will show you how to control your drinking quickly . So , firstly , alcohol raises oxidative stress .

So oxidative stress is one of those terms that you can go on hearing all of your life without actually really understanding what it means . So I'll explain it for you now in a few sentences , and you'll see why this is so important .

So free radicals are a class of molecules that our cells generate as byproducts of their normal metabolism , their daily business , if you will . They are defined as atoms or molecules that contain unpaired electrons in their outer orbit . So the problem with these free radicals is that their unpaired electrons makes them very unstable .

They want to react with other compounds in order to attain the missing electrons and achieve stability . In turn , the molecules that free radicals attack lose an electron and become free radicals themselves . This then sets in motion a cascade that can have very damaging effects on our cells , as they have molecules being attacked left and right .

To neutralise these free radicals , our body uses so-called antioxidants . For example , you've probably heard of vitamin C being described as an antioxidant . What this means is that it donates electrons to free radicals , in effect , neutralising them , but without becoming unstable itself .

Ideally , there is a balance within our body between the levels of free radicals and antioxidants , but as the number of free radicals increases to the point where there is an actual imbalance with the antioxidants , that's when you get oxidative stress .

And this is a straight where free radicals are free to roam around and cause damage In addition to what occurs naturally in the body . Most people nowadays increase their free radicals through and cause damage In addition to what occurs naturally in the body . Most people nowadays increase their free radicals through an unhealthy lifestyle .

This can include poor diet , insufficient physical activity , exposure to heavy metals and other forms of environmental pollution , as well as the big two smoking and drinking . See .

Alcohol raises oxidative stress because the process by which our body metabolises it inevitably generates free radicals as a byproduct , and the major metabolite of alcohol , acetaldehyde , which we'll come to shortly , also generates free radicals .

At the same time , there is growing evidence that alcohol impairs our antioxidant defences , meaning it contributes to oxidative stress from both sides of the equation . Now , alcohol-related oxidative stress is system-wide , meaning it affects more or less every tissue in our body .

So it's no surprise that it's linked to various health problems , including aging , heart disease , asthma , diabetes and arthritis . At the same time , this oxidative stress can have particularly devastating effects on organs , and scientists suspect that it contributes significantly to the development of alcohol-related liver disease .

Among other ways , it does this by harming the mitochondria , the energy-producing structure in liver cells .

This , by harming the mitochondria , the energy producing structure in liver cells , in advanced liver disease , it's thought to trigger the activation of certain genes that convert healthy tissue into collagen , leading to the so-called fibrosis , or scar tissue that is the hallmark of cirrhosis .

Indeed , several studies have shown that certain markers of oxidative stress precede the initial signs of fibrosis . So , secondly , let's actually look at acetaldehyde . So the bulk of ethanol that we ingest is broken down or metabolized in the liver , which is our body's natural detoxification center .

Now , a family of enzymes called alcohol dehydrogenases will first convert the ethanol to acetaldehyde . This is then quickly broken down into other , less biologically active waste products .

Now , even though it doesn't linger around in our system for that long , the problem with acetaldehyde is that it's highly toxic by some estimates , up to 30 times more toxic than ethanol itself , and it's not an exaggeration to say that most of the damage that drinking causes to our health is a direct result of acetaldehyde .

The main problem with acetaldehyde is that it's highly reactive , meaning that it likes to interact with other molecules that it encounters inside our body , notably proteins and DNA , and by interacting I mean forming one big tangled mess called an adduct . Think of it like taking two different coloured sticks of modelling clay for children and kneading them together .

These adducts then form abnormal but irreversible pieces of floating junk that have no place there to begin with . This in turn triggers all sorts of immune reactions from our body in an attempt to rid itself of the adducts . The end result is then inflammation and , ultimately , tissue damage .

The adducts that acetaldehyde forms with DNA also promote mutations and ultimately cancer , which we will cover later on . Though it's not a free radical in its own right , acetaldehyde will also raise oxidative stress through encouraging the formation of free radicals . It will also attack specific organs , starting with the liver , where it is primarily synthesised .

Working in tandem with oxidative stress , which we just covered , it will progress the liver disease through various stages until it sadly reaches its final end stage cirrhosis . Over time , acetaldehyde will also damage the heart to the point of possibly inducing alcoholic cardiomyopathy .

When this end state is reached , the heart muscles are stretched out of shape and the swollen heart is no longer able to effectively pump blood through the body . Cirrhosis and cardiomyopathy are both more or less irreversible and typically terminal . Inflammation is our body's natural response to various injuries , infections and pathogens .

Its purpose is to eliminate whatever it is that's causing the problem , clear out damaged cells and initiate the healing process . The problem is that when our body becomes chronically inflamed , this can lead to organ and tissue damage , autoimmune conditions and even cancer .

Some of the conditions associated with chronic inflammation include diabetes , cardiovascular disease , arthritis , allergies and respiratory disease . It's also possible to feel fatigued , weak , have achy joints and various skin problems .

Alcohol triggers inflammatory responses more or less throughout our body , which is why heavy drinkers spend their lives in a state of chronic inflammation . The three main sources of inflammation are 1 . The ethanol itself , 2 . The increased oxidative stress that we discussed earlier , as well as 3 . The bacteria that leak through our gut .

This last part is due to the fact that alcohol compromises the structural integrity of our gut barrier , meaning that these bacteria can then leak out into the bloodstream .

Aside from stopping drinking , other lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce inflammation include losing weight , adopting a low glycemic index diet and increasing your consumption of anti-inflammatory foods things like berries , leafy green vegetables , fatty fish and certain spices like turmeric . Stopping smoking will also help , as you are lowering your levels of stress .

Now let's dive into nutrient deficiency or malabsorption . See after the mouth and oesophagus . Each glass of alcohol that we consume then ends up in the stomach and small intestine , where it is mostly absorbed . As alcohol interacts with the small intestine , it causes various cellular and structural changes .

Notably , it interferes with the villi , the millions of tiny finger-like projections that line the small intestine and serve to absorb nutrients from the food . It also upsets the balance of the microbiota in the intestine , causing certain bacteria to proliferate out of control at the expense of others .

This is called microbiota dysbiosis , and in chronic drinkers it becomes a permanent feature of the gut . Combined , these effects can lead to predictable vitamin and mineral deficiencies . In heavy drinkers , levels of Vitamins A , b1c , d , folate , magnesium and sodium are all lowered in drinkers compared to non-drinkers . Zinc and selenium are also often compromised .

Some of these deficiencies can have very severe consequences in and of themselves . For example , b1 deficiency can lead to a severe neurological condition known as Wernick-Korsakoff syndrome . Symptoms can include mental confusion as well as vision and memory problems .

In late-stage alcoholism , the causes of nutrient deficiency are even more direct where the drinkers are known to consume a large part of their caloric intake directly from alcohol , leaving little room for nutrients through food . For example , a study out of the UK looked at 30 drinkers who had been drinking equivalent of 6 drinks daily for at least 5 years .

About 60% of their calories were provided by alcohol . Every single one of the drinkers consumed less than the bare minimum daily intake of folate and vitamin E . The large majority were also consuming less than the recommended daily minimum amounts of vitamins A , b1 , b2 , b6 , c , as well as zinc and selenium .

Interestingly , about a third of them were underweight and 50% had reduced muscle mass in their arms . Weight loss and muscle shrinking is a well-known phenomenon in advanced drinkers and it's not related to any generalized calorie shortage .

The reason is that when half or more of a person's calories come through alcohol , their ability to synthesize muscle proteins becomes severely compromised . Not that none of these patients had advanced liver disease .

When this is present , the nutritional deficiencies really , really , really start to compound and the muscles start wasting away and it becomes more severe and things quickly spiral out of control . And now , finally , let's look at mutation and the cancer risk . Alcohol , being carcinogenic is no longer in dispute .

Not only that , but it is one of the most potent carcinogens known to man , right up there with things like tobacco , ultraviolet radiation and asbestos . According to the World Health Organization , more than 1 out of every 10 cancers in Europe are linked to alcohol . Worldwide , the figure is around 4% .

The risk is to specific parts of the body , mostly those that alcohol and acetaldehyde come into direct contact with . These include the head and neck , where heavy drinkers have up to 80% higher risk of cancer , the esophagus with a 5-fold increase , the liver with a 2-fold increase , and the colorectal area with a 50% higher risk .

Then there is breast cancer in women , where the risk increases by a whopping 60% . Now that might not sound as much as say , a fivefold increase risk in the esophagus , but bear in mind that breast cancer accounts for 30% of all new cancer cases in the US , meaning that even this moderate risk increase will have a devastating effect on society .

Now the question is how exactly does ethanol mutate our cells and increase our cancer risk ? And the answer is that it happens in many different ways , more than scientists can even wrap their head around at this time . For starters , alcohol can damage various cell membranes , making the uptake of carcinogens in our environment a lot easier .

Then there are organ-specific effects . In the mouth , for example , it will lower the quantity and affect the quality of our saliva , allowing carcinogenic molecules to linger longer . In women , it will raise the levels of estrogen , increasing the risk of cancerous mutations in the breast area .

Acetaldehyde , the main metabolite of ethanol , which we discussed earlier , is also carcinogenic . It will bind to DNA , forming stable adducts that lead to errors in replication and mutate cancer-related genes .

Oxidative stress , which we also reviewed , is carcinogenic in its own right , as it indirectly contributes to the formation of DNA adducts , some of which are highly carcinogenic . Now we've made videos on this channel about the beneficial effects of stopping drinking and how rapidly these generally come about .

We've discussed how fatty liver can reverse within three weeks , your blood pressure in around about one month , and how you can regain most of the brain volume that you've lost over the span of around one year . And the sad news is that cancer isn't like that .

It will often take many years after your last drink for your risk of cancer to drop to that of a non-drinker . For certain types of cancer , this can be as much as 30 years . Not only that , but there is some evidence that the first year or two after you stop , your cancer risk will temporarily spike .

And what's even more sad is that the public doesn't even know any of this . For example , a 2015 study from England surveyed 2,100 adults , asking them to identify any health complications from drinking too much . So want to take a guess on how many of these people spontaneously mentioned cancer . Are you ready ? It was just 12.9% .

Subsequently , the respondents were straight up asked if drinking can cause cancer , and the results were just as shocking . Only 46.9% unequivocally answered yes , with another 24% saying no and 29% saying they don't know . Why do you think this is the case ? Why do so few people realise just how cancerous booze is ?

Thanks for checking out the Stop Drinking podcast by Sober Clear . If you want to learn more about how we work with people to help them stop drinking effortlessly , then make sure to visit wwwsoberclearcom .