Effects Of Alcohol On The Blood
Ethyl alcohol or ethanol, known commonly as alcohol, is the same whether the beverage is wine, beer, or hard liquor. Beverage alcohol is a drug that depresses the central nervous system, like barbiturates, sedatives, and anesthetics. One effect of drinking alcohol is “blood-sludging” where the red blood cells clump together causing the small blood vessels to plug up, starve the tissues of oxygen, and cause cell death.
The drinker’s blood alcohol level rises as a factor of the relationship among the amount of alcohol consumed, body size and proportion of body fat, the amount of food in the stomach, and what is mixed with the alcohol. When a person drinks more alcohol than his or her body can eliminate, alcohol accumulates in the blood stream and the blood alcohol level rises.
The blood alcohol level rises more rapidly in those who drink on an empty stomach. Drinking Alcohol can also cause anemia; sedation of the bone marrow, which reduces the red and white blood count, and weakens the bone structure; lowered resistance to infection; and a decrease in the ability to fight off infections. Drinking alcohol can affect blood coagulation, acting as a “blood thinner”, which can be negative for health. Drinking Alcohol can also cause Blood pressure.
Tags: Alcohol, Alcohol Abuse, Blood