Benefits and harms of alcohol: why you want to drink

Everyone knows that alcohol is harmful and that abuse leads to the development of many pathologies.

However, research shows that moderate alcohol consumption can have a positive effect on a person's physical and mental condition.

Does the body need alcohol?

The human body is capable of producing alcohol. This is called endogenous, and the intestines and liver are mainly involved in its production. Production rate is 8-10 g per day. Alcohol regulates the nervous system, participates in the production of endorphins, participates in the transmission of nerve impulses that form a natural psychological defense. In addition, the synthesized ethanol increases the energy potential and stimulates metabolic processes.

The positive effects of endogenous alcohol on the human body are obvious. However, numerous experiments conducted by scientists have shown that imported alcohol can be beneficial.

Opinion of scientists

The beneficial properties of alcohol are still a hot topic of interest to scientists in many countries. They conduct various studies, during which time they study the effects of alcohol on various systems of the human body.

Doctors in France have concluded that alcohol normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system. American experts have found that older people, who sometimes allow themselves to be given a little alcohol, do not often experience an age-related phenomenon such as decreased brain activity.

A forty-year experiment was conducted in the Netherlands, during which more than 1, 300 people were observed. As a result, it was concluded that lifelong drinkers of alcohol in reasonable doses lived longer and had a lower mortality rate from heart disease.

However, there is another opinion based on the fact that all the data obtained are nothing but errors in statistical calculations, and in fact alcohol is harmful even in small doses.

What is Low and Tolerable Dose?

All scientists agree that the benefits of alcohol are manifested only in small doses. But norms are changing in different parts of the world. Thus, the permissible dose in the UK is 8 ml of pure alcohol per day (this is about 18 ml of strong alcohol or 40 ml of wine), the norm in the US is 14 ml, and in Japan - 20

But he avoids drinking alcohol every day. The optimal frequency is 2-3 times a week.

In addition, there is a maximum allowable dose, ie the amount of alcohol that the human body can process. The indicator depends on many factors, including gender, weight, and health status. For example, a person weighing 70 kg can drink 170 g of pure alcohol (about 0. 5 liters of vodka) per day. If you give up alcohol for at least 8 days, the body will recover from the negative effects of ethanol.

What are the benefits of alcohol in small doses?

The benefits of alcohol are primarily in the prevention of various diseases. Thus a small amount of alcohol:

• reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease;
• reduces the likelihood of ischemic stroke;
• reduces the risk of developing diabetes.

Important!Remember that the benefits of alcohol are just one of the many opinions that are not accepted by all experts. Second, in any case, it is impossible to rely on the medicinal properties of alcohol and use it as a medicine for existing pathologies.

What makes alcohol harmful?

The benefits and harms of any product, including alcohol, are determined by its chemical composition. Alcohol is harmful primarily because it contains ethyl alcohol, which is present in absolutely all alcoholic beverages. The biggest danger is not even ethanol itself, but the toxic products of processing, especially acetaldehyde, which spreads throughout the body and adversely affects all systems.

In addition, alcohol can be harmful:

• various chemical additives (flavor enhancers, preservatives, dyes);
• carbonated drinks contain large amounts of carbon dioxide;
• fusel oils found in low quality drinks and counterfeit products.

Of course, the damage increases with increasing dose.

Reasons Why You Want to Drink

There are many explanations for why you want to drink a little alcohol from time to time. Among them are the desire to relax for a while and forget about problems, to support the company, to be free, to be more sociable. Of course, we are not talking about people who are addicted to alcohol, but about those who drink from time to time and observe the measure.

However, in addition to the psychological reasons listed, there are other explanations that sometimes require alcohol. Often this is due to the lack of any substance in the body.

If a person wants to drink alcohol, he does not need to do so, sometimes it is enough to know what to eat and drink to get what the body needs.

What dreams are depressing?

If you have a strong desire to drink, of course, you can take a small dose, but in this case it is not worth drinking alcohol every time. The best solution is to get a medical examination to understand what is causing your strong craving for alcohol.

Intermediate actions can be as follows:

• Replace alcohol with other beverages (kvass, natural juices, milk, green tea);
• eat something (red meat, honey, salted cheese, cottage cheese, nuts or seeds, egg dishes).

Communicating with family and friends, housework, sports, fun activities, reading, walking will help you avoid the thought of drinking. If the craving for alcohol persists, it is worth seeing a therapist for professional advice.

What is missing in your body if you want to drink?

Often people create an inexplicable passion for products that have certain tastes at first glance. Various nutritional anomalies are very popular in pregnant women. For example, many of them are partially chalk. This leads to changes in the body and a deficiency of certain substances. A similar situation, when you want alcohol - most likely there is nothing in your body.

The most common are:

• B vitamin deficiency;
• iron deficiency;
• silicone deficiency;
• lack of protein (the most common explanation if you want vodka);
• micronutrient deficiency (calcium, potassium, sodium).

Once you have identified which vitamins or minerals you are deficient in, you should add them to your diet by adding products or vitamin complexes.

Can alcoholism develop from low daily doses?

It is important to remember that the habit of drinking alcohol, even in small amounts, can lead to the development of a psychological person over time. Low-alcohol beer, which does not depend on the strength of the drink, but seems harmless, is more addictive than alcohol.

The need for alcohol will gradually increase, the doses and frequency of drinking will increase. The body will adapt to regular intake of ethanol, incorporating it into metabolic processes, which will lead to physical dependence, which is very difficult to get rid of.

Can high-quality alcohol be harmful to health?

Any alcoholic beverage contains ethanol and is therefore potentially dangerous to health. But drinking high-quality alcohol is certainly less harmful if it is not healthy. This is primarily due to the lack of excess fusel oil in low-grade beverages. In addition, less adverse effects are associated with lower concentrations of preservatives and various artificial additives.

Thus, you can minimize the toxic effects of alcohol on the body by drinking premium drinks from a reliable manufacturer in small doses.

Drink culture

The culture of drinking alcohol has a direct impact on the consequences of drinking alcohol for the human body, because it requires a reasonable approach to both the choice of alcohol and the process of consumption. Among other things, rules are in place to help reduce the negative effects of ethanol. These include, for example, drinking small amounts of alcohol.

Wine

Wine is calculated with the most beneficial properties of any alcoholic beverage. According to the rules, the drink is a little drunk, enjoys the aroma and variety of flavors. Snack selected according to the type of drink.

Beer

Real live beer is healthy because it contains a lot of vitamins and minerals. Beer should be drunk slowly, slightly chilled. Spicy and salty snacks should be preferred to dried fish or meat, cheese, seafood, nuts. It is not recommended to mix beer with other alcohols.

Cognac

High quality cognac is also called healthy alcohol. The conditions under which this elite alcohol is drunk are very important. They help to make the best use of the delicate aroma and rich taste of the drink.

Cognac should be at room temperature. They take small sips. The classic serving option is after the main meal with a cup of coffee and cigars. It is believed that cognac does not require a snack, but if you want, you can give it fresh fruit and nuts.

Risks of drinking alcohol

Regular alcohol consumption often leads to alcoholism, which in turn leads to many diseases. It can affect absolutely any organ or system, but often develops:

• liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis) and excretory system;
• cardiovascular diseases (cardiomyopathy, heart attack);
• brain disorders;
• gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis);
• pathology of the reproductive system;
• mental and neurological disorders.

Ethanol also increases the risk of developing neoplasms.

If the body requires alcohol, it is a disturbing symptom that indicates that the bad habit has become a chronic disease.

Result

Drink can actually be helpful. However, you should not use alcohol as a medicine in case of existing diseases. The main thing is to choose high-quality alcohol, do not overdo it with the frequency of intake and do not forget to monitor the dose to avoid negative consequences.