Alcohol can affect how our body digests and absorbs nutrients. When we drink alcohol, it can irritate our stomach lining and cause inflammation, leading to discomfort and indigestion. Drinking too much alcohol can also stop our body from absorbing important nutrients, which can lead to deficiencies and digestive problems over time.
Affinity Health, a health cover provider, explains how alcohol impacts our digestion, harms our stomach and intestines, and the negative consequences of excessive and prolonged alcohol consumption.
Alcohol increases the production of stomach acid, which helps digest food. In moderation, alcohol can aid digestion. However, excessive drinking can lead to gastritis, where the stomach lining becomes swollen, bleeds, or forms sores, causing pain and discomfort.
Alcohol also affects the small intestine, which absorbs nutrients. It damages the cells lining the intestine, making it harder for the body to absorb vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from food. Long-term excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a “leaky gut,” allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream and cause inflammation.
Alcohol can seriously harm the liver in several ways:
1.     Liver inflammation: The breakdown of alcohol creates harmful substances that can damage liver cells and cause inflammation.
2.     Fatty liver: Excessive alcohol disturbs the liver’s fat processing, leading to the accumulation of fat within liver cells.
3.     Alcoholic hepatitis: Long-term alcohol consumption can cause inflammation of the liver, resulting in symptoms like jaundice, stomach pain, and fatigue.
4.     Liver cirrhosis: Prolonged alcohol misuse can lead to the growth of scar tissue in the liver, disrupting its function and blood flow.
5.     Liver cancer: Continued alcohol misuse increases the risk of liver cancer, especially in cases of prolonged inflammation and cirrhosis.
Alcohol can also affect the pancreas, causing inflammation known as pancreatitis. This can result in stomach pain and weight loss. Recent studies show that alcohol can disrupt the gut microbiome, affecting overall health and potentially leading to digestive disorders and other health problems.
While moderate alcohol consumption may be okay, excessive drinking can harm your stomach and digestion. If you or someone you know struggles with alcohol, seeking help is important to reduce consumption or stop altogether.
What is your take on the matter?
Let us know in the comments.
Â
Pictures Credit: GoogleÂ
Source: CitizenÂ
https://www.citizen.co.za/lifestyle/health/the-effects-of-alcohol-on-the-digestive-system/
Content created and supplied by: TheDaily-Scoop (via Opera
News )
