After a drunken state, alcohol poisoning occurs in the human body. Toxic breakdown products of alcohol are formed due to the fact that metabolism is disrupted and ethanol is not properly processed in liver cells.
The most dangerous compounds are acetaldehyde and acetic acid. According to doctors, acetaldehyde is 30 times more toxic than ethyl alcohol. To eliminate binge drinking, a narcologist also eliminates signs of intoxication. Toxic compounds leave the body.
The effect of alcohol breakdown products on brain cells
Acetaldehyde is a toxic substance. In order for acetaldehyde to be completely processed in the body, the liver must be healthy. It must contain the necessary composition of enzymes. In alcoholics, hepatocytes do not work, since hepatocytes have been replaced by scar tissue. The liver may be so damaged that acetaldehyde circulates unimpeded in the blood.
How does the negative effect on neurons located in the brain manifest:
- The synthesis of neurotransmitters stops.
- A blockage occurs, the impulse is not transmitted along the nerve pathways.
- The regulatory function of the central nervous system and its interaction with endocrine organs is disrupted.
- Breathing is suppressed, cardiovascular activity worsens, and the autonomic parts of the nervous system are inhibited.
The importance of blood vessels in the human body
Before we talk about whether alcohol narrows or dilates blood vessels, let's talk about the meaning of the latter. There are vessels in all parts of the body, face, and limbs. They carry blood from one organ to another. They serve as a connecting link, without which the full functioning of the human body is impossible.
After drinking alcohol and under the influence of other negative factors, the composition of the blood changes greatly. The concentration of toxins, waste, and various toxic compounds increases in it. As a result, failures occur. They can lead to irreversible consequences and even death.
Without proper blood circulation, life is basically impossible. That is why it is important to know which alcohol dilates blood vessels, which constricts it, and whether it can be drunk to “warm up”.
What is the difference between poisoning after binge drinking and intoxication?
It's just the terminology that makes the main difference. Intoxication is a syndrome of poisoning of the whole body. Poisoning can occur in a person when he drinks alcohol once uncontrollably. Intoxication can occur due to individual intolerance to ethyl alcohol, because a person has an insufficient amount of the necessary enzymes, which is a genetic or physiological deviation from the norm. For example, the lack of enzymes in the stomach in women of the Mongoloid race contributes to the development of rapid addiction.
Clinical signs
With an overdose of ethyl alcohol and exhaustion of the body, characteristic signs of intoxication appear:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Headache.
- Diarrhea.
- Pressure fluctuations.
- Temperature.
- Increased sweating.
- The psyche is disturbed, hallucinations appear.
Sometimes relatives hide the drinking factor from the doctor. Then the doctor differentiates the patient’s condition with similar manifestations that occur with infectious diseases. In this case, toxins are released by pathogenic bacteria or viruses. If proper treatment is not carried out, organic changes occur in the cerebral cortex. The disease is called encephalopathy. When drinking low-quality alcohol, a new type of toxic substance can enter the body.
Can alcohol be beneficial?
“Swing”, caused by relaxation and spasm of blood vessels after drinking, is very harmful to health. They impair the functioning of the entire body as a whole. It is especially dangerous if the drinker is deficient in vitamins and minerals. Then the risks for internal organs increase significantly.
There is an opinion that small doses of ethyl alcohol are beneficial and cannot harm. It is a myth. Even a small dose of drinking causes a decrease in blood pressure. As a result, the vessels become less elastic, expand significantly, and blood flows faster to the organs. It would seem that there is nothing wrong with this, but it is not. After all, drinking ethanol contributes to:
- The appearance of disturbances in the activity of the cardiovascular system. Under the influence of alcohol, arteries and capillaries either narrow or increase in volume. This continues until ethyl alcohol is completely eliminated from the body. Such changes are abnormal and lead to premature wear and tear of the cardiovascular system.
- Hemorrhage. At some point, the vessels may not be able to withstand the changes occurring to them. Then they burst. This causes heart attack, stroke, thrombosis, and internal hemorrhage.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that usually those people who are used to drinking smoke and eat poorly. This means that their internal organs are already far from ideal, so disruption of the blood supply is unacceptable.
Alcohol elimination: men and women
It is much easier to remove alcohol from the body of men than it is for women. This is explained by the fact that in the stomach of men there are more enzymes than in the stomach of women. Because of this, fewer poisons enter the man’s blood and therefore their consciousness becomes clouded more slowly.
What affects the time during which ethyl alcohol can be removed from the body:
- Floor.
- Availability of snacks.
- Presence of chronic diseases.
- Individual allergic reactions to the effects of toxins.
- Age.
- Frequency of drinking alcohol and its quality.
- Taking pills.
- Emotional condition.
The time it takes for alcohol to be eliminated from the body may depend on the activity of the urinary system. Scientists have proven that 5% of ethyl alcohol is excreted in the urine. When drinking large amounts of liquid, 10 to 15% of alcoholic beverages are excreted in the urine.
Alcohol is eliminated from the body as a result of the processing of toxic products in the liver cells, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract and urinary system. With the help of therapy, metabolism is accelerated.
With normal metabolism, alcohol is released slowly; after about a day, alcohol decomposes into calories.
How does alcohol affect the blood?
Blood clotting is one of the most important biological processes responsible for stopping bleeding. The body responds to injury with active platelet activity. Sticky cells rush to the site of damage, produce proteins and form a plug on the damaged vessel, closing the hole. The blood in this area becomes less viscous and acquires a cheesy consistency, which prevents pathogenic microorganisms from penetrating into the wound.
Hemostasis disorders cause disruptions in the immune system, liver disease, problems with the bone marrow and blood vessels. Pathologies of various origins lead to increased blood clotting, which becomes more viscous and thick. The blood flow slows down, and clots no longer form at the site of injury, but inside the vessel itself. The appearance of blood clots in the arteries leading to the heart and brain is especially dangerous, since the result of impaired blood supply can be heart failure, myocardial infarction, and stroke.
Alcohol thins the blood almost immediately after it enters the body. Ethanol relaxes the walls of blood vessels, increases blood flow, and also inhibits hematopoiesis in the bone marrow. As a result, platelet production slows down and the cells themselves become less sticky. Cardioaspirin, which is taken to prevent thromboembolism, has a similar effect on the blood.
In 2005, a group of scientists from Boston University published the results of a study on the relationship between alcohol consumption and hemostasis. More than five thousand men and women took part in the experiment and were examined every four years for twenty years. Doctors came to the conclusion that moderate alcohol consumption leads to a low level of platelet activation, but they categorically did not advise taking alcohol as a blood thinner.
Alcohol thins or thickens the blood, depending on the amount drunk and the type of alcoholic beverage.
Excessive alcohol consumption leads to the opposite effect. The liver cannot cope with the processing of ethanol, which contributes to the accumulation of toxic acetaldehyde in the blood. The body tries to remove toxic substances and consumes an increased amount of fluid. Alcohol dissolves the membrane of dehydrated cells, which increases their “stickiness”. As a result, alcohol thickens the blood, blood flow slows down, and there is a danger of a blood clot breaking off and blocking blood vessels. A sharp increase in blood viscosity can provoke the formation of ulcers and cause internal bleeding.
Saline solutions and drinking regime
The purpose of drinking liquid is to dilute the existing concentration of toxic substances in the blood and then excrete them in the urine. The greatest effect in case of intoxication is achieved with the help of solutions that are administered intravenously. This takes into account diuresis, that is, the amount of urine excreted in 24 hours. To quickly flush out toxins, the “forced diuresis” method is used. With this technique, after administering a large amount of fluid, Lasix, a diuretic drug, is administered. This method is used with caution by doctors in the presence of cardiac decompensation and edema in the patient.
The medicinal solutions contain the necessary electrolytes. They contain salts - calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium.
Salts are necessary to restore the activity of muscle tissue so that their contractility and electrical potential are fully restored.
If the patient can drink with a weak gag reflex, the doctor prescribes additional fluid with electrolytes. When electrolytes enter through the intestines their action is slow, intravenous drugs act faster. But the supply of electrolytes through the intestines will well complement the general treatment. If the patient’s diuresis is normal, then the doctor injects him with 1-4 liters per day. liquid solutions.
Doctors reported which alcoholic drinks thin the blood and dilate blood vessels
With moderate alcohol consumption, it can reduce the risk of blood clots, prevent the development of ischemia, atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, myocardial infarction and stroke. There are many studies that prove these facts. Let's look at each in more detail.
Thrombosis
Proponents of “skip a glass or two” believe that alcohol is beneficial because it dilates blood vessels. Those who cannot tolerate alcohol are sure of the opposite. So which one of them is right?
According to cardiologist James Bekkerman , both are right. Drinking alcohol and being sure that doctors recommend it is stupidity and a cover-up, in his opinion. Everything must have its measure.
In small doses, alcohol can actually thin the blood, the specialist believes. According to research results, this dose should not exceed 85 ml per week. Otherwise, deep vein thrombosis will worsen by half.
In addition, it is better not to drink alcohol if a person is taking blood thinning medications during this period. All due to the fact that the liver is not able to work with both. This raises the risk of bleeding.
Ischemia, atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke
Another specialist, Kurtis Ellison , a professor at the University of Medicine in Boston, has conducted many studies on the connection between alcohol and coronary heart disease. According to their results, alcohol actually thins the blood due to the fact that fibrinogen, which is involved in blood clotting, decreases when drinking alcohol.
Alcohol, in moderate quantities, can increase the number of lipoproteins. This substance is protein and fatty acids that bind cholesterol together and then transport it from the bloodstream to the liver. Thus, the blood is truly cleansed of bad cholesterol.
And Harvard scientists became the authors of a global study in which 50 thousand people took part. Experts have found that cardiovascular diseases occur 37% less often in moderate drinkers than in non-drinkers. The research results found their way into the pages of the famous medical journal Lancet.
It's not all alcohol
As reported on the website andrmed1.ru, all beneficial processes depend only on specific drinks, the amount of ethanol and other factors. As soon as alcohol enters the body, it begins to attract all the liquid, thereby reducing blood viscosity and improving blood flow. This is why the skin turns red, mood and well-being improve, the temperature rises slightly and the desire to “relieve the need in a small way” becomes more frequent.
However, if the amount of ethanol is “off scale,” then during its breakdown, opposite processes can occur. The body evaluates alcohol as poison. To remove it, it spends all the liquid, which leads to dehydration, swelling, headaches and dizziness.
That is why it is important to remember not only about the moderate amount of alcohol consumed, but also about the “heaviness” of alcohol.
Three drinks
As written above, the benefits or harm depend on the specific alcohol. Let's talk about three drinks and find out which one is most suitable for the body in moderation.
1. Wine
Enough time has been spent studying this drink. Based on the results of many studies, scientists have found that wine can thin the blood, strengthen the walls of capillaries, blood vessels and arteries, and also improve blood flow. In addition, wine can prevent blood clots and dilate blood vessels.
Preference, of course, is for dry red wine, mainly homemade, because... It contains a natural product, no sugar. You should drink no more than 175 ml per day. Only under such conditions can it be useful.
2. Cognac
The effect of cognac is similar to that of wine, but there are differences. It contains much more alcohol. Consequently, it can only be consumed in 50-100 ml during a feast. This amount will help thin the blood and lower blood pressure. However, few people are able to limit themselves to this amount at gatherings, so cognac is rather a harmful product.
3. Vodka
Vodka is especially harmful because it takes a huge amount of moisture from the body. This leads to dehydration, makes the blood more viscous and thickens the blood. Drinking vodka increases the risk of blood clots.
Visiting a drug treatment clinic
The most important thing for an alcoholic’s health is to seek help from a narcologist in a timely manner. The modern drug treatment center has a wide range of effective medications and hardware techniques to eliminate severe intoxication.
A narcologist is called to the house and puts the alcoholic on a detoxification drip. With the help of injected medications into the dropper, acetaldehyde is neutralized. The acid-base and biochemical balance of the blood is restored. The patient's well-being quickly improves. The composition of the solutions injected into the IV is prescribed by the doctor individually, based on the physical and mental state of the patient. But most often the doctor uses the following groups of medications:
- Electrolyte solutions - isotonic solution 0.9%.
- Blood plasma substitutes – Reomacrodex.
- Cardioprotectors – Trimetazidine.
- Antispasmodics - No-Spa.
- Solutions for eliminating intoxication - Hemodez.
- Hepatoprotectors – Essentiale.
- Nootropics – Piracetam.
- B vitamins - B1, B6.
When intoxication passes in a patient with complications, he is taken to a drug treatment clinic. In the hospital he will undergo a series of detoxification measures. In addition to droppers, plasmapheresis and hemodialysis are used to relieve intoxication. Specialists will provide the required symptomatic therapy. In emergency cases of acute poisoning, resuscitation measures are carried out.
Medications
The narcologist prescribes medications that eliminate toxic compounds from the body and promote their release.
Medicines include:
- As a universal antidote, Unithiol is administered intravenously in an amount of 250–500 mg.
- Reamberin is administered as a solution in an amount of 400–800 ml. per day.
- Vitamins are able to restore biochemical reactions disturbed by ethyl alcohol in liver cells and neurons of the cerebral cortex - B1, ascorbic acid, B6.
When a person is in a drunken state and continues to drink alcohol, there is no point in administering medications. The narcologist begins therapy when the patient stops drinking alcohol.
In the first two days, antitoxic drugs are administered intravenously two to three times a day.
Sorbents
Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel, activated carbon.
With the help of these sorbents, the consequences of intoxication of various origins are eliminated. After a binge, patients often use them on their own. The condition improves after taking sorbents. The role of sorbents is that they are able to bind toxins and waste in the intestines and relieve the patient from poisoning. Taking sorbents is the right decision. In the gastrointestinal tract they are able to neutralize toxins. The bad thing is that they act slowly compared to placing an IV. The action of sorbents will be effective if the binge is short-lived, lasting no more than 2-3 days. With prolonged drinking, the effect of taking sorbents is insignificant.
How to protect and strengthen blood vessels
To avoid dangerous changes in the body’s functioning after drinking, narcologists use infusion therapy. It is based on the drip administration of drugs that neutralize ethanol and accelerate the elimination of its toxic metabolites.
The following solutions have an excellent effect on blood vessels:
- Saline solution 5%. It can be combined with a 10% glucose solution. This mixture effectively cleanses the blood, restores healthy water and electrolyte balance, and increases vital energy levels.
- Hemodez. A detoxifying composition that binds low molecular weight substances that circulate in the systemic circulation and ensures their rapid elimination from the body. Creates conditions for glomerular filtration and increased renal blood flow, enhances diuresis.
- Ringer's solution. Salt composition with a balanced content of electrolytes. Shows detoxification properties, normalizes the water and electrolyte composition of the blood. Can be used as a means to replenish circulating blood volume.
- Rondex. Hemodynamic drug. It is used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes if it is necessary to restore normal blood pressure after binge drinking.
All these medications are available to patients at the drug treatment clinic. A person who has experienced alcohol intoxication should not administer them to himself. Therefore, if after many days of drinking your health has deteriorated significantly, be sure to make an appointment with a narcologist. This way you will protect your blood vessels and heart.
Folk remedies
The detoxification solution is prepared independently. Add a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of soda and two tablespoons of sugar to 1 liter of water. You need to drink the solution throughout the day, take it every half hour. Cucumber or cabbage pickle works well for intoxication. Liquids contain essential minerals and a number of vitamins. Teas and decoctions made from medicinal plants work well. They promote the rapid removal of toxic waste products from the body.
- Calendula and chamomile flowers.
- Calamus or angelica root.
- Mint leaves.
- Rose hips and juniper fruits.
- Wormwood grass.
- Oatmeal broth or jelly, which is prepared from whole grains.
- Honey is useful.
conclusions
Intoxication is the main symptom of the toxic effect of ethyl alcohol on the human body. Negative processes occur in the cerebral cortex. The activity of the liver deteriorates, its functions are lost. The functioning of internal organs is disrupted. To relieve intoxication, doctors use medications. Solutions are administered intravenously and “forced diuresis” is used. Adsorbents and folk recipes are used to relieve intoxication. They complement medical treatment well. Hardware blood purification for alcohol addiction is not considered safe. Only a specialist can prescribe this type of treatment.
Once again about the benefits of alcohol
BEHIND
Life expectancy in European countries with high alcohol consumption is among the highest in the world. In Spain – 82.27 years, France – 81.84 years, Germany – 80.57 years, Czech Republic – 78 years. At the same time, the average consumption of alcohol per capita in these countries is close to Russian - if in our country it is 15 liters per year, then in the Czech Republic - 13 liters, in France - 12.2, in Germany - almost 12, in Spain – 11.2. At the same time, countries with consumption of more than 11 liters per capita, according to WHO criteria, are classified as “drinkers”.
Scientists have proven that even fairly large doses of alcohol can be harmless. Thus, the maximum safe dose according to WHO criteria is no more than 21 drinks of alcohol per week for men (no more than 3 drinks per day), and 14 drinks per week for women (or no more than 2 drinks per day). A bottle of vodka contains 16 drinks of alcohol, and the maximum 3-4 drinks per day allowed for men is 2 large glasses of fairly strong 5% beer (every day!), 400 ml of wine or 140-180 ml of vodka or cognac. And 10 liters of pure alcohol per year were considered safe.
Data from numerous studies in recent years convincingly prove that people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol die from cardiovascular diseases less often than those who do not drink at all . In particular, their risk of dying from a heart attack is almost 40% lower.
The difference in mortality is the same between moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers or heavy drinkers. We are talking about the so-called J-curve, when with the advent of alcohol in a person’s life, the risk of cardiovascular diseases drops sharply, and then, as the dose increases, it gradually increases.
Why does alcohol reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis and the risk of death from a heart attack? One of the probable reasons is a decrease in the synthesis of fibrinogen, which is one of the main participants in the process of thrombus formation.
Thus, daily intake of small doses of alcohol for more than 4 weeks helps reduce the content of this substance by 0.2 g/l. In people who frequently drink red wine, the level drops even further. At the same time, a high level of fibrinogen is an independent risk factor for heart attack - an increase in its level by 1 g/l increases the likelihood of a heart attack by 2.5 times.
A positive effect of alcohol on other stages of blood clot formation was noted - a decrease in platelet aggregation, a decrease in blood viscosity. A study by scientists showed that the alcohol owes these positive qualities to a combination of ethyl alcohol and a special mixture of flavonoid (resveratrol) and non-flavonoid polyphenols, which are part of the tannins of red wine and act as antioxidants. Researchers' attention was particularly drawn to the high content of flavan-3-ols (a polymerized procyanide, which is a condensed tannin). This compound belongs to the group of flavonoids and accounts for up to 50% of the total flavonoid content in red wines. The content of flavan-3-ols was especially high in wines produced in southwestern France and Italian Sardinia, where it was 2-4 times higher than in dry red wines from other regions.
AGAINST
Our country ranks 4th in the world in alcohol consumption and 116th in average life expectancy. At the same time, the gap from the main European countries, whose level we strive to be equal to, is at least 3 liters per year. 3 liters of alcohol is a lot. At the same time, our average life expectancy is almost 10 years less than the European average and is 70.1 years, and alcohol-related mortality is 5 (!) times higher! Therefore, before popularizing alcoholic beverages, it is first necessary to reduce the level of annual consumption and increase life expectancy by 10 years, many are sure.
The studies refer to moderate daily alcohol consumption, which is typical for Europeans . One or two glasses of wine with lunch in southern countries or a large glass of light beer in central Europe - and that’s it. Research data show that the northern type of alcohol consumption is genetically more typical for us - we drink a lot on weekends, that is, we drink in one or two days and even exceed the weekly dose. Alas, in this case the protective effect of alcohol does not work - when drinking alcohol “on a weekend schedule”, to the point of intoxication, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases significantly.
It is important to remember that scientists base their calculations on the experience of developed European and North American countries, where the quality of alcohol is always high, and the concept of “counterfeit alcohol” is absent in principle. In our country, according to various sources, the share of counterfeit alcohol on the market ranges from 15 to 20%. Moreover, checks show that the quality of even a licensed product does not always meet the approved standards. Therefore, the toxic effect of alcohol on the body in our country may be higher. In addition, studies have proven the positive effect of alcohol on the heart and blood vessels, while other organs remain outside the scope. And in vain, because in the same wine-loving France, the problem of alcoholic liver disease and alcoholic cirrhosis at one time required government intervention.
In Russia, according to Rosstat, as of 2013, 54.5% of all alcohol consumed are strong drinks. But researchers agree that not any alcohol has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, but only dry red wine. At the same time, wine in our country makes up only 13.2% of the alcohol market, with the majority traditionally made up of not so healthy sweet and dessert wines.
In France, the situation is the opposite - strong drinks hold no more than 20% of the market, wine - 62%. Moreover, it has been proven that the antioxidant properties of wine significantly deteriorate during transportation, violation of temperature and light conditions, and excessive use of the preservative sulfur oxide - unfortunately, being away from wine production (even Russian ones) we are faced with all these factors at once.
HEALTH CONCLUSION
Drinking quality alcohol is not a bad thing. Especially if you do it right. We have to learn this. There is an excellent example - since the beginning of the 80s, other northern countries (Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Finland), with the help of government policy and the support of citizens, were able to turn away from the path of northern alcohol consumption (“northern drunkenness”). Consumption of strong drinks has decreased sharply, while consumption of light drinks has increased. Following this, life expectancy soared and mortality from cardiovascular diseases decreased.
This means that we also have a chance.
If you choose a drink, take dry red wine. Remembering that northern peoples have a certain deficiency of the alcoholic enzyme - alcohol dehydrogenase, a bottle for two is a weekend or holiday dose, and a daily dinner can be supported with one glass. Published: September 13, 2021
