How Alcohol Affects Your Brain
Alcohol is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substances in the world - understanding the impact of alcohol on the human body, particularly the brain, is crucial for making informed choices about consumption. The sobering truth is that alcohol does have a negative impact on your overall health, including your brain.
How Does Alcohol Begin to Affect the Body Once Consumed?
As alcohol enters the bloodstream it begins affecting your central nervous system automatically. The initial sense of relaxation and euphoria is a result of alcohol's influence on neurotransmitters like gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine. This results in feeling a sense of euphoria or relaxation which is typically the reason why people lean to alcohol after a long day.
The effects of alcohol on the body can be categorized into several stages:
Absorption & Distribution - Alcohol is primarily absorbed in the stomach and small intestine. Once absorbed, alcohol is distributed throughout the body via the bloodstream.
Effects - Once alcohol crosses the blood-brain barrier, it starts to effect the Central Nervous System or CNS. On an empty stomach, alcohol can reach the brain in as little as 1 minute. Alcohol in the brain increases levels of dopamine and sends signals to increase heart rate and blood pressure. Alcohol has depressant-like effect on the CNS leading to changes in mood, behavior and cognitive function.
Metabolizing & Detoxifying - The liver is the primary organ responsible for metabolizing alcohol. It breaks down the compounds so it can leave the body and start to detoxify. According to Mayo Clinic it takes about 25 hours for your body to clear all alcohol out of your system.
How does Alcohol Impact Memory & Day to Day Brain Function?
One of the most significant impacts of alcohol on the brain is its effect on memory and learning. High levels of alcohol can interfere with the formation of new memories and disrupt the ability to recall information. Chronic alcohol abuse may lead to long-term cognitive deficits.
Alcohol can effect both your short-term and long-term memory. According to Healthline “alcohol affects short-term memory by slowing down how nerves communicate with each other”. It goes on to state that heavy alcohol use doesn’t just slow down the brain, but it can damage your ability to make long-term memories.
Vitamin Definicenys & Dehydration Caused by Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol has an impact on our bodies ability to absorb nutrients, metabolize our foods/supplements and makes it harder for our body to perform optimally.
Heavy use of alcohol can cause the following vitamin deficiency’s:
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine)
Thiamine deficiency can lead to memory loss, impaired coordination and confusion.
Viamin B9 (Folate)
Folate deficiency can contribute to anemia, gastrointestinal symptoms and elevated homocysteine levels.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Deficiency in B6 Vitamins can result in neurological symptoms, skin disorders, weakened immune function, inflammation in the body and cognitive impairment.
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
B12 deficiency can lead to cause of anemia and neurological issues such as tingling in the hands and feet and/or balance issues.
Vitamin D
Vitmain D definicey can lead to weakened bones, muscle weakness and pain, impaired immune function, fatigue, mood changes and impaired wound healing.
Calcium & Magnesium
These minerals are essential for bone health and various physiological functions
Zinc
Zinc is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in various physiological functions. Zinc is involved in immune function, wound healing, DNA synthesis and the maintenance of your sense of taste and smell.
Vitamin A
Vitmain A allows the body to maintain vision, supports the immune system, promotes skin health and contributes to normal growth and development. If lacking, Vitamin A Definicey can cause night blindness, dry skin and hair, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections and reproductive issues.
In addition to making your body definicent in essential vitamins and minerals, alcohol causes your body to be dehydrated. Here’s why drinking leads to dehydration:
Inhibits the Release of ADH (Antidiuretic Hromone) & Increases Urine Production
ADH is responsible in regulating your water balance. When drinking, your kidneys excrete more water increasing urine production.
Inhibitis Levels of Aldosterone in the Body
Aldosterone is a hormone responsible for regulating the balance of sodium and potassium in the body. Distruption of this function causes increased sodium excretion in the urine, further contributing to fluid loss.
Disruption of Fluid-Electrolyte Balance
Being dehydrated causes electrolyte imbalance of your essential minerals (sodium, potassium and chloride). Electrolytes are essential for various physiological functions like nerve and muscle functions.
Alcohol causes blood vessels to diliate leading to increased blood flow.
Neurotransmitter Imbalances
Alcohol disrupts the delicate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain. It enhances the inhibitory effects of GABA while suppressing the excitatory effects of glutamate. This imbalance contributes to the sedative effects of alcohol but can also lead to symptoms like slurred speech, impaired coordination, and, in extreme cases, loss of consciousness.
Anxiety & Alcohol
Ever heard of the phrase “hang-xiety”? Feeling anxious after drinking is a very real thing. Here are some reasons why you may be feeling anxious the day after drinking:
Your central nervous system is suppressed
Alcohol slows down the activity in your brain - while this initially promotes a feeling of relaxation, as your blood alcohol levels decrease the CNS rebounds which leads to feeling anxious or agitated.
Dehydration can leave you feeling blue
The root cause of your day after drinking headache may be due to dehydration. Dehydration can present itself as a headache and/or a feeling of unease.
Changes in your neurotransmitters
Alcohol creates an imbalance of GABA and Gluamate as mentioned above - this imbalances contributes to feeling of anxiety.
Mood-swings
Individuals may experience mood swings during or after drinking.
Underlying mental health issues
Having pre-existing anxiety or depression disorders can lead you to be more susceptible to experiencing heightened anxiety after drinking alcohol.
Can Alcohol Lead to Brain Damage or other Brain Diseases?
Prolonged alcohol abuse can result in neurotoxicity, causing damage to nerve cells in the brain. This damage may contribute to conditions such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and alcoholic dementia. Chronic alcoholism has also been linked to a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
