Every digestive organ is subject to the negative effects of drunk alcohol systematically, even in the smallest doses. Some people find that drinking a glass of wine before a meal increases appetite and improves digestion. In their opinion, doctors exaggerate the colors and increase the danger posed by alcohol taken before breakfast, lunch or dinner. How is alcohol really reflected “for appetite” on the digestive organs? Studies and experiments of scientists prove that even a small dose of alcohol, drunk systematically, causes significant damage to every organ.
The effect of alcohol on the esophagus
The esophagus is the first place in the path of alcohol entering the body. As a result of the effect of alcohol on the esophagus, its mucous membrane is irritated, motor function is disturbed, as a result of which acidic gastric contents are thrown into the esophagus, under the influence of which esophagitis gradually begins to develop – inflammation of the esophageal mucosa. Esophagitis over time begins to manifest itself as heartburn, pain in the epigastric region. In addition, the disease does not respond well to drug treatment. If, at the same time, a person persists in daily drinking alcohol before meals, this can even lead to the development of esophageal cancer.
The effect of alcohol on the stomach
The delicate mucous membrane of the stomach under the constant influence of alcohol becomes inflamed, the production of mucus is inhibited in it, the production of hydrochloric acid is disrupted, the superficial epithelial cells slough off , as a result hemorrhage may appear. Taking into account these points, alcohol has been used for a long time for experimental purposes for the defeat of experimental gastric ulcers in animals. Alcohol intake is especially contraindicated for people already suffering from gastritis and diseases of stomach and duodenal ulcers. The systematic intake of alcohol for several years leads to the detachment of acid-forming cells of the gastric mucosa, against which a severe form of alcoholic gastritis develops, against which stomach cancer can develop.
The effect of alcohol on the pancreas
Especially the pancreas suffers from alcohol intake “for appetite”, since it practically does not contain enzymes that can resist alcohol. And it may happen that a very short systematic intake of small doses of alcohol will lead to acute pancreatitis due to the large death of pancreatic cells. But even if this does not happen, the daily “drink before lunch” will lead to a decrease in the activity of the pancreas, as a result of which it will produce insufficient amounts of digestive enzymes, which will eventually lead to chronic pancreatitis. For many, as a result, endocrine and pancreatic function suffers: insulin production decreases, which causes the development of diabetes mellitus.
The effect of alcohol on the liver
As you know, the liver is the most sensitive organ to alcohol, since it is in it that the greatest number of destruction of the toxins of this product occurs. According to the studies, cirrhosis of the liver occurs in people who often drink alcohol 7-8 times more often than in non-drinkers, and against the background of alcoholic damage to this organ, liver cancer develops in 60-90% of cases.
In those people who cannot be called alcoholics, but who are considered “cultural drinkers” in the liver cells, fat and protein metabolism is disturbed, which also gradually leads to irreversible changes in this organ and further leads to the development of chronic alcoholic hepatitis.
And in the end, one cannot fail to note the gradual development of alcohol dependence, which is inevitable with the daily intake of alcohol, even in the smallest quantities. The addiction to alcohol in a person occurs so quickly and imperceptibly for a person that in the future it leads to the disease of alcoholism, which poses a serious danger to the physical and mental health of a person.