Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body: An Infographic from addiction blog.org

By Barbara L. Wood, Ph.D. APA-CPP Alcoholism and Other Substance Use Disorders on January 26, 2016 • ( 1 Comment )

Can alcohol really harm me?

Yes.

The consumption of daily amounts of alcohol over a prolonged period of time can significantly take its toll on your physical health and damage the organs. Besides directly harming organs, alcohol can also increase the risk of many other heart-related and liver-related diseases, as well as the risk of different cancers.

Bodily effects of long-term alcohol misuse

People who regularly drink too much alcohol are putting their health at risk. Some of the harmful effects may not be apparent immediately and stay hidden until years later. Here is a list of possible alcohol effects on the body as a side-effect of long-term drinking:

1. Cancer – Alcohol increases the risk of developing many types of cancers, including:

• bowel cancer
• breast cancer
• liver cancer
• mount cancer
• oesophagus cancer
• throat cancer

2. Heart problems – Drinking regularly damages the heart. The condition is called cardiomyopathy or heart muscle damage and can lead to decreased efficiency in pumping blood through the organism. Heart and circulatory system risks, include:

• arrhythmia
• constricted blood vessels
• coronary heart disease
• heart attack
• high blood pressure
• stroke

3. Liver damage – It takes about one (1) hour for the liver to break down one (1) unit of alcohol. Overloading the liver by drinking a lot of alcohol can lead to developing a range of alcoholic liver diseases, such as:

• alcohol-induced cirrhosis
• fatty liver disease
• hepatitis

Negative alcohol effects on the body

Of course, there are many other health implication and physical well-being impairments that are the result of continuous alcohol misuse. Check out our infographic to learn more and ask your questions in the comments section below. We also appreciate your feedback and encourage you to Share the infographic.

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Categories: addiction, alcohol abuse, alcohol related mortality, alcohol use and breast cancer, alcoholism, alcoholism and the brain

Tagged as: addiction and the brain, alcohol effects, alcohol risks, Substance abuse risks, women and alcohol