Everyone knows that alcoholic beverages are harmful, and abuse of them can lead to the development of many diseases.
However, research by scientists has shown that moderate drinking can have a beneficial effect on people's physical and mental health.
Does the body need to drink?
The human body can produce alcohol on its own. It is called endogenous and is mainly produced by the intestine and liver. The productivity is 8-10 grams per day. Alcohol regulates the function of the nervous system, participates in the production of endorphins, participates in the transmission of nerve impulses, and forms a natural psychological defense. In addition, synthetic ethanol increases energy potential and stimulates metabolic processes.
The positive effect of endogenous alcohol on the human body is obvious. However, a large number of experiments conducted by scientists have proved that alcoholic beverages from outside may be beneficial.
Scientist's Views
The beneficial properties of alcohol are a hot topic and still attract the interest of scientists in many countries. They conduct various studies, during which time they study the effects of alcohol on various human systems.
French doctors concluded that alcoholic beverages can normalize the activity of the cardiovascular system. American experts have found that elderly people who sometimes allow themselves to drink a small amount of alcohol rarely encounter frequent age-related phenomena, such as decreased brain activity.
conducted a 40-year experiment in the Netherlands, during which more than 1, 300 people were observed. Therefore, it can be concluded that people who drink at a reasonable dose in their lifetime have a longer life expectancy and lower heart disease mortality.
However, there is another view based on the fact that all the data obtained are only statistical calculation errors. In fact, even small doses of alcohol are harmful.
What is a low-dose dose?
All scientists agree that the benefits of alcohol can only be seen in small doses. However, the norms vary around the world. Therefore, in the United Kingdom, the allowed dose is 8 ml of pure alcohol per day (this is about 18 ml of hard liquor or 40 ml of wine), in the United States, the standard is 14 ml, and in Japan -20.
However, it is strongly recommended not to drink every day. The best frequency is 2-3 times a week
In addition, there is a maximum allowable dose, which is the amount of alcohol that the human body can handle. This indicator depends on many factors, including gender, weight, and health status. For example, a healthy man weighing 70 kg can drink 170 grams of pure alcohol (about 0. 5 liters of vodka) per day. If you continue to abstain from alcohol for at least 8 days, the body will recover from the adverse effects of ethanol.
What are the benefits of drinking in small doses?
The benefits of alcohol are mainly to prevent various diseases. So a small amount of alcohol:
- reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease;
- Reduce the possibility of ischemic stroke;
- Reduce the risk of diabetes.
Important!It is important to remember that, first of all, the benefits of alcohol are only one of the existing opinions, not all experts insist. Secondly, in any case, one cannot rely on the medicinal properties of alcohol and use it as a medicine for existing pathology.
What makes alcohol harmful?
The pros and cons of any product (including alcohol) depend on its chemical composition. Alcoholic beverages are harmful mainly because ethanol is present in absolutely all alcoholic beverages. The biggest danger is not even ethanol itself, but the toxic products during its processing, especially acetaldehyde, which spreads throughout the body and negatively affects all its systems.
In addition, alcohol may be harmful for the following reasons:
- Various chemical additives (taste and aroma enhancers, preservatives, dyes);
- A large amount of carbon dioxide in carbonated drinks;
- Clutter oil in low-quality beverages and counterfeit products
Of course, the damage increases with the increase in the dose.
Reasons to drink alcohol
There are many explanations for why you should drink a little alcohol from time to time. These include the desire to relax and temporarily solve the problem, the desire to support the company, and the desire to be liberated and become more friendly. Naturally, we are now talking about people who drink alcohol from time to time and comply with this standard, not people who are alcohol dependent.
However, in addition to the psychological reasons listed, there are other explanations for the reasons that sometimes require drinking. The most common cause is a lack of any substance in the body.
If a person wants to drink, he does not need to drink, and sometimes he only needs to know what to eat or drink to meet his physical needs.
What if the desire is almost unbearable?
If you have a persistent desire to drink, of course you can take a small amount, but in this case every drink is not worth it. The best solution is to undergo a medical examination to understand what is causing your strong desire to drink.
Temporary measures can be as follows:
- Replace alcohol with other beverages (Kvass, natural juice, milk, green tea);
- Eat something (red meat, honey, salted cheese, cheese, nuts or seeds, egg dishes).
Communications with family and friends, housework, sports, a fun activity, reading, and walking will help distract the thoughts of drinking. If the craving for alcohol persists, it is worth visiting a therapist for professional advice.
If you want to drink, what is missing in your body?
Usually, people will have an inexplicable desire for a certain taste at first glance. Various nutritional abnormalities are very common among pregnant women. For example, many of them prefer chalk. This is due to changes in the body that lead to a lack of certain substances. A similar situation is when you are about to drink alcohol-it is likely that something is missing in your body.
The most common ones are:
- Vitamin B deficiency;
- Iron deficiency;
- Silicon shortage;
- protein deficiency (if vodka is required, this is the most common explanation);
- Micronutrient deficiency (calcium, potassium, sodium).
After determining which vitamins or minerals are lacking, supplement the diet by adding products or vitamin complexes containing vitamins or minerals.
Does low daily intake cause alcoholism?
It is important to remember that over time, even small amounts of alcohol can lead to the development of a psychological habit. Moreover, it does not depend on the strength of the drink. On the contrary, the seemingly harmless low-alcohol beer is more addictive than spirits.
The demand for alcohol will gradually increase, the dosage will begin to increase, and the frequency of drinking will increase. The human body will adapt to the normal intake of ethanol and include it in the metabolic process, which will lead to physical dependence, which is difficult to get rid of.
Is high-quality alcohol harmful to health?
Any alcoholic beverage contains ethanol, so there is a potential health hazard. However, drinking high-quality alcohol is less harmful even if it is unhealthy. This is mainly due to the lack of fusel oils and excessive miscellaneous oils in low-grade beverages. Similarly, due to the low concentration of preservatives and various artificial additives, the negative effects are also small.
Therefore, you can consume high-quality beverages produced by trusted manufacturers in small doses to minimize the toxic effects of alcohol on the body.
Drinking culture
The culture of drinking alcoholic beverages directly affects the impact of drinking alcohol on the human body, because it requires a reasonable method to choose alcohol and consumption process. Enforce regulations to help reduce the negative effects of ethanol. These include, for example, drinking small amounts of alcohol.
Wine
Wine is considered the most beneficial feature of any alcoholic beverage. According to the rules, drink a little bit to enjoy the aroma and various flavors. Must-have snacks selected according to the type of drink
Beer
Real live beer is healthy because of its high vitamin and mineral content. Beer should be drunk after cooling slightly, don't worry. Spicy and salty snacks should be dried fish or meat, cheese, seafood, nuts. It is not recommended to mix beer with other alcohols.
Brandy
High-quality brandy is also known as a healthy alcoholic beverage. The conditions for drinking this high-quality alcohol are very important. They can help you make full use of the delicate aroma and rich taste of the drink.
The brandy should be at room temperature. They sipped. The classic dining option is to enjoy a cup of coffee and cigar after the main meal. It is believed that cognac does not require snacks, but you can consume it with fresh fruits and nuts if you wish.
The risk of drinking
In most cases, regular drinking can lead to alcoholism, which can lead to many diseases. It will definitely affect any organ or system, but the easiest to develop:
- Liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis) and excretory system;
- Cardiovascular disease (cardiomyopathy, heart attack);
- brain diseases;
- Gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, ulcer, pancreatitis);
- Pathology of the reproductive system;
- Mental and neurological diseases
Ethanol can also increase the risk of tumors.
If the body needs to drink alcohol, this is a shocking symptom, indicating that bad habits have become a chronic disease.
Conclusion
Drinking is actually beneficial. However, if there is an existing disease, alcohol should not be used as a medicine. The most important thing is to choose high-quality alcohol instead of over-using alcohol, and remember to follow the dosage to avoid adverse consequences.