Alcohol’s Effects on the Body: What Does Drinking Do to Your Health?
From the moment someone sips [[alcohol]], it alters neurotransmitters and suppresses activity in the [[brain]], producing relaxation, disinhibition and impaired motor skills, and over time can reduce brain volume. Alcohol and its metabolic byproduct [[acetaldehyde]] act directly on tissues they contact — the [[mouth]], [[throat]] and [[esophagus]] — increasing inflammation, DNA damage and cancer risk. Drinking also affects the [[heart]] and blood vessels, raising blood pressure and contributing to arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, and it can modestly raise the risk of breast cancer in women. In the gut and the [[liver]] alcohol causes inflammation, fat accumulation, fibrosis and, with sustained heavy use, cirrhosis and liver failure; some early damage can reverse if consumption stops. Individual risk depends on amount consumed, genetics, preexisting conditions and overall health.