5 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health

Having an occasional drink or two probably won’t do any serious harm to your body. In fact, studies have shown that enjoying a glass of wine, beer or cocktail now and then can have offer certain health benefits and boost your sex drive.
But drinking on a regular basis or drinking too heavily often can damage your body in a number of ways. These are just a handful of examples showing how alcohol can affect you physically and emotionally.
It Affects Your Brain
Alcohol can have a significant impact on the way your brain functions. This can result in a variety of changes, including moodiness, coordination problems and trouble thinking clearly and making decisions. Even one glass of wine can impair you enough to result in a DUI.
It Hurts Your Heart
Drinking an excessive amount of alcohol can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure or having a stroke. It can also lead to an irregular heartbeat or a condition called cardiomyopathy, which refers to the heart muscle being stretched.
It Damages Your Liver
Regular drinking or binge drinking can do serious damage to your liver. This can lead to several diseases that affect your liver, including cirrhosis, fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and fibrosis. You could even be at risk of suffering from liver failure.
It Weakens Your Immune System
Although drinking alcohol in moderation can actually boost your body’s immune function, too much alcohol can weaken your immune system. This leaves you susceptible to a variety of diseases and infections. Even drinking too much on one occasion makes it harder for your body to fight off these germs.
It Increases Your Risk of Side Effects
If you’re taking certain types of medication or undergoing things like nail fungus treatments or other treatments for infections, drinking alcohol can increase your risk of side effects. Although some side effects are mild, others can be potentially life-threatening.