Understanding How Alcohol Works in the Body: Effects, Reactions, Safety, and Why You Feel Dizzy After Drinking

Alcohol - Global Consumption and Safety

Alcohol is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Reports suggest that one in three people take alcoholic drink. About 25% of these consumers are women, and 43% are aged 15 and above. Considering the world's population, the number of people that take alcohol amounts to about 2-3 billion globally.

Alcohol is used for many purposes including entertainment, leisure, and even for traditional and religious rites in some cultures. This clearly shows the popularity of alcoholic drinks around the world.

The term "alcohol" has been widely used to mean ethanol containing drinks such as spirits (gin), beer, or wine. Meanwhile, alcohol in its real meaning refers to a wider group of organic compounds which molecule contain one or more hydroxyl groups attached to a carbon atom within an alkyl group. Compounds in this group include ethanol (ethyl alcohol), methanol (methyl alcohol), propanol (isopropyl alcohol) and other unpopular compounds. Some of the compounds with the functional group (R-OH) have almost similar chemical nature which makes them volatile, flammable, colorless, and with characteristic smell.

Ethanol is the only form of alcohol that can be consumed; every other compound in the alcohol family is toxic. Ethanol is safer because it is the only type of alcohol that is metabolizable, and when consumed in moderate amount may not cause immediate damage to the body. This moderate safety of ethanol consumption results from the fact that certain enzymes in the body such as isoenzymes of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) can metabolize it to safer by-products, mainly water and CO2, through a series of chemical processes. Other alcohols are not safely metabolized in the body. Methanol, for instance, turns to formaldehyde and formic acid after metabolism which makes it very poisonous.

How Alcohol Works in the Body - Metabolism, Reaction and Toxicity

The process of alcohol metabolism is complex and involves both oxidative and non-oxidative pathways. During this process powered by enzymes like alcohol dehydrogenase, ethanol is converted to acetaldehyde which is even 30 times more poisonous than ethanol. Therefore, another enzyme, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), has to quickly convert acetaldehyde to acetate, which is much safer. Acetate is then broken down through a set of processes (in the citric acid cycle) to carbon dioxide and water (for safe excretion) and energy generation. Even with this seemingly safe processes, other intermediary by-products (or metabolites) of the alcohol metabolic pathways, such as fatty acid ethyl ester (FAEE), are known to damage the liver.

The toxicity of acetaldehyde as alcohol intermediary

The main problem is that when you drink too much alcohol, the liver becomes overwhelmed, hence, acetaldehyde (which is toxic) can build up in the body as a result of no enough enzyme to break it down. This is worst for those who have aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency (a genetic defect). High acetaldehyde can be enough to cross the blood brain barrier, the brain senses this as a poison (which it is), and stimulates the vomiting center of the brain.

Vomiting after taking alcohol is the brain's defense mechanism to remove the poison from the body. Acetaldehyde also affects the gastrointestinal system and causes inflammation. Acetaldehyde interferes with neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin worsening anxiety. We will focus more on this effect in the next section.

Effect and Health Risks of Alcohol Consumption - What It Really Does to the Body

A. Short-term effects of Alcohol-Why You Feel Dizzy after Getting Drunk

It is a regular occurrence that most people who get drunk lose balance, behave silly and have some form of speech impairment. These common behaviors are collectively how we can easily identify someone that is drunk or taken excess alcoholic drink. The feeling of dizziness or off-balance after alcohol consumption is associated with how alcohol reacts in the body, which affect vital organs in the body such as the central nervous system (CNS), specifically, the brain.

• Effects of alcohol on the brain:

Alcohol is the central nervous system depressant. Therefore, it slows down brain functions. This effect of alcohol is attributed to the fact that it enhances the effectiveness of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a natural chemical produced by the brain to help reduce anxiety  by reducing neuro-transmitters. In addition, alcohol also reduces the effect of glutamate that boosts excitement, just the opposite of what GABA does. The disruption of the natural GABA and glutamate functions is one of the reasons alcohol affects balance coordination, sensory processing, and spatial awareness. The consequence is the victim feeling light-headed, slurred speech, slow to reaction, poor decision-making. and drowsiness (feeling sleepy).

• Effects of alcohol on the inner ear (Loss of balance):

The inner ear plays a vital role in the balancing of the body. This body balance is a function of a section of the middle ear known as semi-circular canal. Semi-circular canal improves balance with the help of some body fluids within the organ known as endolymph, to detect head movement. Alcohol affects how the ear fluid moves, and makes the fluid thinner. The outcome makes the system to miscommunicate with the brain which makes the drunk person to feels like the room or the environment is spinning. A condition known as positional vertigo.

• Vascular dilation:

Alcohol is known to dilate (widen) the blood vessel from normal. This blood vessel dilation lowers the blood pressure. blood carries oxygen which is also supplied to the brain. Therefore, low blood pressure reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain making one to feel a turning eyes (dizziness) or blurred vision, especially if one stands up quickly. This condition is known as orthostatic hypotension.

• Dehydration:

Alcohol makes one to urinate regularly. This can result in losing more water from the water, especially when one does not consume enough water. Dehydration means someone in this condition is losing electrolyte which contain potassium and sodium, ions that play vital roles in the body, even in the functioning of the central nervous system. Yes, sodium and potassium work together as batteries that powers the body, especially on functions like muscle contraction and nerves impulses that controls the feeling of touch and sense. The best solution to dehydration is to drink enough water. You can learn more about how much water you need to drink and other solution to dehydration.

• Low blood sugar:

Alcohol affects the ability of the liver to release glucose to the body. This condition is worst for people who have not eaten which makes taking alcohol in empty stomach a very bad decision. The result of this is mostly the effects on the brain which can cause the body to shake, or even feel weaker.

• Alcohol produces poison causing vomiting:

Alcohol produces acetaldehyde which is toxic to the body. This toxic chemical causes feeling of nausea and vomiting. Also, alcohol irritates the gastric lining (or the stomach wall), which can send signal to the brain that prompts vomiting. This is even worse for people who have alcohol intolerance.

B. Fatal and Long-term Effects of Alcohol

1. Alcohol poisoning as a result of overdose:

Taking alcohol in a very large amount kills. Yes, alcohol is poisonous, the body considers it as such. The whole process of alcohol metabolism is the body's detoxication response. Large amount of alcohol affects the brain reflex system and areas responsible for breathing, heart rate and temperature regulation. The heart rhythm disruption associated electrolytic imbalance as a result of alcohol overdose can result in cardiac arrest or irregular heartbeat (holiday heart syndrome).

Alcohol can block liver from release enough glucose. This can deny the brain enough glucose needed for its functioning a condition known as hypoglycemia. Lack of glucose to the brain can make a person fall into  coma even die. Finally, taking non-beverage alcohol like methanol or propanol, either deliberately or by by mistake is very deadly. This is always common because they all have characteristics close to ethanol making it difficult to differentiate. For instance, in June, 2024, over 50 people died in India after consuming methanol-containing alcohol. A total of 157 people or more, were hospitalized.

2. Liver Cirrhosis and Failure:

The liver is the major organ that removes toxin from the body. It is the liver that produce enzymes responsible for alcohol metabolism and detoxification process of the toxic alcohol intermediary like the acetaldehyde. Consuming alcohol stresses the liver and in the long-term result the build-up of toxins in the liver. This and other alcohol-related complexities are known to result in the cirrhosis of the liver, liver damage, other liver disease or total failure of the liver.

3. Cardiovascular damage:

Long-term alcohol consumption is bad to the heart and the cardiovascular system. Alcohol consumption can result in cardiac arrest, heart attack or stoke, as we discussed earlier. This is because alcohol weakens the heart muscle, and increase risk of blood clot.

4. Alcohol as Carcinogen (Capable of causing cancer):

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classify alcohol as a group 1 carcinogen because of its ability to cause alcohol-induced cell mutation. In fact, it doesn't matter the quantity you drink. Besides, it is known to worsen the risk of digestive, respiratory, liver, breast and throat cancers. The are other lifestyle related practices such as hair treatment that can increase cancer risk beside alcohol.

5. Brain damage:

Alcohol damages the brain tissues and result in brain cells degeneration. This makes people who take alcohol prone to memory loss, brain failure, and dementia. Research also shows that chronic alcohol use can result in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This is a brain disorder associated with vitamin B1 deficiency.

6. Mental health disorder and addiction:

Alcohol is a depressant which in the long-term worsen mental health. Therefore, taking alcohol to forget about your problem worsen depression and anxiety. It also makes you reliant on alcohol. Those who take alcohol in the long-term are at higher risk of having suicidal thoughts, attempting it or getting overdose of alcohol (constantly being drunk).

Is Alcohol Ever Safe or Beneficial? Who is at Risk?

People drink alcohol for many reasons. Some drink because they think it makes them feel better, others think it makes them feel relaxed and forget about their predicament. However, the feeling alcohol brings is a temporary euphoria. This is probably due to its interference with the body's natural processes, such as the brain hormones. There have been several research about the safety of alcohol consumption. Initially, it was found that consuming alcohol in moderate amount could be harmless or even help one overcome some health challenges. But recent report by the WHO shows that even a drop of alcohol is enough to place one at health risk, especially concerning cancer and chronic disease. Therefore, there is nothing safe about drinking alcohol, even if it does  not have immediate effect, it could place one in future danger.

Note: Alcohol affect individual differently based on body weight, gender, genetic, quantity consumed and other factors. However, those who suffer more and are at high risk of dangers associated with alcohol consumption are women, young people, those with mental health condition, and those from family with history of alcoholism.

Conclusion:

The body does not consider alcohol to be a safe substance for consumption. Abstaining from it is the best way to stay safe. However, where that seems impossible, it is good to take precautionary measures to avoid the health risks associated with alcohol consumption. Moreover, if you belong to the group with high risk of alcohol-related health challenges, it is better to abstain. Where there is addiction, you can learn how to beat every kind of addiction or seek medical attention.

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