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Alcohol and Its Effects

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Submitted By tadaa12
Words 1418
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Latasha Garrison
CRN 21305
November 08, 2014
Ian March
Alcohol and its effects

Alcohol is the most commonly used substance used in the US today and is a worldwide problem. 17.6 million, or one in every 12 adults is suffering from abuse of alcohol. Although there are good effects of alcohol if it is consumed in moderation, like reducing the chances of having a heart attack or increase life expectancy; on the other hand there are also bad effects. That includes brain damage; accidental deaths as a result of drunk driving, heart-related diseases such as high blood pressure and cardiomyopathy, liver disease and the increase of unemployment from excessive alcohol drinking. Today alcohol counts for a large percentage of accidents and deaths among people each year and is responsible for half of all accidental deaths and suicides.
It has always been evident that alcohol has an effect on brain function. Alcoholism and binge drinking are the leading cause of death in America, and according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) about two thirds of men and about one half of women in America drink alcohol. And aside from intoxication, drinking alcohol can cause memory loss, seizures, headaches, and blackouts. While all body systems feel the affect of alcohol, the CNS (central nervous system) is particularly sensitive. Science Net Link states alcohol as a depressant of the CNS, that makes nerve cells in the brain less excited causing them to slow down. Science Net Link also points out that alcohol affects our brain’s chemistry as well by altering levels of neurotransmitters, which are the chemical messengers that transmit signals throughout the body to control our thoughts, behavior, and emotions. Dr. George Kruick on Healthline.com states that drinking too much could also alter levels of certain nutrients in the body, which includes

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