Outline the Relationship between Alcohol and Health Status
When considering health status, there are many definitions for what can be considered as good health. According to the World Health Organisation, “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organisation, 1948). Therefore according to the WHO, solely being free from disease does not constitute as being healthy as social, psychological and physiological aspects all fall into this. In this essay I will be reporting on the relationship between alcohol and its effects on health in social, psychological and physiological aspects.
In terms of physiological aspects, alcohol can have positive and negative …show more content…
This dilation means that blood pressure drops as the blood travels to the surface of the skin which is the reason for the characteristic red skin in people who have consumed alcohol. One of the main organs affected after alcohol consumption is the liver. The liver plays the vital role in the body of metabolising the alcohol and other toxins. The ethanol in the alcoholic drink is then broken down to ethanal, which is then subsequently broken down further into ethanoic acid. As the ethanol is broken down, many toxic compounds are formed as intermediates and can attack the liver to cause any disorders of the liver such as general liver disease and cirrhosis. Alcohol in the body also has an effect on kidneys. This is because alcohol acts as a diuretic, inhibiting the secretion of Anti Diuretic Hormone from the pituitary gland, so more urine is produced by the kidneys and excreted which can lead to extreme dehydration if fluid levels are not maintained. (Bee, 2005). Consequently, alcohol can have a negative effect towards health status because of the vast number of biological systems it has an effect upon and the damage shown that it has upon internal organs. However, there are many aspects in which alcohol can be …show more content…
This is because alcohol acts as a stimulant in low doses, but as a depressant in higher doses. Alcohol can even be a cause of many psychological disorders. When a person drinks more than the recommended limit on a regular basis, they could be referred to as a heavy drinker. This begins to cause psychological problems as heavy alcohol use has a direct impact on brain function as it can interfere with neurotransmitter concentrations and functions. The effects of small concentrations of alcohol are more likely to be things such as a sense of euphoria (Shivani, et al., 2002), light-headedness and starting to feel slightly giddy. Some research shows that alcohol can increase creativity in certain individuals. The “sweet spot” that needs to be hit is subject to many individual differences such as gender, weight and individual standards for alcohol tolerance, but, on average it has been found to be around 4 units. Critically, the research also found that going over the “sweet spot” will not only negate the induced creativity, but have the opposite effect in which creativity will be significantly impaired. (Prigg, 2014) However, after looking at the source, there may be validity problems as it came from a politically biased tabloid newspaper based in the UK and may possibly have a vested interest in this research or any products it may be endorsing for advertising revenue. Larger amounts of alcohol, however, can bring on much
When considering health status, there are many definitions for what can be considered as good health. According to the World Health Organisation, “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organisation, 1948). Therefore according to the WHO, solely being free from disease does not constitute as being healthy as social, psychological and physiological aspects all fall into this. In this essay I will be reporting on the relationship between alcohol and its effects on health in social, psychological and physiological aspects.
In terms of physiological aspects, alcohol can have positive and negative …show more content…
This dilation means that blood pressure drops as the blood travels to the surface of the skin which is the reason for the characteristic red skin in people who have consumed alcohol. One of the main organs affected after alcohol consumption is the liver. The liver plays the vital role in the body of metabolising the alcohol and other toxins. The ethanol in the alcoholic drink is then broken down to ethanal, which is then subsequently broken down further into ethanoic acid. As the ethanol is broken down, many toxic compounds are formed as intermediates and can attack the liver to cause any disorders of the liver such as general liver disease and cirrhosis. Alcohol in the body also has an effect on kidneys. This is because alcohol acts as a diuretic, inhibiting the secretion of Anti Diuretic Hormone from the pituitary gland, so more urine is produced by the kidneys and excreted which can lead to extreme dehydration if fluid levels are not maintained. (Bee, 2005). Consequently, alcohol can have a negative effect towards health status because of the vast number of biological systems it has an effect upon and the damage shown that it has upon internal organs. However, there are many aspects in which alcohol can be …show more content…
This is because alcohol acts as a stimulant in low doses, but as a depressant in higher doses. Alcohol can even be a cause of many psychological disorders. When a person drinks more than the recommended limit on a regular basis, they could be referred to as a heavy drinker. This begins to cause psychological problems as heavy alcohol use has a direct impact on brain function as it can interfere with neurotransmitter concentrations and functions. The effects of small concentrations of alcohol are more likely to be things such as a sense of euphoria (Shivani, et al., 2002), light-headedness and starting to feel slightly giddy. Some research shows that alcohol can increase creativity in certain individuals. The “sweet spot” that needs to be hit is subject to many individual differences such as gender, weight and individual standards for alcohol tolerance, but, on average it has been found to be around 4 units. Critically, the research also found that going over the “sweet spot” will not only negate the induced creativity, but have the opposite effect in which creativity will be significantly impaired. (Prigg, 2014) However, after looking at the source, there may be validity problems as it came from a politically biased tabloid newspaper based in the UK and may possibly have a vested interest in this research or any products it may be endorsing for advertising revenue. Larger amounts of alcohol, however, can bring on much