We know that alcohol gives many people a feeling of euphoria and that it affects the brain. In the new studies, scientists are focusing on the areas of the brain that are most likely to be affected by alcohol.

What the study revealed

Researchers say they have identified specific differences in the so-called reward region of the brain that responds to alcohol in mild and severe alcoholism. The study may lead to a better understanding of alcohol dependence and may help develop best treatment for people who abuse alcohol and drugs, doctors say.

In both study groups, drinking alcohol triggered the release of natural opioids known as endorphins in two key areas of the brain associated with processing incoming signals. But heavy drinkers had more endorphins in response to alcohol and reported feeling more intoxicated than light drinkers. Both drank the same amount of alcohol.

The results show that people whose brains released more natural opioids in response to alcohol enjoyed drinking more and were more likely to drink too much and become alcoholics, said researcher Jennifer M. Mitchell, Ph.D., of the University of California. San Francisco. "Higher endorphin production was associated with greater risk of binge drinking," Mitchell says. "We believe this is an important step in understanding how alcohol affects the brain."

Alcoholism and the brain

Mitchell says the findings could lead to improvements to existing treatments for alcohol abuse with the drug naltrexone. It blocks opioid responses and blunts cravings for alcohol in some people. Better understanding of the specific understanding of this process may lead to treatments that better target these reward centers and increased use of naltrexone as a treatment for alcoholism.

The University of California study included 13 people who considered themselves heavy drinkers and 12 people who did not drink. In the experiment, researchers were able to measure the release of opioids in the brain before and immediately after a study in which participants drank the same amount of alcohol.

Alcohol consumption has been found to be associated with the release of opioids in two brain regions—the center accumbens and the orbitofrontal cortex. The study results were published January 11 in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Although the brain's accumbens had previously been linked to opioid regulation, the importance of the orbitofrontal cortex was surprising, comment Mitchell and colleagues.

Raymond F. Anton, M.D., who directs the Drug and Alcohol Center at Medical University South Carolina, says it is likely that there are other, as yet unknown, brain regions associated with addiction.

"It is also likely that alcohol dependence is not a single disease, but that many systems are involved," he says. "People drink various reasons, so a treatment that works for one person may not work for another." Anton is conducting genetic research in hopes of discovering why naltrexone curbs cravings for alcohol in some people and not in others. "We may be able to tell in a few years who and why he doesn’t respond to this drug,” says the doctor.

The 2 most important and interrelated reasons for alcohol abuse lie in the properties of alcohol itself, namely:

· The ability to have a euphoric effect. As a rule, after drinking alcohol, a person’s mood improves and an illusion of well-being is created. It is no coincidence that at all times in the development of human society, alcoholic drinks have been an attribute of holidays.

· Tension-relieving property. Alcohol relieves stress. A person begins to feel that his difficulties and everyday adversities are not so significant. As the dose of alcohol increases, a person completely forgets about his troubles. The need for alcohol in a “dysfunctional society” exists among many categories of people. First of all, these are people who are poorly adapted to society and work under emotional and physical overload.

Urbanization. One of the important reasons for the increase in consumption of alcoholic beverages in the world and in our country is associated with urbanization. Moving rural population to cities has led to the fact that seasonal alcohol consumption, traditionally found in rural areas, is being replaced by situational consumption. At the same time, alcohol consumption becomes more frequent and less controlled. Any city is replete with the availability of places where you can buy alcohol. In the city, unlike in the countryside, you can drink anywhere, with anyone, anytime.

Tolerant attitude to alcohol in society and tradition. Alcohol is different from drugs in a social sense. The attitude in society towards him is tolerant and “lenient” due to established cultural and historical traditions. How older schoolchildren, the less confident they are about the dangers of alcohol for health. Our research also showed that as students get older, they become more tolerant of the sight of drunk people.

Social changes and economic difficulties worsened the moral and moral condition of society. This has led to the fact that today few adults pay attention to a drunk teenager or girl. Walking along a city street with a bottle of beer has become the norm.

Weakening anti-alcohol education. In the 90s of the last century, the education system significantly weakened educational work. In particular, anti-alcohol education has practically ceased in educational institutions. The result is an increase in the number of teenagers detained for drunkenness and for violating moral norms and principles. Recently, the situation has changed and many educational institutions are conducting systematic preventive activities.

Social stress. The so-called “perestroika of 1985” dramatically changed the social situation in our country. For a large part of the population it caused social stress. Similar situation occurs in any country that dramatically changes its socio-economic course. As a result of these changes, many people have practically lost the category of “past” in their understanding. This is due to the fact that in the nineties the media, through the mouths of many politicians and government officials, began to sharply deny and criticize socialism in order to “strengthen their own ratings.” However, a person must have a past: he must know where he is coming from. When there is no past, then we can say that a person’s roots have been cut off.

At the same time, many of their fellow citizens have also lost the category of “future”. A significant part of Russians look to the future with pessimism and do not trust the authorities and officials. The powerful institutions of social support that existed under the USSR have been significantly destroyed. If in past life a person found support in a strong state, now, mainly, he has to rely only on himself. Personal qualities such as self-confidence and independence are not typical for the majority of the population. This increases social stress to a greater extent.

Poverty of the majority of the population. It is known that poverty is one of the reasons for drunkenness. One of the goals of “perestroika” was to increase the “middle class” layer. However, at present this goal has not been achieved and the number of poor people in Russia remains large. Accordingly, these people do not have the opportunity to fully spend their rest and leisure time. As a result, people are turning to inexpensive and in an accessible way pastime - alcohol.

Genetic predisposition. Genetic factors may play a role in the formation of a painful addiction to alcohol. Studies have shown that for children of alcoholics, the risk of becoming alcohol dependent is 4-6 times higher than for children from “healthy” families. There is also a hypothesis that approximately 10–15% of people have a hereditary tendency to abuse alcohol. However, it should be understood that the presence of a hereditary predisposition in itself does not lead to alcoholism, but is only a contributing factor.

There are differences in the motives for drinking alcohol between younger and older people. The most significant of them are presented in Table 2.

Table 2

Motives for drinking alcohol

We see that the drunkenness of young people is associated with the incompleteness of their adaptation to the “adult” world. Drunkenness in adults is caused by stressful situations in life (poverty, overload at work, problems in family life).

Many teenagers drink alcohol to relieve anxiety and anxiety. For example, during a party where there will be strangers and girls. The guy wants to make a good impression, but is worried. Anxiety - normal feeling which we often encounter in everyday life. But some teenagers prefer to cope with this problem through a “glass for courage.” In essence, they are self-medicating.

Most people probably drink alcohol to alleviate affective disorders, to relieve the condition emotional stress, anxiety and uncertainty.

In the formation of a tendency to drink alcohol, three groups of factors can be distinguished that are most conducive to initiation into alcohol:

Alcohol customs of the social microenvironment. We are talking, first of all, about the family and the person’s immediate environment;

Moral immaturity of the individual. Reluctance to study and work, a narrow range of interests, lack of spiritual needs and life prospects;

Neuropsychic instability. Hereditary burden, mental illness, neuroses, character accentuations and psychopathy.

Unfortunately, some adults “accustom” children to alcohol with early age. They offer alcohol to children “for their appetite” or “treat” them with wine. It happens that a child tries alcohol out of curiosity. This motive is mainly characteristic of boys. At an older age, traditional reasons become the motives for introducing alcohol: holidays, family celebrations, the arrival of guests, etc. From the age of 14-15, reasons such as “it was inconvenient to lag behind the guys”, “friends persuaded me”, “for company”, “for courage”, etc. appear.

Research over the past 10 years, conducted in Izhevsk, has revealed changes in the structure of motives for alcohol consumption among schoolchildren. Just 15-20 years ago, the dominant motive of teenagers was: “when your own company gathers.” Indeed, in “Soviet” times, adolescents made their first attempts at alcohol and its further consumption most often in an informal group.

In 2002, a study among high school students in Izhevsk revealed that the predominant motive for alcohol consumption for teenagers was family celebrations.

Our 2008 study also found that it is often adults initiate alcohol testing by children. We believe that such trends reflect a decrease in parental responsibility for the future of their children. The same study found:

26% of students from grades 3 to 5 have experience of “trying out” alcohol;

Samples of alcohol by schoolchildren, compared to samples of tobacco, are more common;

The share of students who have experience of “trying out” alcohol in the 7th grade is 40%.

Features of teenage alcoholism

Alcohol very roughly interferes with the process of formation of an unformed teenage body. We proceed from the fact that any dose is dangerous for a teenager. If a teenager drinks three or four times a month, this is already abuse. Narcologists consider this to be systematic drinking. After all, practical teenage drug addiction has long given a clear gradation: experimental (just tries once or twice), episodic (uses once or twice a month) and systematic use of alcoholic beverages.

We just said that in recent years there has been a trend where family feasts have become the start of teenage alcoholism. In some families, children are allowed to try beer or sweet wine, and thereby teach the child to think that alcohol is tasty.

Teenage alcoholism, unlike adult alcoholism, has a number of characteristic features. Let's highlight the two most important:

Rapid addiction to alcoholic beverages and the development of binge drinking. The peculiarity of teenage alcoholism is that soon after the start of alcohol consumption, it quickly takes the form of abuse. A teenager can become dependent on alcohol immediately after several months of domestic drinking. This is due to the peculiarity of the psyche of adolescents and the fact that alcohol affects the body of a teenager many times more powerfully than on the body of an adult.

Malignant course illnesses. The body of adolescents is at the stage of formation and the resistance of the central nervous system to the effects of alcohol is reduced. For this reason, deep and irreversible processes of its destruction can occur. Alcohol use by teenagers can have disastrous consequences. So, 250-300 grams of vodka can become lethal dose for a teenager. In many cases, 2 years is the period from 1 drink to complete personality collapse.

One more difference between teenage alcoholism should be highlighted. An adult can abuse alcoholic beverages for a long time and this may not affect labor activity And social status. In adolescents, as a rule, social maladaptation first occurs, and then alcohol consumption occurs. Alcoholism, being constituent element deviant behavior begins to develop later.

Another feature of teenage alcoholism is that it greatly weakens self-control. As a rule, an adult is able to control his behavior when slightly intoxicated. However, the “unstable teenage psyche” does not always cope with self-control in a situation of intoxication.

The development of teenage alcoholism is facilitated by parents' attitude towards alcohol. When parental drinking becomes habitual and part of the structure of their behavior, alcoholic attitudes are passed on to their children. In families where they lead healthy image life (hereinafter, healthy lifestyle), the average age of first acquaintance with alcoholic beverages is 12-15 years, and in “alcoholized” families - from 9 to 12 years.

Biological studies have proven that alcoholism itself is not genetically transmitted, only the tendency to it is transmitted. Naturally, the bad examples of parents and the situation of drunkenness in the family play a decisive role here.

What attracts teenagers to alcohol is the state of intoxication. It feels like a surge of strength, a feeling of contentment, comfort and an improvement in mood. For some, intoxication occurs with elements of foolishness. At this level of intoxication, there is no significant alcohol intoxication and no significant loss of self-control. As a rule, no one scolds for minor deviations in behavior and in this state the teenager does not end up in the police station. He develops the belief that this is a completely natural and natural phenomenon in life, and he continues to drink alcohol. And only in cases where obvious alcoholism develops, parents and the public begin to pay attention to this and resort to medical help.

Most teenagers experience disgust or indifference when drinking alcohol for the first time, and only 24% enjoy it. After the first “drink,” as a rule, no symptoms of alcohol intoxication are observed. The further development of alcoholism largely depends on the attitude towards alcohol consumption of people who surround the teenager. If others offer a drink, insist on it, approve and set an example, it can be difficult for a teenager to resist. In order not to appear weak, he may agree to drink alcohol. The habit of drinking develops easily because no special skill in drinking alcohol is required - this is the most normal operation liquid absorption. Over time, the "relaxing properties" of alcohol may become more attractive.

Most often, teenagers drink alcohol in a group. A.V. Gogoleva believes that alcoholism among adolescents is initially group in nature. Her argument is that you hardly see teenagers drinking alcohol alone. One of the most likely and shortcuts development of alcoholism in a teenager - participation in an antisocial group.

There is a point of view that early alcoholism indicates the initial psychopathic nature of adolescents. It is justified by the fact that more often early alcoholism is formed by unstable psychopaths.

In adolescents, as well as in adults, during the development of alcoholism, withdrawal syndrome. In adolescents, it develops 1-3 years after the start of systematic drinking.

Stages of teenage alcoholism

There are different approaches to identifying the stages of teenage alcoholism. We settled on one of the simplest from the point of view of “understandability of terms”.

1) Introduction to alcohol;

2) Regular use;

3) Stage of “obsession”;

4) Physical need.

Stage of acquaintance with alcohol. When teenagers first become acquainted with alcohol, they notice that it has the ability to “lift their spirits.” However, this option also happens: feeling unwell or headache in the morning. Negative experiences can wean you off alcohol, but most people manage to experience the pleasure of drinking after the first few tries. This increases the desire to continue drinking. Many of the teenagers move on to the next stage of use.

Regular use stage. Teenagers who drink alcohol prefer to drink for any reason. They know how they will feel after drinking. Therefore, they are able to regulate the amount and duration of drinking. Teenagers differ from regularly drinking adults in that they are more likely to get drunk. They usually drink too much, having five or more drinks in a row. In addition, their body is weaker than adults.

Obsession stage" This stage of alcohol addiction in adolescents is accompanied by persistent thoughts about drinking. They periodically have obsessive thoughts about alcohol. During the dating and regular drinking stages, teenagers drink to experience pleasurable sensations. At the third stage, the teenager begins to drink in order to eliminate or muffle discomfort. At the same time, a teenager may justify his behavior by saying that he has some problems (for example, with his parents). But in fact, he is trying to cope with negative emotions with the help of alcohol.

At this stage, teenagers begin to lose control of themselves. Often their whole life begins to revolve around parties. They can boast that they know how to drink. They develop physical tolerance to the effects of alcohol. Due to this endurance, they require more alcohol to achieve relaxation. This is the main sign warning of the further development of alcoholism.

Stage of physical need. In fact, this is the stage of alcohol dependence and self-control is completely lost. At this time, the teenager experiences withdrawal symptoms.

Sometimes teenagers can behave in exactly the same way as people who regularly drink alcohol. At the same time, they make considerable efforts to create such an impression. This way they can prove to their parents and friends that they don’t have any problems. However, the key point is that a teenager with alcohol addiction is not able to firmly predict either the duration of this binge, or its results, or the amount of alcohol that will be drunk.

The main driving motive at this stage is self-medication. A teenager with an alcohol addiction does not get any pleasure from drinking. The most he gets is short periods of physical and emotional relief from suffering. The reason that pushes one to drink is an attempt to find normal well-being.

2.5. ADDICTION

Drug use as a teenage problem

The use of tobacco and alcohol is widespread in our country. Drug addiction is a relatively new social phenomenon that we have yet to learn to overcome.

Over the past 20 years, Russia has seen a rapid increase in drug use. At the same time, the number of drug addicts among teenagers is growing rapidly. The growth of drug addiction among schoolchildren and students is especially alarming. It has grown 6-8 times in recent years.

Teenage drug addiction has become an epidemic in the last 20 years and poses a threat to national security. The share of young people (14-30 years old) among drug users is 70-80%. According to experts, each drug addict “infects” more than 10 people a year. As a rule, “at-risk” teenagers are among those newly involved in drug addiction.

The drug situation in the Urals region is similar to the processes taking place in the field of drug addiction throughout the country. According to one study, 9% of the population of Udmurtia has ever tried drugs. Among high school students in Izhevsk, 15% of boys and 6% of girls have experience of using drugs. The peak of drug use “falls” among 9th grade students. Another study on SD on a sample of 511 adolescents from 14 to 18 years old suggests that the prevalence of drug use (both single acquaintance and episodic use) is 26.7% among boys and 10% among girls.

General trends in drug addiction in Russia

Dramatic rejuvenation of drug users. Currently, the age at which a person starts taking drugs has a steady downward trend. Teenagers try drugs for the first time and then become involved in drug addiction from the age of 12-16. The average age of initiation into drugs is 13-14 years.

Increase in the number of crimes related to drug trafficking. The majority of crimes in the field of drug trafficking are committed by persons aged 14 to 30 years. According to expert estimates, their share in total number persons who committed crimes in the field of drug trafficking is more than 70%. . In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in such crimes. The number of crimes related to drug trafficking has increased 15 times over 10 years.

Expanding the range of drugs consumed.

Increasing trend of heroin use. In the structure of drug use, the “hard” drug heroin begins to take first place. It is known that heroin addiction occurs very quickly. It may appear immediately after the first injection.

The rise in drug use is leading to numerous threats on a national scale. One of the biggest threats is the degeneration of the nation. Mortality from drugs in Russia has increased 12 times over ten years, among children – 42 times.

Over the past 15-20 years, the state has changed its attitude towards drug addiction prevention. In particular, the Government of the Russian Federation is implementing various targeted programs aimed at combating drug abuse.

In 2002, the State Committee for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking was created. This body ensures the implementation of legislation in the field of combating drug trafficking on the territory of the Russian Federation. Currently, the main task in the field of drug addiction prevention is to unite the efforts of various departments and organizations in the direction of reducing the level of drug addiction.

Aspects of drug addiction

Drug addiction is a multidimensional phenomenon. As we have already noted, this sociobiopsychic disease. It carries a lot negative consequences the individual and society. Main aspects of drug addiction: medical, social, law enforcement. Let us briefly describe the essence of these and some other aspects of drug addiction.

Medical. Drug addiction is a difficult to treat disease. It is characterized by the formation of mental and physical dependence. Most drug addicts return to drug use after treatment.

On initial stage treatment, the Federal Law is removed. However, curing PZ is a very complex and lengthy matter. A former drug addict remains “sober” only if he regularly engages in internal work over oneself and spiritual self-improvement.

Social. The social aspect is associated with causing damage to the surrounding society. Public attitude to drug addiction today in the overwhelming majority of cases is characterized as clearly negative and rejecting. Drug addicts usually group together and form a “drug culture.” They have their own way of life, values ​​and attitudes. This subculture, drawing young people into its orbit, acts as a powerful factor in drug addiction.

Law enforcement. It is known that drug addiction is accompanied by such phenomena as theft, murder and other illegal acts. According to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the illegal manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation, forwarding or sale of narcotic and psychotropic substances is considered a crime against public health and public morality.

Economic. The drug business siphons large amounts of money away from taxes. The state also spends huge amounts of money on drug treatment and prevention.

Demographic. Mostly young men are involved in the illegal systematic use of drugs. This leads to the destruction of gender-role behavior and the extinction of sexual instincts. Drug addiction leads to a decrease in the birth rate, an increase in the number of single women and single-parent families.

Moral. Most drug addicts are characterized by immorality and loss of human values. As a result of drug addiction, the moral basis for regulating behavior is violated. Behavior becomes aimed exclusively at satisfying the need for drugs.

Psychological. There are psychological factors that determine the nature of a person’s individual reactions young man on the effect and choice of drug. Some experts put impulsive character first. They classify drug addiction as an impulsive neuroses. It turns out that drug addiction is a unique expression of the disordered personality and its inability to adapt to the world around it.

Political. From a purely medical problem, youth drug addiction has turned into a problem on a national scale, gradually acquiring the status of the main threat to the country's security. The scale of the problem was not lost on various politicians and political parties using speculation on this topic to solve their problems.

Drugs and their types

Every country has an official list of drugs approved by the government. Citizens involved in the storage and distribution of drugs, inducing other people to use them, as well as maliciously avoiding treatment for addiction are subject to criminal liability.

There are different classifications of drugs. We will focus on the one based on the way the drug acts on the central nervous system. According to this typology, there are: psychostimulants and depressants. Psychostimulants excite the nervous system, and psychodepressants inhibit the activity of nerve cells.

TO psychostimulants, in other words, many substances are classified as stimulants. For example, cocaine and ephedrone.

Psychodepressants- sedatives. These include sleeping pills, barbiturates, phenobarbital, tazepam, marijuana, etc.

Separately, outside the classification, we can distinguish the group hallucinogens. They can be both depressants and psychostimulants. Hallucinogens are substances that causing disturbance visual perception– hallucinations. Hallucinogens include: marijuana, mushrooms, LSD, mescaline, cyclodol.

Amphetamine– synthetic stimulant. Crystalline white or yellow powder, bitter in taste. Usually taken in tablet form. For 3-4 hours it causes a surge of energy, suppresses feelings of fatigue and hunger. Negative effects are possible - restlessness, anxiety, even panic, as well as hallucinations.

Pervitin(another name for screw, jeff) is a synthetic stimulant derived from ephedrone. Directions for use: tablets, vapor inhalation, intravenously.

Barbiturates- sleeping pills. By their mode of action on the nervous system they are depressants. Can be very dangerous due to both overdose and simultaneous use with alcohol.

Cocaine– stimulant. White powder, easily soluble in water. When consumed (usually inhaled through the nose), it causes a surge of energy, eliminates feelings of fatigue and pain. In case of an overdose, it causes anxiety, even panic.

Crack– small pieces of cocaine for smoking.

LSD– tasteless white powder, soluble in water. Sold in capsule, powder, and even stamps with colorful images. Hallucinogen.

Tranquilizers- a group of sedative drugs. Dangerous in overdose or when used in combination with other surfactants, especially alcohol.

Ecstasy is a psychostimulant in tablet form. This is a so-called “disco” psychostimulant, prohibited by law. Taking ecstasy causes a person to hallucinate and have a need to constantly move.

« Mushrooms" - hallucinogen. We are talking about some types of ordinary mushrooms. The particular danger of “mushrooms” is that they are often confused with poisonous species, the consumption of which leads to severe poisoning or death.

What dangers do alcoholic drinks pose? Much has been said in medical publications about the dangers of alcohol for human body- We will not repeat these arguments here. This article will discuss the issue of addiction to alcohol at a level.

People have been drinking alcoholic beverages since ancient times. The ancient Egyptians were already able to produce beer and wine on an industrial scale; cognac was known to the inhabitants of the state of Urartu 2500 years ago. Why are alcoholic drinks attractive to humans? The fact is that bipedal erect walkers, who have the ability for abstract thinking, enjoy the state of altered consciousness. This is the human psyche, nothing
it can't be helped. At all times, plants, mushrooms and minerals, prepared in a special way, were used for this. Initially, the change in consciousness was used for religious purposes - priests and shamans believed that in this way they entered the world of gods or spirits and received revelations. Gradually, other members of society began to actively participate in the “sacred fun” - from kings to commoners.

The popularity of substances that disrupt brain function is determined primarily by their availability. Thus, in countries where a special species grows in large quantities, smoking is common, and the Indians of South America chew coca leaves (). But alcoholic drinks are easily available all over the planet, since their production does not require large expenses and is even possible from almost any available plant material.

But that's not what we're talking about here. Alcohol is much more insidious than others. Accustoming to alcohol occurs so slowly that the person himself does not notice it. If they say about a person that he is a “moderate drinker,” one should already sound the alarm! This means that the person is accustomed to alcohol. And the moment is not far off when he will not be able to do without it at all. Yes, exactly that

get used to alcohol for years, and that is its danger!

For clarity, we will divide the process of addiction to alcohol into stages. Then we will consider the external signs of each stage. There is only one way out, regardless of the stage of addiction to alcohol - stop drinking as soon as possible! Lies in literature, media and the Internet that alcohol is not large doses useful, lobbied by the companies producing these products! Even in small doses, alcohol kills cells in your brain, liver, pancreas, promotes the formation of red blood cell clots in the capillaries - in general, nothing good.

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So, the process of getting used to alcohol:

First stage addiction to alcohol. Wine seems tasteless to you, beer tastes bitter and disgusting, vodka burns your mouth and begs to be returned. You can be congratulated on the fact that you either have a physical intolerance to alcohol or have simply never tried it. And don't start!

Second stage addiction to alcohol. You enjoy drinking light drinks in small quantities (beer, wine, champagne, etc.) Vodka still asks for it back. Although, having made an effort on yourself and inspired by the encouragement of more experienced friends, you push 50-100 grams of this poison inside. After which your mind goes completely crazy, and before going to bed you run to vomit in the toilet. In this case, you do not yet have the habit of drinking alcohol; it is still very easy to quit drinking: you just need to show some fortitude several times amid the cries of “drink to the bottom!” and questions like “why don’t you respect us?” They will get used to the fact that you don’t drink, and they won’t pester you anymore. I assure you, relationships with friends will not deteriorate from this (if they are real friends). And it’s not a pity to lose the fake ones.

Third stage addiction to alcohol. You begin to prefer vodka to other drinks - they no longer “involve”. You consider champagne as soda, wine as fruit juice, and you drink beer simply as a cool drink in the heat. You can drink 0.5 - 1.0 liters per evening. vodka with a good snack and dancing. After which your friends bring you to your home in the form of a vegetable, place you on the threshold and, after apologizing to your wife (husband), tactfully disappear. The next morning you safely greet an animal named Hangover. This happens 1-3 times a year on major holidays. They say about you that you are a “teetotal drinker.” Immediately use the above method to get rid of addiction. Although it will be much more difficult to do this, because you already like drinking.
In principle, the vast majority of people stop at this stage and all of them live safely into old age. But here we are faced with the habit of “relieving stress” with the help of alcohol after any exciting events. This is where the danger of moving to the next stage lies.

Fourth stage addiction to alcohol. Now you don't need a reason to drink. This way you relieve any stress. You are sincerely upset that you can’t have a drink tonight, because tomorrow you’ll be driving. For nirvana, you don't need company and a sumptuous snack - just a mirror and leftovers from lunch. Every day you drink 200 - 300 g of vodka. You begin to hide part of your salary from your wife (husband) and rummage through the children's piggy banks. If there is no vodka, you experience internal discomfort, nervousness, and a “sick feeling in the pit of your stomach.” You don't get a hangover in the morning, and you don't need "medicine." You haven’t skipped work yet, and you haven’t used drugs at work yet. You can drink 1.5 liters at a party. vodka and walk home on your own. In a state of intoxication (which comes on much more slowly), you either love the whole world, or are aggressive towards everything that blinks in your direction. Congratulations, you are now an alcoholic. And although those around you say that you are a “moderate drinker,” urgently encode using the Dovzhenko method, it’s not too late. Shaman sorcerers will not help, nor will the wife’s (husband’s) hysterics. By the way, a glass of milk and a hearty meal help overcome the desire to drink.
At this stage, you can also stop and, at the very least, live the rest of your life until hypertension, diabetes, stomach ulcers, heart attack, stroke or liver cirrhosis knock on your door.

Fifth stage addiction to alcohol called "life". From here there is no turning back. At the fifth stage, as a rule, emotionally unbalanced people find themselves
with low self-esteem, who do not know how to give and receive love to others. At the fifth stage, withdrawal symptoms after heavy evening libations are “cured” in the morning with even more alcohol. And “treatment” again turns into banality. A person is drunk continuously for weeks or even months. Then the money runs out, enlightenment sets in, vows are made never to drink again. A month or two later, everything repeats itself. You now don’t give a damn about your appearance, about the fact that you were kicked out of work, about the fact that instead of a wife (husband) and children, homeless individuals with red and blue swollen faces are now hanging around in the apartment - like two peas in a pod like you. You are now worried about one question in life: where to get booze or money for it? The car, equipment and furniture have long been soaked. The last of the dishes are being drunk away. At bus stops, passers-by with disgusted pity shove change into your shaking, outstretched hand. Former friends avoid you a mile away. Only your old mother still brings you food and money for drinks. If there is no money, he gets a black eye. Now you don’t care what to drink, and you buy industrial alcohol or ink moonshine from Baba Mani from the neighboring house for 30 rubles. per liter You can get out of here only through serious treatment in a hospital and an attempt to start life anew in another city. But will the stupid animal you have turned into have enough will and courage to do this?
From the fifth stage they automatically slide down to the sixth.

At the sixth stage addiction to alcohol, people don’t stay long - they go to another world.

At the sixth stage addiction to alcohol, you cannot eat - the scorched stomach does not accept food. You have difficulty moving on semi-paralyzed legs (the vestibular apparatus malfunctions) from bed to table and back. You drink not because you want to, but because without vodka you experience painful withdrawal symptoms. You're peeing
blood, vomit black bile and often lose consciousness. You regularly chase pink elephants from under your bed, and send aliens and devils down the stairs. You don't recognize yourself in the mirror. IN

Every now and then you can hear the statement that moderate alcohol consumption is good for health. How true is this, and how moderate should drinking be?

The statement is generally true, but, as we know, the devil is in the details. The great physician of the late Middle Ages, Paracelsus (real name: Phillip Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim) wrote, “Only the dose makes a substance a poison or a medicine.” When talking about doses, you should first of all keep in mind the composition alcoholic drink, secondly, the speed of development of addiction.

What is moderate drinking?

In terms of pure ethanol toxicity threshold(that is, the dose at which organ damage begins) for the liver is 90 g per day, for the brain - 19 g per day. This refers to a person of the white race with a healthy liver, kidneys and brain, and a body weight of 70 kg.

But it’s not difficult to calculate that 90 grams of pure alcohol is contained in a glass of vodka. If you imagine a person who drinks a glass of vodka every day, then if he has a hereditary predisposition, he will develop alcohol dependence in six to eight months, and in the absence of a hereditary predisposition, in three years. Not to mention that after a couple of months the dose of alcohol will constantly increase. World organization Health Care (WHO) believes that weekly consumption of strong (more than 25 vol.% ethanol) alcoholic beverages in quantities of more than 150 ml is sufficient for the formation of alcohol dependence.

If a person has suffered viral hepatitis(except for hepatitis A), or has other chronic liver diseases, then the safe dose for the liver during the period without exacerbation is reduced by two to three times. This depends on the volume of the affected part of the organ and the nature of the process. The nature of the process and the extent of the lesion can only be assessed individually.

Does alcohol harm the brain?

As for the brain, then daily use strong alcoholic drinks lead to decreased intelligence. True, for many years such a decline concerns mainly the ability to assimilate new knowledge and is revealed only with the help of special tests. The effect of drinking on intelligence increases in the presence of neurological problems (epilepsy, serious head injuries, neuroinfections, etc.).

There is a lot of talk about how alcohol damages brain cells. It gets to the point that some propagandists allow themselves to use the expression “a drunk person urinates his own brain the next morning.” In fact, almost all substances capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (i.e. glial cells) do so by dissolving their cell membranes, and are even more likely to do so in less resilient neurons. Another issue is that “neuron dissolution” should not be thought of as like dissolving a lump of sugar in tea. We are talking about the loss of a significant part of the cell membrane by the neuron, after which it occurs apoptosis (programmed death)- a rather complex mechanism. The main thing is that in this case, all substances that are normally located on the other side of the cell membrane pass into the brain environment, and before they are absorbed by glial cells, they exert their biological effect. In particular, the death of neurons is accompanied by the release of endogenous opiates (internal analogues of morphine, heroin, and the like) of the enkephalin class. Normally, endogenous opiates are intended to combat pain and promote biologically beneficial behavior, and their increased release during drinking is one of the important psychophysiological factors in the development of alcohol dependence.

Another phenomenon of “brain dissolution” can be considered loss of synaptic contacts between neurons - one can conventionally imagine that the processes of neurons are straightened out in a lyophilized medium like noodles from a briquette in a pan or plate. Many other anesthetic substances have a similar effect on the brain - diethyl ether, fluorothane, cyclopropane (note that they are all strong organic solvents).

Some teenagers achieve a narcotic effect by inhaling organic solvents such as acetone, gasoline, glue, etc. Strictly speaking, if ethanol could not dissolve the brain, then it would not have its narcotic effect in the form we know.

How different peoples tolerate alcohol

It should also be borne in mind that in darker-skinned and dark-haired Caucasians (Mongoloids are a separate issue), addiction with regular alcohol consumption develops much more slowly than in light-skinned and fair-haired people. This is due to the fact that dark-skinned and dark-skinned people carry the genes of peoples of southern origin.

Peoples of southern origin were formed in conditions of eating large quantities of fruits and berries containing a lot of glucose, grape acid, fiber and pectin. In the large intestine, these components also undergo alcoholic fermentation, so the body has been adapted to microdoses of ethanol for many generations. Light-skinned and fair-haired people carry the genes of northern peoples, who evolutionarily consumed animal foods and vegetables that produce predominantly lactic acid fermentation. For northerners, ethanol turns out to be a xenobiotic (foreign substance), and addiction to it is formed through other mechanisms, very similar to addiction to other weak poisons.

About the benefits of wine

Main benefits of alcoholic drinks comes, of course, from dry red wine. Dry wine is a fermentation product of grapes (fruit and berry wines are not wines in the strict sense), in which all the sugar contained in the grapes is fermented by microorganisms into alcohol. The one and only sugar that is naturally found in the grapes is fermented. Therefore, the ethanol content in dry wines, as a rule, does not exceed 13%. The health benefits come primarily from the powerful antioxidant resveratrol contained in dry red wine. Resveratrol helps lower cholesterol and is also 10-20 times stronger than vitamin E as an antioxidant. Dry red wine contains approximately 3 times more resveratrol than grape juice from the same grape varieties. For reference: antioxidants are substances that can neutralize the so-called. active radicals, which are constantly formed in the body and are considered the main factor of aging. Also, dry red wine contains a number of valuable microelements, for example, rubidium, which has a calming, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect. It should be borne in mind that an excess of rubidium is more harmful to the body than its deficiency, so daily consumption of dry red in large quantities will not bring any benefit. Healthy dose dry red wine - three glasses (approximately 450 ml) per week.

About the benefits of beer

Another alcoholic drink that can be said to be capable of providing health benefits is beer. We are talking primarily about unpasteurized, so-called “live” beer, which prevailed in the country 20 years ago, and is now a rarity. Beer contains yeast products, including B vitamins, though in quantities that do not satisfy the daily requirement; zinc, which is a valuable microelement necessary for the synthesis of insulin. The condition of the skin and reproductive system. Hops components - natural analogues of tranquilizers of the benzodiazepine group - have a calming effect, especially in combination with phytoestrogens, plant analogues of female sex hormones of the follicular phase. The limit for a healthy dose of beer is approximately 600 ml per day. However, daily consumption of beer for several years leads to the formation of addiction in fair-skinned, light-eyed, fair-haired people, including due to the content of tranquilizers. Beer addiction develops more unnoticed and is more difficult to recover from compared to “pure” alcohol addiction, which developed, for example, as a result of an addiction to vodka.

Hermesis effect

Regarding other alcoholic drinks, we can say that the benefits of their moderate consumption are: effect so-called hermesis- mobilizing reaction of the body to harmful effects in a small dose.

How not to harm your health with alcohol

What is better for your health: drinking less often or drinking more moderately? Is there any limit at all beyond which the benefits of alcohol outweigh the harm?

For fair-haired, light-skinned, light-eyed people of European descent, if they do not want to give up alcohol, it is better to drink less often (in the mode of short-term drinking). Less often - this is no more than once a month, which is associated with the danger of rapid development of addiction with regular alcohol consumption. For dark-skinned, dark-haired, dark-eyed people, the drinking regimen is not of fundamental importance, provided that the doses in terms of ethanol are observed.

As a rough guide, a standard bottle of vodka contains 240 grams of ethanol. Organism healthy person cannot metabolize it in quantities of more than 170 g per day. One day of drinking alcohol to restore the liver should be alternated with eight days of abstinence. Thus, the “acceptable” dose per month will be (31/(1+8))*170 (g) in terms of ethanol, that is, 586 grams or three bottles of vodka.

Alcohol and radiation

Is it true that alcohol protects against radiation? For example, after Chernobyl there were stories about how vodka was used to treat radiation sickness. Is this true?

Alcohol is an antioxidant. When the body is irradiated, active radicals are formed that damage cells.

Antioxidants neutralize active radicals. Therefore, while alcohol has not oxidized, it has an anti-radiation effect to some extent. The oxidation products of alcohol themselves have a damaging effect similar to the action of active radicals. Treat with vodka for already occurring radiation sickness It won’t work (except symptomatically). That is, vodka prevention of radiation sickness may look like this: drink a glass - and forward, through the radiation zone. And at the exit - immediately under an IV.

Rather, before exposure to ionizing radiation, it makes sense to consume dry red wine prophylactically; it is a much more reliable antioxidant

The effect of alcohol on the psyche

Many people are familiar with the feeling that after a good drinking session the soul feels good. For many, alcohol helps, as psychologists say, to socialize. Is there any measurable positive effect that alcohol has on the psyche, from a biochemical point of view?

Let's clarify - not after a drinking session, but during a drinking session, and for a short time (up to 2 hours) after taking the last dose of alcohol.

An improvement in mood, a feeling of euphoria or even bliss is influenced, on the one hand, by an increase in the content of morphine-like substances in the blood and brain, and on the other hand, by an increase in the synthesis and action of intracerebral dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for mood, performance and vascular tone. Morphine-like substances, or endogenous opiates, are released from brain neurons dissolved by alcohol, and the increase in dopamine synthesis is due to a complex mechanism associated with the effect of ethanol on the formation and conduction of nerve impulses from and to the synthesis regulation centers.

The assistance of alcohol in socialization is explained by the predominant inhibition of the cerebral cortex compared to subcortical formations. The cerebral cortex is responsible for conscious human behavior, incl. in terms of social and individual prohibitions. In cases where such prohibitions themselves are pathological character, drinking alcohol allows you to overcome shyness, unsociability, and timidity. As the dose increases, inhibition of the cortex leads to the blocking of socially important prohibitions, and in this state, people, firstly, manifest their subconscious aspirations, and secondly, they begin to, as they say, “weird.” The dose for such a transition is individual and depends on the state of health and drinking experience.

Alcohol and sex: the effect of alcohol on erection and potency

It has been observed that alcohol promotes erection. In general, do you think drinking alcohol before sex affects intimate relationships?

Mechanism sustainable erections when intoxicated, it is associated with the intracerebral action of dopamine, serotonin and opiates, which are the central mediators of erection. In addition, the late onset of ejaculation or even “deadness” is influenced by the action of serotonin and dopamine on the nuclei lumbar region spinal cord. Currently in andrology for the treatment of premature ejaculation Some antidepressants are used, in particular sertraline, which inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and thus prolongs its action. Alcohol is to some extent its functional analogue. In addition to its direct effect, alcohol has an indirect effect on sexuality through the psyche, in particular by inhibiting the activity of the temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex. IN normal conditions increased activity of the temporal lobes suppresses sexuality.

It should be noted that alcohol should not be considered as a means of improving potency. Over time, the effect of its increased doses on sexuality changes to the opposite, that is, it leads to a deterioration in both libido and erection. This is due to the fact that both pro- and anti-erectile serotonin receptors are present at all levels of the central nervous system. Thus, stimulation of serotonin receptors type 1C causes an erection, and receptors types 1A and 2 inhibit it and promote early ejaculation. Similar relationships exist between a1- and a2-adrenergic receptors, m- and k-opioid receptors. Excitation of a1 and k receptors stimulates sexual behavior, while activation of a2 and m receptors has the opposite effect. With systematic alcohol consumption, more often working (erectile) receptors lose sensitivity, but less often working (anti-erectile) receptors do not. Therefore, before sex, women should tell men over 35 years old: “Just don’t drink anymore, otherwise we won’t succeed.”

What medications does alcohol not combine with?

Each apartment has a first aid kit, where next to the adhesive plaster and iodine there are medications familiar to everyone - aspirin, analgin, activated carbon, No-shpa and others. We are used to swallowing them without reading the instructions and for any reason. Which of these “habitual set” cannot be combined with alcohol?

Aspirin ( acetylsalicylic acid) complexly modifies the effects when taken with alcohol. Thus, in relation to pain, inflammation and fever, the effect of aspirin against the background of alcohol is enhanced. At the same time, at the level capillary network these substances turn out to be antagonists - alcohol creates microaggregates from red blood cells, and aspirin acts as a disaggregant. In terms of irritating effects on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, especially in people with the first and second blood groups, aspirin and alcohol also enhance each other.

Analgin (metamizole) enhances the anti-inflammatory effect when taking alcohol, but at the same time the danger of the toxic effect of analgin on the bone marrow increases.

Activated carbon Combines with alcohol without serious consequences.

"No-shpa" (drotaverine) reduces the absorption of alcohol, but together with alcohol already in the blood, enhances the relaxing effect on smooth muscles. The antidepressant effect of alcohol in the presence of drotaverine decreases.

Taking alcohol and paracetamol-based drugs is definitely incompatible(for example, Panadol, Fervex, Coldrex) - due to a significant increase in toxic effects on the liver and nervous system.

You should not drink alcohol when treating with any fluoroquinolone antibiotics (nolicin, ciprolet, etc.), since there is a danger of severe depression of the central nervous system, up to coma.

Alcohol is also incompatible with antiprotozoal and antifungal drugs - imidazole derivatives. These include metronidazole (trichopolum), ornidazole, clotrimazole and others. The combined use of such drugs with alcohol leads to a condition that can be described as “tomorrow’s hangover today.”

Alcohol enhances the effect of antihistamines, including in part side effects . On the other hand, the side depressive effect antihistamines decreases with alcohol.

Tranquilizers, sleeping pills, blood pressure medications enhance their direct effect, but become more toxic, primarily in relation to the central nervous system.

What not to snack on

Are there any dishes that are highly undesirable to eat with strong drinks?

There are such dishes. For example, puffer fish (tetrodont) - its effect on the body when drinking alcohol can change, even leading to death. Of the less exotic dishes - all very fatty and very spicy dishes for people suffering from diseases of the pancreas, gall bladder and biliary tract. In such patients, the corresponding snack can cause pancreatic necrosis, a severe and most often fatal lesion of the pancreas.

It is also extremely undesirable to snack on alcohol with mushrooms - this can cause colorful, but most often frightening hallucinations.

Is it possible to warm up with alcohol? Alcohol and colds

Alcohol and hypothermia

There is a widespread belief that it is good to drink a glass from the cold “to warm up.” Does this really help overcome hypothermia? Isn’t it dangerous?

Everything is simple here - alcohol dilates the superficial vessels of the body and increases their blood supply. At the same time, heat transfer increases. Therefore, drinking alcohol in the cold will lead to a feeling of warmth for a short time, but heat loss will increase. At long stay In cold weather this method is unacceptable. Drinking alcohol is acceptable when a person is already in warm room and expects to stay in it for at least three to four hours. In this case, a glass will help you quickly get rid of the feeling of cold.

There is one more circumstance. Alcohol can be used as an anti-shock agent. Shock, from a medical point of view, is a condition in which there is centralization of blood circulation - the vessels of the brain, heart, skeletal muscles and lungs. All other vessels are in spasm, and many organs experience a lack of blood supply. From a certain point, shock redistribution vascular tone acquires an independent pathological significance, regardless of the cause of the shock. Among others, there is also cold shock. Therefore, alcohol can be used in military field and extreme medicine when providing first aid to frozen people on the spot. It is expected that after this the victim will soon be taken to a warm room for further assistance. medical care. And this is precisely the fight against the shock caused by hypothermia, and not with the hypothermia itself.

Alcohol for colds

Comment folk recipe treatment for colds with vodka and pepper.

The effect of vodka is similar to the effect of aspirin in the sense that vodka, like aspirin, also enhances heat transfer. The temperature raised during a cold can drop by 0.5-1 degrees. Substances contained in pepper (for example, allein, allylcin, allyl mustard acid), when oxidized, give the same or similar metabolites as alcohol - aldehydes, ketones and some acids. In accordance with Le Chatelier's principle, adding products to the system chemical reaction slows down the initial reaction, in our case the oxidation of ethanol. Those. the presence of pepper prolongs the effect of alcohol on the body.

Fresh air

Drinks on fresh air— pros and cons?

In the fresh air, alcohol is tolerated more easily, since the efficiency and rate of metabolism is higher. The downside of drinking alcohol outdoors is the greater risk of getting injured, freezing, getting lost, and the like.

Can alcohol make you fat?

There is an opinion that strong drinks are very high in calories. Is this true? Is it possible to gain weight from vodka, or is the “nutritional value” of alcohol completely different from that of food?

Spirits are high in calories in the sense that when they burn/oxidize, they produce a lot of heat. But the energy of alcohol is difficult to absorb by the body; the body itself uses energy to process alcohol, and alcoholic drinks should not be considered as an accessible source of energy for the body. That's why you can't get fat from vodka.

Alcoholism. How does alcohol addiction begin?

Signs of alcohol addiction

Let’s say I like to drink in company, but I don’t want to become dependent on alcohol. What could be an “alarm bell”? How to avoid becoming an alcoholic? What should I do if I suspect I am getting sick?

There are quite a lot signs of alcohol dependence development. Some of them can only be identified by a specialist, while others are quite accessible to self-analysis. The most important among them:

You began to drink more often (for example, once a week instead of the previous time a month), and you successfully began to find new reasons to drink - ones that you had not used before.

My mood began to improve when I thought about the upcoming drink.

The desire to “catch up” began to appear, that is, to drink during and after the event, regardless of the toasts or drinks of other company participants.

There was a desire to drink alone and for no reason.

The nature of intoxication has changed, primarily in terms of behavior while intoxicated.

Memory lapses appeared after the drinking binge.

The emotional reaction to alcohol has changed: if before “it’s good”, now “without it it’s bad”.

Minor injuries appeared or became more frequent, episodes of loss of documents, things, disorientation in time and space while intoxicated

If a person discovers at least two of the nine signs, it is better to go “out of the woodwork” for six to eight months. This means complete abstinence from any alcohol in any doses. If three or more signs appear, you must immediately contact a specialist. In modern conditions, anonymous treatment and treatment are available.

The mechanism of alcohol addiction

Alcohol is a drug, although it is a legal drug. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that its action combines the action of two different groups of drugs, namely opiate and dopamine (more broadly speaking, substances related to the central inducers of catecholamines). An example of the first group is heroin, an example of the second is marijuana. A positive mental reaction to drugs is given evolutionarily, mainly to encourage biologically beneficial behavior. From an evolutionary perspective, drinking is a reward-enhancing behavior and is therefore (incorrectly) recognized by motivational and behavioral mechanisms as biologically beneficial.

A simple example is that an animal has eaten healthy food and feels pleasure. It went from cold to warm and feels pleasure. Has copulated with an individual of the opposite sex and experiences pleasure. At the same time, incentive mechanisms work aimed at repeating such actions, since these actions are useful either for the individual or for the species as a whole. Stimulation of the corresponding areas of the brain is provided by opiates (reward). The desire for rewarding situations is provided by dopamine (motivation). That is, this is a biochemical signaling. Alcohol causes these signals to occur directly, without other required behavior. In other words, biologically correct behavior is the key to the feeling of pleasure, and alcohol is the master key.

As a consequence long-term use alcohol, the sensitivity of opiate receptors in cell membranes decreases, and the natural production of opiates becomes dependent on alcohol intake (the body follows the path of least resistance).

About predisposition to alcoholism

Does it happen that moderate drinkers suddenly become drunkards? Why and why? Or is this an initial predisposition, possessing which it is better not to drink at all?

This happens. Firstly, it may be the result of a hereditary predisposition to alcoholism when individual characteristics organism lead to the rapid inclusion of ethanol as a necessary component of metabolism. Secondly, there is a predisposition to alcoholism from the point of view of personal characteristics, in which the change in emotionality that occurs after drinking alcohol becomes psychologically important to a person. Such a predisposition can be recognized in advance only with the help of special psychological tests or on the basis of long-term serious life experience.

About the quality of homemade alcohol. Expensive and cheap alcohol

Homemade drinks - good or bad?

Homemade drinks tend to be more toxic. We are not talking about the traditional wine-growing regions of France or Italy.

Expensive and cheap alcohol - is there a difference for health?

Expensive vodka, with rare exceptions, is purer and easier to tolerate by the body. Whiskey, regardless of price, from a toxicological point of view is a surrogate for alcohol, and in any case affects health more negatively than vodka. Expensive wines cause worse hangovers, but only in countries where they drink to get drunk (more than half a bottle at a time). Expensive champagne, especially brut, is easier on the metabolism compared to other sparkling wines. Expensive cognac is less toxic in small doses; in large doses this does not matter. Expensive beer, especially unpasteurized beer, is more beneficial if the doses mentioned above are observed.

Alcohol and pregnancy. How to conceive a healthy baby

Anti-drinking activists love to tell horror stories about children of alcoholics. Does moderate drinking harm offspring? Is it possible to minimize possible harm by abstaining from alcohol before conception? What if the child was conceived while one of the parents was drunk?

Alcohol itself does not have a teratogenic (that is, leading to deformities) effect. But alcohol leads to an increase in the permeability of biological barriers, including the blood-testis barrier. The blood-testis barrier filters blood entering the spermatogenic epithelium. And if there are other harmful substances in the blood, then with increased permeability they will have a negative impact harmful effect on spermatozoa. On the other hand, the effect of alcohol on sperm also leads to alignment sperm movement speeds. Higher quality sperm normally move faster. During drunken conception, it may happen that a lower-quality sperm, equaling the speed of a higher-quality one, will be the first to reach the egg and thereby transfer defective genetic material to the fetus. The likelihood of this cannot be calculated in advance.

If regularly drinking man going to conceive a child, then first of all need to unload the liver— it is she who neutralizes most of the substances harmful to sperm. Abstinence from alcohol should be no less for such a man 70 days. For a non-drinker, an episode of moderate drinking before conception does not pose a particular danger to the offspring. It is enough for such a person not to drink before conception three days- the period during which sperm renewal occurs. If, nevertheless, drunken conception does occur, then it is better for the woman to be subsequently observed by a geneticist, and, if necessary, examine the amniotic fluid to identify genetic defects in the fetal cells that enter this fluid.

By the way, a pregnant woman is contraindicated from taking any doses of alcohol during the period of differentiation of the embryo and the formation of organs in the fetus - the first and second trimesters of pregnancy.

Source: http://pohmelje.ru

Articles

Where does alcohol come from in the body?

Every person, regardless of gender and age, has alcohol in their body. Even if you do not drink alcoholic beverages at all, a small concentration of alcohol will still be present in the body. The fact is that the body itself produces alcohol in the quantities it needs. Such ethanol is called endogenous, and the very fact of its presence in the body is called natural alcoholemia.

The concentration of such ethanol is usually small and is not taken into account by instruments that determine intoxication. Blood plasma usually contains 0.001-0.015 g/l, and urine 13.02-18.44 µmol/l. However, the concentration may be slightly increased, which is usually associated with neuroses, schizophrenia, excess carbohydrate consumption, diabetes mellitus, and some kidney and intestinal diseases.

Endogenous alcohol is produced in small quantities by every cell in the body, but most of it is produced by healthy intestinal microflora. The body mainly uses enzymes to produce alcohol, which are found in fermented milk products, sauerkraut, raw vegetables and fruits.

Endogenous ethanol, participating in a number of reactions, helps reduce the harmfulness of some toxic metabolic products. However, he also has reverse side. Alcohol produced in the body is involved in processes that accelerate aging.

Endogenous ethanol levels may be altered by exposure to various factors(for example, illness) depend on the time of day. It should also be remembered that the body does not need to be helped in its production by taking even small doses of alcohol. The body copes with this very well on its own.

Source: http://drinkornot.ru

Moderate doses of alcohol and health

. Relatively recently, doctors drew attention to the following fact: peoples who are in the habit of drinking wine every day suffer much less from alcoholism than those who prefer strong drinks. The reason is that wine contains many accompanying substances that have an effect on the body useful action and reduce the harm from the alcohol it contains.

Daily consumption of alcohol in small quantities increases life expectancy. This conclusion was reached by Dutch scientists who presented their results at a conference on epidemiology and prevention. cardiovascular diseases, held annually in the USA.

Studies of the dependence of mortality on alcohol consumption, which revealed a decrease in mortality from cardiovascular diseases, have been conducted previously. It remained unclear, however, which drink exactly in the best possible way affects the condition of the heart and blood vessels, as well as the quantitative characteristics of the addiction. Without answers to these questions, it is impossible to make a clear conclusion about original reason positive effect.

The study carried out by Dutch doctors is the most extensive and lengthy of all that have been undertaken on this subject so far. Doctors came to the attention of 1,373 people born between 1900 and 1920. Over the 40 years that the study was conducted, they were interviewed and surveyed seven times. All subjects lived in the same town of Zutphen, in the eastern part of Holland.

The survey took into account factors such as alcohol consumption habits, eating habits, body mass index, smoking habit, previous heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and cancer. Doctors have attempted to compare the level of alcohol consumption and other health risk factors.

Analysis of the results obtained allowed us to draw a number of important conclusions. Firstly, quantitative. This became possible thanks to the introduction of a “quantum” of alcohol consumption - 1 conventional glass of drink containing 10 g of alcohol was taken as a unit of measurement. This is how much alcohol is contained in a small glass of wine, a small glass of strong drink or half a bottle of beer.

Subjects who consumed no more than 20 g of alcohol daily had a relative mortality rate from all diseases that was 36% lower than abstainers. For cardiovascular disease mortality, the reduction in mortality rate was 34%.

The influence of consumption of various drinks was also analyzed. Consumption of 50 ml of wine per day reduces mortality from all diseases in subjects by 40% and from cardiovascular diseases by 48% (compared to non-drinkers).

Wine, more than other types of alcohol, prolongs life. U drinking wine there is another advantage compared to drinkers of other alcoholic beverages - their life expectancy was 3.8 years longer than that of non-drinkers, while those who consumed other drinks (at the same level - less than 20 g of alcohol per day) increased by only 1 ,6 years.

The positive effect of moderate consumption of any alcoholic beverages is associated with an increase in the level of high-density lipoproteins (the so-called “good” cholesterol) or with a decrease in the formation of blood clots due to the effect on the process of platelet aggregation.

The additional effect of red wine is attributed to the presence of polyphenolic compounds in it, which in animal experiments have demonstrated the ability to influence the process of formation, development and destruction atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels.

The American Medical Association, having studied the content of the message from Dutch doctors, however, does not recommend that young people start drinking alcohol daily in the hope of living longer. Alcohol always carries the danger of addiction, on the basis of which alcoholism develops.

Red wine and some beers are antioxidants in their own right and also increase the body's levels of high-density alpha lipoproteins with good cholesterol and reduce the number of dangerous blood clots in the blood. In addition, scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health have proven that alcohol in small quantities also brings social and psychological benefits. Firstly, drinking a glass of wine or beer before a meal helps with digestion. Secondly, after a hard day at work, a little alcohol helps you relax. And thirdly, chatting with friends over a glass alcoholic cocktail promotes a pleasant pastime.

However, doctors are silent about this benefit. There is an explanation for this, and it is quite clear: even when consuming small amounts of alcohol, the risk of death and injury from accidents, suicide attempts and liver disease increases. Thus, doctors do not talk about the benefits of alcohol, so as not to contribute to an increase in its consumption, which may exceed the permitted limit, and also become dangerous to the health and even life of those for whom its consumption is not indicated at all. But, it should be noted, none of the doctors denies that alcohol can be useful in small quantities.

A glass of dry red wine a day reduces the level of bad cholesterol, and this is the prevention of atherosclerosis and heart disease.

This is how scientists explain the “French paradox” - with the “unhealthy” cuisine of the French (with a lot of saturated fat), they suffer less from cardiovascular diseases.

Research conducted at Boston University medical center showed that moderate consumption of beer or dry wine:

Reduces the content of “bad” cholesterol in the blood;

Increases the level of “good” cholesterol;

Normalizes blood pressure;

Reduces tissue resistance to glucose.

All this reduces the likelihood of developing diseases such as: diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis of blood vessels, arterial hypertension. Stronger drinks (over 15% alcohol) may have the opposite effect.

If you already have hypertension or diabetes, your doctor should allow drinking alcohol even in small doses.

Dry red wine also has bactericidal properties and helps increase hemoglobin levels in the blood.

American doctors suggest that a glass of wine or a small dose of any other alcoholic drink can reduce the likelihood of fractures, the development of osteoporosis, arthritis and musculoskeletal diseases.

But it should be noted that even a small increase in this dose (more than two glasses of wine per day) increases the risk of dangerous fractures by 40%.

Swedish scientists have found that regular drinking of alcohol prevents the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

Another study by Danish scientists also suggests that a healthy lifestyle (which definitely includes movement) and drinking alcohol in small doses (a glass of beer or a small glass of wine (125 ml) per day) will halve the likelihood of dying from cardiovascular diseases.

However, doctors warn as usual: excessive alcohol consumption increases blood pressure and can have the opposite effect.

Research conducted at the University of California has shown that drinking 100 ml of wine per day is beneficial for the liver, as it reduces the risk of developing a common disease - non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Unfortunately, beer and other alcoholic drinks can have the opposite effect.

Scientists from Boston found that older women who drink a glass of wine, a glass of beer or a glass of sherry every day are less likely to experience age-related brain decline (decrease in brain activity) compared to those who do not drink at all. Light to moderate alcohol consumption plays a positive role in preserving “cognitive brain function” by beneficial effects small doses of alcohol on the cardiovascular system. Wine improves memory and speeds thinking in older people, researchers say. However, alcohol abuse quickly brings senile dementia closer.

Our doctors “allow” the consumption of 10 grams of pure alcohol for women and up to 30 grams for men daily. That is, for women - approximately 100 ml of dry wine or 250 ml of beer, but drinking beer is incompatible with the desire to lose weight. However, doctors do not give recommendations for daily alcohol consumption, as there is a high risk of addiction. And exceeding the “useful” dose has the opposite effect. Alcohol in large quantities is harmful to the liver and heart, and can cause pancreatic cancer, and in women, breast cancer. And to prevent diseases, doctors recommend a healthy diet and physical activity.

Several news agencies, including the Associated Press, reported the discovery by scientists from Canada. They announced that a glass of beer a day can help prevent cataracts. This is especially true for diabetics. And dark beers will help reduce the likelihood of heart disease. Apparently, the day is not far when trucks with beer will start stopping at pharmacies and clinics.

The discovery of Canadian scientists was prompted by the study of mitochondria - cellular components responsible for converting glucose into energy necessary for proper cell behavior. Excessively high level glucose disrupts mitochondrial function. If such a violation occurs in the cells on the outer wall eye lens, then cataracts may begin to develop.

Dr John Trevithick, who presented research at the National Pacific Chemistry Conference, said antioxidant enzymes found in beer could help. "We believe that one of the factors that helps reduce the risk of cataracts is beer - about a glass a day."

Cataract diseases are common in developing countries. But even in rich countries they cause very significant damage. It is estimated, for example, that reducing cataract operations by half would save the United States $2 billion.

Another study, this time in Pennsylvania, finds out how much beer helps in the fight against atherosclerosis - deposits on the walls of blood vessels. Professor Joe Vinson "solders" hamsters for scientific purposes. Rodents are given two “hamster” mugs per day. Vinson said previous studies have shown the benefits of antioxidants in wine. According to him, alcohol contained in wine and beer also helps prevent heart disease. However, no attention has been paid to beer antioxidants until now. For those who, for some reason, do not yet protect their own health with the help of alcoholic beverages, a researcher from Pennsylvania advises drinking tea and grape juice - they also contain enzymes that are beneficial for blood vessels.

There are studies that refute arguments about a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, primarily coronary heart disease, in moderate drinkers. A study published in 1999 in the British Medical Journal, conducted by Scottish scientists over a 21-year period on a group of 5,766 men, showed that moderate doses of alcohol (up to 14 units per week, that is, about 140 g of absolute alcohol, equivalent to 14 glasses of beer or wine or 350 ml of vodka) did not show any changes in mortality from certain diseases compared to non-drinkers. For the same groups of men who consumed more than 35 units of alcohol per week (7 liters of beer with a concentration of 5% alcohol per week), the death rate from stroke was twice as high as for non-drinkers.

It has recently been discovered that alcohol can cause fainting. Even social drinking can sometimes make you feel weak and dizzy - not because of the intoxication, but because of the way alcohol impairs the body's ability to contract. blood vessels.

It has been found that gravity decreases blood flow to the brain when standing up. This is one reason why some people feel dizzy if they stand up too quickly. Normally the blood vessels constrict, regulating blood pressure.

Alcohol relaxes the walls of blood vessels, and they no longer regulate blood pressure when the body moves. In addition, alcohol can lower blood pressure, even with moderate intoxication.

“We were surprised by the effect,” says Virend Somers, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic and one of the authors of the study that led to these findings.

The study examined the effects of moderate intoxication on fourteen healthy young adults whose average age was 26 years. Blood pressure was measured before drinking, after drinking, and during drinking. It turned out that systolic blood pressure dropped by 14, and diastolic by 8 mmHg.

Somers said some people who experience vasodilation frequently may be vulnerable to even small amounts of alcohol.

American doctors are advised not to tell their patients that drinking red wine is effective prevention heart attack. The influential American Heart Association (AHA) published this advice for physicians in its journal Circulation. The publication states that preventive properties red wine are unclear, so doctors should focus heavily on proven techniques to reduce disease risk.

Professor Ira Goldberg of New York's Columbia University and members of one of the ASA committees write: "We want to make clear that there are other risk reduction techniques that are documented and do not contain the potential dangers associated with alcohol consumption." According to Professor Goldberg, patients who want to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease should talk to their doctor about lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure, about weight control, about morning exercises and a healthy diet.

The British Heart Foundation newsletter also believes that there is no scientific evidence that drinking wine or any other alcoholic drink can replace effective preventive measures. But many experts are confident that wine - and especially red wine - helps neutralize the dangers associated with increased cholesterol levels and consumption of large amounts of fat. Demographic studies show that in some European countries where wine is regularly drunk, the rate of heart disease is quite low, despite the traditionally fatty cuisine. Professor Goldberg, however, argues that factors such as the large number of fresh vegetables and fruits and lower consumption of dairy products. And yet, even the ASA confirms that more than 60 studies have found that moderate alcohol consumption can increase the level of “good” cholesterol - high-density lipoprotein. To which Professor Goldberg counters: the level of this protein can be increased even more effectively with the help of certain types of therapy.

In addition, she said, there is no clear evidence that the antioxidants contained in red wine have any beneficial effect. And the same antioxidants that are found in red wine can also be extracted from unfermented wine. grape juice without the dangers associated with alcohol.

In general, the advice that the ASA gives to doctors in its journal consistently indicates that alcohol can be harmful to health. For example, consuming more than one or two servings per day can lead to a sharp rise in blood pressure for some. In addition, cardiomyopathy, stroke, arrhythmia and even sudden death can develop as a result of many years of drinking. Alcohol is an addictive substance with many bad qualities, and even moderate consumption can have negative health effects. And in general, time spent in a bar cannot replace time spent in the gym!

Moderate drinkers are healthier than others

According to the Daily Mail, scientists from the Pitie-Salpetriere clinic in Paris, France, claim that people who drink a glass or two of wine with lunch or drink a glass of brandy before bed are healthier than others.

As part of the study, researchers analyzed the medical records of 150,000 men and women from Paris who underwent medical examination between 1999 and 2005.

The sample was divided into four groups: abstainers, light, moderate and heavy drinkers.

An analysis of records showed that moderate drinkers are slimmer, less susceptible to stress and depression, and have more low performance heart disease, they tend to have lower cholesterol and lower blood sugar levels, and have a more positive outlook on life. In addition, compared with tea drinkers and social drinkers, they eat healthier, exercise more often, and have a stable balance between time spent at work and personal time. All this has a beneficial effect on their health.

Moderate drinkers are defined as those who consume 10-30 g of pure alcohol per day. Those who drink less than 10 g of alcohol are light drinkers, and those who drink more than 30 g of alcohol every day fall under the definition of heavy drinkers.

Drinking weak wines daily has also been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. It is much healthier to drink wine with a strength of 10% vol., rather than 14%. So, if a person drinks one large glass (250 ml) of wine with a strength of 10% every day, the risk of developing bowel cancer is reduced by 7% compared to those who prefer stronger wine. A similar effect can be achieved by switching from strong beer to weak beer. At the same time, men should not drink more than two glasses of alcohol per day, and women - more than one.

While recent research points to the health benefits of wine and other alcoholic beverages, the authors of this paper offer a word of caution because drinking a little alcohol won't necessarily make you healthier.

A team from the Menzies Research Institute in Australia, led by Graham Jones, studied a group of volunteers of 900 men and women over 50 for two years. The study, published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found a link between moderate consumption of red wine in men aged 50 to 80 and better bone mineral density (BMD). It is worth noting that if you abuse alcohol, there is a risk of developing osteoporosis (and this disease is precisely associated with thinning bone tissue) will only increase.

Bone mineral density refers to the concentration of minerals, particularly calcium, in the bones and is a measure of bone strength. As BMD decreases, the risk of developing osteoporosis increases.

At the beginning of the study, the researchers measured the volunteers' BMD using X-rays. Two years later, they tested this parameter again among the experiment participants. The latter also filled out questionnaires in which they talked about their drinking habits and the types of alcoholic drinks they preferred.

As a result, scientists came to the conclusion that red wine helps prevent the development of osteoporosis in men, but it does not affect women beneficial influence the drink does not provide. However, the results of the study showed that a similar effect on beautiful ladies provides low-alcohol beer. It turned out that strong alcoholic drinks reduce bone density in men, but do not have the same effect on women.

G. Jones said that the data from this study is still difficult to explain because scientists have received too little information to compare the impact various types alcohol on the body. “Various data obtained as a result of the study suggest that it is not the alcohol itself that affects people differently, but certain factors in different types of alcoholic beverages,” the scientist says.

Bone research over the past 10 years suggests that polyphenols, powerful antioxidants found in grape skins and in wine, have a positive effect on bones. As for beer, Jones and his colleagues believe that the silicon it contains has the same effect on women's bones as red wine has on men. In any case, much more research will be needed to clarify this situation.

Source: http://drinktime.rbc.ru

A component of red wine can treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Scientists from Imperial College London have found that resveratrol, a component of red wine, has broad anti-inflammatory effects, particularly effective in suppressing asthma and chronic pulmonary diseases.

Researchers studied the effects of resveratrol at the cellular level. For doctors, an important advantage of the substance was that it prohibited the release of mediator molecules by airway epithelial cells - substances that can change the permeability of membranes. At the same time, experimenters reported that resveratrol, having an anti-inflammatory effect, does not carry with it the side effects that now plague patients taking estrogen or glucocorticosteroid for similar purposes. Red wine lovers, however, may not rejoice. The researchers emphasized that drinking alcohol is unlikely to help in this case. The substance is truly effective if a special preparation is prepared from it in the form of an aerosol - which is what scientists propose to establish for the pharmaceutical industry.

Red wine will help smokers

Greek scientists have found that red wine can weaken negative consequences serious and progressive lung disease. They discovered the active ingredient resveratrol in wine, which is known to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and may be useful in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Scientists say there is evidence that resveratrol may be even more effective than steroids in treating disease symptoms. Resveratrol is an antioxidant, a substance that destroys free radicals harmful to cells. It is found in the skins of grapes and berries and is credited with many of the health benefits of red wine. It was found that two glasses of red wine compensate for the damage caused to blood vessels due to smoking one cigarette. Smoking is the main cause of COPD. In laboratory tests, resveratrol has been so effective in reducing inflammation that it can be considered a drug.

The study involved men and women aged 29 to 69, who were required to document their drinking habits for 10 years.

The researchers divided the participants into 6 categories: from non-drinkers to those who drank more than 90 grams of alcohol daily, which corresponds to about 8 bottles of wine or 13-plus liters of light beer per week.

Those who drank a little (for example, less than a shot of vodka a day) had a 35% reduction in risk. Those who consumed three to 11 glasses daily were on average 50% less likely to develop heart disease.

Scientists believe the reason may be that women process alcohol differently, and female hormones protect them from illness.

The type of alcoholic drink had no effect on the results, but the effect was greatest among those who drank medium to large amounts of different drinks.

The reasons for this are still unclear, although it is known that alcohol increases the content of so-called “good” cholesterol.

Many alcoholics firmly believe that they are completely in control of the situation and are able to stop drinking alcohol at any time. Unfortunately, in fact, such confidence has no basis in reality - all attempts to make alcohol consumption controlled are doomed to failure.

To understand why attempts to “tame” the green serpent are doomed to failure, you need to understand the mechanism of addiction formation.

Alcohol is a toxin that our body tries to neutralize. In the first stage, the liver uses the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase to convert ethanol into acetaldehyde. In the second stage, the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase oxidizes acetaldehyde to acetic acid.

It is in this two-step process that the main danger lies. The fact is that acetaldehyde is much more toxic than ethanol - it is what “provides” a painful hangover. With moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, the body manages to neutralize both ethanol and aldehyde, but with alcohol abuse, the body tries to get rid of ethanol by accelerating the first stage of cleansing the body. In this case, the acceleration of the second stage does not occur. The result is serious acetaldehyde poisoning.

A paradoxical situation arises - the more actively the body tries to neutralize alcohol, the more serious the aldehyde poisoning.

If strong libations become regular, the alcohol neutralization system ceases to cope with its responsibilities and the second echelon enzyme system comes into play. As a result, the formation of acetaldehyde, even with minor alcohol consumption, becomes avalanche-like. As a result, a person instantly loses control and strives to replenish the “burnt” dose with a new portion of alcohol.

The enzyme system is not restored - having once failed, it remains disrupted regardless of whether the person continues to drink alcohol or takes a break. As a result, addiction develops at the metabolic level. Unfortunately, modern science does not yet make it possible to intervene in the human body at the level of biochemical processes for the purpose of.

On an individual basis, you can convince a person to completely stop drinking alcohol. It should be remembered that there is no controlled drinking of alcohol - even one drink of alcohol triggers a mechanism leading to loss of control.

The only way to get rid of alcohol addiction is to completely abstain from alcoholic beverages.