Long-term effects of alcohol addiction on the body

Excessive alcohol consumption has devastating effects on the body. Between 2021-22 there were 342,795 hospital admissions in the UK solely due to alcohol and 20,970 alcohol-related deaths, including 7,872 from chronic liver disease.

Overconsumption of alcohol affects nearly every major organ in the body. It’s classed as a group one carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer – the same class as radiation, asbestos and tobacco.

The health risks of alcohol consumption are dose-dependent – the risk of negative health outcomes increases the more you consume. However, due to its powerful carcinogenic effects, the World Health Organisation has stated that there is no safe amount of alcohol that does not negatively impact health.

We’re going to look at how alcohol addiction affects all of the major organs and systems in the body, the benefits of cutting back or quitting, and how to get help if you’re worried about your health.

The central nervous system (CNS)

The central nervous system consists mostly of your brain and spinal cord and is responsible for responses, sensation, movement, emotions, communication, thought processing, memory, movement and sensory perception. Alcohol disrupts the normal functioning of the CNS in several ways.

• It disrupts your brain’s neuronal function and alters the neurotransmitters’ natural levels. This can lead to mood disturbances and mental health problems. This disruption is also part of the self-perpetuating nature of alcohol addiction: brain function and mood states are destabilised, and you will need more and more alcohol to feel ‘normal’.
• Alcohol can cause structural damage and atrophy in the brain. This can cause loss of motor coordination, amnesia, seizures and injury to neurons. It can exacerbate conditions like epilepsy.
• In the long term, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to cognitive decline, mood disorders and even death due to its effects on the CNS. Common symptoms of alcohol addiction include mood disorders such as anxiety, depression and anhedonia, which can all be traced back to its effects on the brain.

The cardiovascular system

Alcohol is hard on the heart. It increases hypertension (blood pressure), which in turn increases the risk of numerous problems within the cardiovascular system.

High blood pressure can lead to atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats irregularly and quickly. This can feel like dizziness, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. Atrial fibrillation is quite common and not usually life-threatening, but it can lead to strokes and heart failure and may need medication or surgeries to manage.

Alcohol is also one of the leading causes of secondary cardiomyopathy – structural damage caused by a disease or condition outside of the heart. At all levels of drinking above one unit a day – that’s just one standard shot of spirits or half a pint of beer – there is an increased risk of heart disease.

The digestive system

Alcohol is capable of inflicting severe injury on the pancreas. The pancreas is an organ about the size of your hand located behind your stomach. It produces many of the enzymes needed to break down fat and carbohydrates. It also makes hormones that help to regulate your blood sugar and produce stomach acid.

Alcohol addiction is one of the most common causes of pancreatitis, a condition where your pancreas becomes painfully inflamed. It’s caused by pancreatic enzymes attacking the pancreas itself, causing diarrhoea, weight loss and malnutrition. Most people diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis have a history of excessive alcohol consumption.

Alcohol is also famous for causing liver damage, and alcoholic damage is one of the oldest known causes of liver disease. Alcoholic liver disease is an umbrella term covering the forms of damage to the liver caused by excessive alcohol consumption. There are three stages – alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Damage to the liver is often reversible if you stop drinking, and even if cirrhosis is reached, where the liver becomes permanently scarred, quitting can prevent further damage. However, alcoholic liver disease can be fatal and, in some cases, can require a liver transplant. The NHS does not consider patients eligible for a liver transplant unless they have already stopped drinking. All alcohol transplant units require patients to stop drinking alcohol for the rest of their lives.

Alcohol also disrupts the gut microbiome: the body’s colonies of beneficial bacteria that support our immune system and metabolism, help to regulate inflammation, work with our liver to defend against toxins, and help to prevent disease. Humans have microbiomes in our mouths and our guts.

Alcohol and its metabolites disrupt the microbiome, so it can no longer effectively work as a system. This is called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis causes damage to the protective lining of the gut, causing nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. This protective lining also prevents toxins from our gut from entering our bloodstream, and without it, these can leak out, leading to problems elsewhere in the body.

The lungs

It may be surprising to learn that alcohol consumption can affect the lungs, but it can – albeit as a secondary consequence. Alcohol-related lung disease (ARLD) is the term coined to cover the potential complications and health impacts to the lungs caused by alcohol addiction. Alcohol impairs the immune system, leaving people vulnerable to a range of lung conditions such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Cancer risk

Alcohol is known to directly cause at least seven types of cancer, including mouth and throat, laryngeal, oesophagal, breast, colorectal and liver cancers. The reasons are not well understood, and there are multiple theories, including DNA damage, cell damage and hormone disruption. Increased alcohol intake globally is thought to be a major contributing factor to the increase in cancer rates worldwide.

Will I be okay if I stop drinking?

While alcohol is capable of causing permanent damage to the body, most of the risks of heavy alcohol consumption can be halted once you stop drinking – and many are reversible. For instance:

• Your risk of liver damage is massively reduced when you quit drinking – and your liver can repair itself if it isn’t drastically scarred. Alcoholic fatty liver damage can be reversed in just 2-3 weeks of abstinence
• Your risk of many types of cancers, particularly mouth and oesophagal cancers, will decrease
• You will be at a lower risk of heart disease
• Your brain can repair from alcohol-induced brain damage – and this can potentially be boosted even further by exercise

As well as reduced risk from a range of diseases, your sleep, mental health, digestive function, energy and metabolic health will all see improvements.

Getting help

Alcohol is the seventh leading cause of death and disability worldwide. One of the best things you can do to look after your health is to reduce your alcohol consumption or stop drinking entirely. If you’re worried that your level of alcohol consumption is damaging your health, we can help.

Our comprehensive inpatient detox and rehab services will help you to safely stop drinking, minimising the damage to your health that can be caused by withdrawing unassisted. With our long-term support, you can stay sober, protect your health and start a journey to a new life free from alcohol.

Reach out today to find out how we can help.