What Happens when Alcohol is Taken into the Body?

Alcohol was manufactured for many good reasons and not mainly for consumption. It is extensively used in the chemical manufacturing industry for various goods. Meanwhile, alcohol is injurious in its effect on the body because it is a poison; like any poison, it affects the body in varying degrees, depending upon the quantity consumed. It particularly affects the brains, the heart, the nervous system, and the entire personality of the individual which control bodily functions. Scientists and physicians have warned people to avoid alcohol. When alcohol is taken into the body, it passes unchanged from the digestive tract into the blood stream.

The absorption takes place rapidly within a few minuets after an alcoholic drink has been consumed. Slight absorption takes place in the mouth and throat, somewhat more in the stomach, but most of it in the small intestine. Once in the blood stream, most of the alcohol is oxidized; because little is thrown off as waste by the lungs and skin. This is why you can usually smell alcohol on a person who has been drinking. As the alcohol is carried through the body by the blood stream, it comes into contact with nerve centers that exercise control over muscles and blood vessels. The alcohol depresses the centers, muscular coordination is partially or completely lost, and the blood vessels are no longer controlled by the nervous system.

The flow of blood through blood vessels, especially those in the skin, is greatly increased because the walls of the vessels relax. As a second effect, the above is why alcoholic drink temporarily makes a person feel warm and exhilarated.

Furthermore, if person in question continues to drink or take alcohol, it affects his sense, reasoning and judgment, and he does foolish things. At the same time he losses the ability to control his movements. If the person drinks still more heavily, he/she may fall into a deep sleep or become unconscious and sometimes loses weight.

Statistically, alcohol is often related to crime. People under the influence of alcohol commit acts or serious offence that they would never think of committing when sober. As well statistics show that many people who drink in excess spend their money for alcoholic drinks rather than for necessities. They care not about their families, parents and siblings. Investigation also shows that alcohol is a contributory cause of several diseases such as stomach disorder, hardening of the liver and heart problems.

On the hand, in athletes, endurance, precision, and co-ordination are necessary qualifications of a good athlete. From the evidence in the preceding paragraphs, you can readily understand how all these qualities would be affected by the use of alcohol. Athletic coaches desire two things from athletes firstly, the best physical condition possible, and secondly utmost efforts to win contest and games. The use of alcohol by athletes decreases their chances and ability of meeting these requirements. "The use of alcohol in any form is prohibited absolutely to my players in or out of the football season". (Knute Rockene, one of the late football greatest coaches at the University of Notre Dame and games history). One of the most important things any athlete should practice is to abstain from smoking and drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol and tobacco has harmful effect on the body because they are poisonous and troublesome weeds. They are also narcotic. For instance, excessive smoking frequently affects the nerves of the heart and gives rise to a condition known as tobacco heart. Another result or effect of smoking to the body is the smoker's throat. This situation is accompanied by a chronic cough and inflammation of membranes living the nose and throat. Also, they cause harmful effects to digestive, circulatory and nervous systems. Smoking also causes cancer of the lips, mouth/tongue.

My advice to those who indulge in alcoholic drinking and tobacco is to abstain completely from such to safeguard the health of the body and to save our future generation.