Do you regret having too much alcohol? Drinking alcohol can trigger more than only a bad hangover. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol has been linked with severe organ damage, as well as various diseases. One particular organ is the one that takes the brunt of daily alcohol abuse: your pancreas. Our pancreases produce hormones and enzymes like insulin that breakdown sugar into energy. But when we abuse alcohol, our pancreases stress out and put us at a high danger of developing health issues.
Alcohol is a commonly consumed substance in our culture and a lot of people enjoy one or two drinks after work or at weekends. Moderate consumption of alcohol isn’t harmful to most people. However, drinking excessively could cause serious health issues including damage to your pancreas.
The pancreas is a key role in metabolism and digestion. It produces enzymes to help digest food within the small intestine and hormones that control blood sugar levels. When the pancreas works well it ensures that the body is operating smoothly. When alcohol is consumed excessively and it causes damage to the pancreas and cause a variety of health issues.
Consuming alcohol can lead to pancreatitis which is an extremely serious condition. It is a potentially fatal and painful inflammation of the pancreas which can cause intense abdominal pain nausea, vomiting, and fever. Chronic pancreatitis which is an ongoing inflammation of the pancreas, could also happen because of excessive alcohol consumption. This can lead to permanent damage to the pancreas. It can cause digestive issues and issues with absorption of nutrients.
Consuming alcohol may increase the chance of developing pancreatic cancer, which is a very serious and often fatal type of cancer which affects the pancreas. Studies have shown that heavy alcohol consumption is a key risk to develop pancreatic cancer with those who drink more than three drinks per each day having a significantly greater chance of developing the cancer.
What effect does alcohol have on the pancreas? Alcohol is processed in the liver when consumed. However, when the liver is overloaded with excessive alcohol consumption it is possible that a portion of the alcohol is metabolized by the pancreas, instead. This can lead to inflammation, damage and scarring to the pancreas. Over time, chronic pancreatitis can develop and pancreatic cancer is more likely to occur.
The majority of people who drink a lot is diagnosed with pancreatitis, or carcinoma. Drinking regularly and in large quantities of alcohol increases the risk of developing these serious health issues. It’s good news! Cutting down on alcohol consumption can limit the damage to your pancreas and lower your risk of developing serious health issues.
There are a number of options you can take to keep yourself safe from the adverse consequences of alcohol to your pancreas. It’s crucial to limit your consumption of alcohol to moderate levels. For women, that means just one drink a week and for men two drinks. Don’t drink alcohol if you have a family history has pancreatitis or other pancreatic problems.
Other steps you can take to safeguard your pancreas include eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise and not smoking. These lifestyle factors influence the health of your pancreas. Making changes that are positive can lower the risk.
Drinking too much alcohol can cause serious pancreas problems, such as pancreatitis. If you’re concerned about consequences of alcohol consumption on your pancreas, it’s important to limit your consumption of alcohol to moderate levels, and then take steps to live a healthy lifestyle. In doing this you’ll be able to safeguard your pancreas and decrease your risk of developing serious health problems.
For more information, click how does alcohol affect your pancreas