9 myths about alcohol

For anybody not a secret that our country is one of the most "drinking" in the world. At clear understanding that the use of hard alcoholic drinks – occupation extremely harmful, most of Russians belong to alcoholism with unjustified loyalty. Apparently, existence of a set of myths in which tendency to excessive libations looks nearly positively is explained by it. It is worth getting acquainted with the most widespread of similar delusions and to be convinced of their insolvency.

1. Ability to drink is much – a health sign

There is an opinion that the man able "to drink too much" the drinking companions is a person whether very strong, whether extremely courageous. Both has nothing in common with reality. Resistance to effect of alcohol, as a rule, is a sign of the second stage of alcoholism. Doctors call it tolerance to alcohol. It is observed not at all patients, but at its existence the person is threatened shortly by the serious poisoning alcohol decomposition products leading, first of all, to development of pathologies of cardiovascular system. Such defeats are the reason about 30% of sudden death among men aged up to 45 years.

2. Alcohol improves appetite

Partly it is right. About 20-25 g of strong alcohol accepted in 15 minutes prior to a meal really speed up work of a nerve center responsible for emergence of feeling of hunger. The use on an empty stomach of more considerable doses not only is useless, but also it is dangerous: alcohol annoyingly affects a mucous membrane of an empty stomach and a gullet, than provokes development of inflammatory, and then and ulcer process.

3. Reception of antibiotics is incompatible with the use of alcohol

The grain of truth is also in this statement. Alcohol really weakens therapeutic effect of the majority of antibacterial drugs and complicates process of recovery of patients to which their reception is recommended. In turn, antibiotics strengthen effect of alcohol on an organism so heavy intoxication at the use of such combination is provided to the person. It is much more dangerous to combine alcohol intake with treatment by anesthetics (aspirin, an ibuprofen, acetaminophen etc.) as in this case the risk of injury of a mucous membrane of intestines is high.

At the person not inclined to abuse of alcohol, desire "to wash down" drugs with alcohol usually does not arise. Anyway, it is dangerous to combine binge with therapy.

4. Alcoholism can be cured

Any of modern methods of the help to alcoholics is not capable to win against an illness considerably. It is possible to achieve the termination of the use by the person of alcohol (at his direct desire and assistance), but to bring it to such state when it is completely independent of a possibility of alcohol intake and to save with guarantee from failures, yet any doctor did not manage. In this sense alcoholism should be considered the incurable illness having probability of a recurrence even after long-term abstention.

5. Alcohol reduces arterial pressure

The minimum doses of alcohol really make the weakening impact on walls of vessels. However arterial pressure substantially depends on heartbeat speed (more true, on the blood volume which heart pumps over in unit of time), and reception of alcohol strongly increases this parameter. Besides, the substances increasing pressure are a part of many alcoholic beverages. For example, beer, grape wines and Vermouths contain tyramine, and cocktails and liqueurs – caffeine. Alcohol presence only strengthens an adverse effect of these components.

6. Alcohol intake improves a dream

This delusion is based on the fact that small doses of alcohol really appeal slackness and easy drowsiness. The solid portion of alcohol brings the person to an excitement state. He can fall asleep, but the dream rhythm at the same time will be broken, and normally it will not be possible to have a rest. On the other hand, alcohol works as a muscular relaxant, and it is very dangerous: the people who are falling asleep in an ebrietas usually snore, they often have short-term apnoeas. In the absence of self-checking such phenomena can create threat of life.

7. The products containing alcohol are nutritious

Hard alcoholic drinks do not contain nutrients. But they are extremely caloric: in one gram of vodka not less than 7 kcal. These are, in fact, bystry carbohydrates which are not acquired by cells, and are laid in store at once in the form of subcutaneous fat. High doses of alcohol depress nerve centers which signal about saturation approach, and many snack used together with alcohol excessively kindle appetite. As a result the drinking people often overeat.

8. The use of alcohol helps to reduce stress

Very popular belief which is quite often becoming the reason of development of alcoholism. Small doses of hard liquors (for example, cognac) provoke emission in dopamine blood ("happiness hormone") that improvement of mood causes, a feeling of cheerfulness and wellbeing. There comes short-term euphoria behind which the person can hide from vital disorders. Unfortunately, it is impossible to solve real problems in such a way: repeated libations quickly exhaust dopamine reserves in an organism, negative effects of binge begin to be shown, the state of health worsens. Besides, the people inclined to the unlimited use of alcohol, constantly have the sense of guilt connected as with their behavior at the moments of alcoholic "eclipse", and with outstanding duties and the missed opportunities. Therefore it is not necessary to speak about rescue from a stress by means of alcohol.

9. Alcohol does not cause an allergy

Only alcohol is almost hypoallergenic. However the mass of the substances capable to cause the pathological answer of an organism is a part of alcoholic beverages (especially low-quality). Vodka contains fusel oils, in wines and cognacs – dyes, fragrances, preservatives and polyphenolic connections, in beer – yeast and components of hop. At emergence of painful reaction alcohol strengthens unpleasant displays of an allergy.

Abuse of any foodstuff brings nobody to good. Concerning alcohol it more than truly. It can be accepted only occasionally and in very small amounts. It is not less important to check carefully acquired alcoholic drinks, choosing products of the most reliable producers having good reputation and guaranteeing safety of goods.