Going alcohol-free
Do you drink alcohol? Got a love-hate relationship with it?
If so, is it affecting your health, your sleep, or maybe your productivity?
Is it putting a strain on your relationships or negatively impacting your work life?
If any of that resonates with you, read on.
Ok so before I go into my experiences and why I've hit pause on the booze, it might be useful to know how alcohol actual works.
Here’s a simplified overview.
Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is a central nervous system depressant that affects the body in lots of ways. It’s a psychoactive substance, because it changes the way you think and feel. And it’s metabolised in the liver by a series of chemical reactions which we’ll go into now.
The first step is the conversion of ethanol into acetaldehyde by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH).
Acetaldehyde is a highly toxic substance.
It’s believed to be the main culprit of the “hangover effect” by causing headaches, nausea and fatigue. It’s carcinogenic and it damages your DNA.
This step is relatively slow, and the rate of metabolism is influenced by factors such as age, gender, genetics, and liver function.
The second step is the conversion of acetaldehyde into acetate by the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). This process is much faster than step 1 and the rate of metabolism is influenced by factors such as genetics and liver function.
Interestingly around 40% of east asians have an inactive mutation of the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme, which leads to accumulation of acetaldehyde.
The last step is elimination whereby the final product of alcohol metabolism, acetate, is further broken down into water and carbon dioxide and is eliminated from the body through various pathways such as through urine, sweat and breath.
Ok so now you know how it’s broken down. How does it affect the body?
When you have a drink, ethanol is absorbed into the bloodstream via the stomach and small intestine, and because it’s water soluble, its distributed throughout the body so it reaches most cells. It quickly brain where it starts to produce its effects.
CNS Impairment
Alcohol interferes with the normal functioning of the central nervous system by inhibiting the release of neurotransmitters that regulate mood, behaviour, and consciousness. This results in slurred speech, unsteadiness, impaired reaction time, and reduced coordination.
Liver Damage
Like we discussed in a previous article, the liver is responsible for breaking down and removing toxins from the body, including alcohol. When consumed in excess, alcohol can cause liver damage by increasing the production of toxic substances that we mentioned and that can lead to inflammation and scarring, also known as cirrhosis.
Increased heart rate
Alcohol consumption can cause an increase in heart rate, which can lead to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and other cardiovascular problems.
Dehydration
Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning it increases urine production which can lead to dehydration. This can cause symptoms such as headache, dry mouth, and fatigue just like when you’re hungover.
Pancreatitis
Excess alcohol consumption can lead to inflammation of the pancreas, a condition known as pancreatitis. This can cause abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Just a note on this. Acute pancreatitis is one of the scariest things I’ve seen as a doctor, mortality is around 10% and if it’s a severe case then it can lead to life-threatening conditions like sepsis, kidney failure and bleeding. It’s scary because the patients can deteriorate very quickly and treatment options are generally limited to giving them fluids and analgesia. Alcohol accounts for around a quarter of cases.
Impairment of brain function
Long-term and excessive consumption can lead to brain damage and impair cognitive function, including memory and problem-solving abilities.
Increased cancer risk
Alcohol consumption has been linked to an increased risk of several types of cancer, including breast, liver, and colorectal cancer.
So yes, it’s pretty bad for you.
With all this in mind, people still drink it. But why?
Here’s what I think the 5 main reasons are:
Social & cultural influences
Alcohol is often consumed as a way to socialise, relax, wind down and have fun. I think we associate drinking with celebrations, weddings, parties, and other social events, people use it as a vehicle to bond with others.
Stress relief
Some people use alcohol as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, and other emotional problems. Alcohol can produce feelings of relaxation and euphoria, which can provide temporary relief from stress and anxiety.
Peer pressure
Drinking can be influenced by peer pressure, especially among younger people. The desire to fit in and be accepted by a group can lead people to engage in drinking behaviours that they might not otherwise engage in. Remember, it’s ok to say no.
To reduce inhibitions
Alcohol can reduce inhibitions and make people feel more confident and social, especially in situations where people are not in their usual environment. This can be appealing for people who struggle with social anxiety or shyness.
Alleviating physical pain
Some individuals may drink alcohol to relieve physical pain or discomfort. Alcohol is a depressant as we discussed before and it can produce a temporary numbing effect, which can provide temporary relief from pain.
There’s probably more reasons but these are the ones that sort of came to mind.
It's important to remember that excessive drinking can lead to serious health problems and impaired judgement. Drinking should be done in moderation and with caution of course. The guidelines for men and women in the UK suggest that you don’t exceed 14 units per week.
But what does that mean? What is a unit of alcohol?
One unit equals 10 mls or 8g of pure alcohol.
There’s a formula that helps you calculate the units.
You multiple the strength of the alcohol, which is known as alcohol by volume or ABV by the volume of the drink in millilitres. Then you divide it by 1000.
Let’s do an example.
Say you’re drinking a pint of 4% strength beer.
The ABV is 4%, so you do 4 multiplied by 568 mls which is 2272.
You then divide 2272 by 1000 which gives you 2.3 units.
A single shot of spirits is around 1 unit and a small glass of wine has around 1.5 units.
Being hungover and fatigued from an evening of drinking can harm your focus.
I asked myself what does alcohol actually do for me?
Does it get rid of problems? Not really.
Does it taste good? Yeah certain drinks taste nice but most of them have alcohol free alternatives which I have when I’m at social events or when I’m networking.
Nowadays I only really drink some alcohol when I’m with friends at special occasions or when on holidays to relax.
Alright so why am I taking a break? Here’s the 3 main reasons.
1. Health
The key reason for taking a break were the health benefits of stopping drinking which include better sleep, better immune system functioning and memory.
A study (research) published in the British Medical Journal, found that just by taking a month off drinking you can
- Lower your blood pressure
- Reduce your risk of developing diabetes
- Lower your cholesterol levels
- Reduce the levels of cancer-related proteins in the blood.
2. Productivity
I also find that it’s by stopping drinking, my productivity has gone up and my performance in the gym has improved too.
3. Interfering with goals
There’s also financial benefits - regular drinking can get quite expensive. I though that I can put the money towards other things that can actually improve my life like travel and experiences. Importantly, I felt it was interfering with my goals and holding me back in a way. Maybe I’m not the only one feeling like this.
A quote from a great
Hope you learnt something cool,
Z
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