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Alcohol Addiction and How It Lowers the Immune System
Everyone is aware of the dangerous effects of alcohol addiction in the brain, heart, pancreas and liver, but few are aware how it lowers the immune system. Binge drinking or heavy drinking weakens the immune system.
The immune system is lined with defensive components that fights infection and different types of diseases. The white blood cells, natural killer cells and cytokines are the defense armies of the body against infection, viruses and cancers.
The body is also guarded by the adaptive system after it has been attacked by an infection. These are antibodies, B-lymphocyte cells and T-lymphocyte cells that can kill various bacteria and viruses.
Alcohol addiction disrupts T-cells and NK cells activity to fight tumor cells, leading to your susceptibility to bacteria and viruses. The alcohol makes it hard to destroy the cancerous cells.
Too much drinking can also cause harm to the production of cytokines. Lesser cytokines can make you prone to infection while too much of it can destroy body tissues.
When the immune system is compromised, the person is more likely to develop infectious diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Alcohol can also leave the person more susceptible to contracting HIV/ AIDS.
The immune system can be easily compromised even during heavy drinking on one occasion. How? Alcohol impairs your body’s ability to produce cytokines that fight infections, making you prone to various bacteria and viruses.
Alcohol addiction makes it hard for the body to absorb the needed nutrients that your body needs. The amount of alcohol consumed is proportion to the damage it brings to the immune system. The more alcohol consumed, the lower the immune system will be.
The University of Maryland and Loyola University study that gave five shots of vodka to 15 females and males has shown that their immune system increased after 20 minutes of drinking. However, the white blood cell levels decreased significantly after two and five hours.
The researchers concluded that alcohol addiction can make individuals more prone to injuries. Heavy drinking also decreases the body’s ability to heal after some time.
Apart from alcohol addiction, other triggers for lower immune system include unhealthy eating, poor sleep, sedentary lifestyle, and being under chronic stress. Exercise and getting your heart pump for 20 minutes daily can boost the immune system.
It is also important to get complete hours of sleep, healthy diet and learn to manage stress. People must avoid binge drinking and should only drink moderately to protect their immune systems.
The body is also guarded by the adaptive system after it has been attacked by an infection. These are antibodies, B-lymphocyte cells and T-lymphocyte cells that can kill various bacteria and viruses.
Alcohol addiction disrupts T-cells and NK cells activity to fight tumor cells, leading to your susceptibility to bacteria and viruses. The alcohol makes it hard to destroy the cancerous cells.
Too much drinking can also cause harm to the production of cytokines. Lesser cytokines can make you prone to infection while too much of it can destroy body tissues.
When the immune system is compromised, the person is more likely to develop infectious diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Alcohol can also leave the person more susceptible to contracting HIV/ AIDS.
The immune system can be easily compromised even during heavy drinking on one occasion. How? Alcohol impairs your body’s ability to produce cytokines that fight infections, making you prone to various bacteria and viruses.
Alcohol addiction makes it hard for the body to absorb the needed nutrients that your body needs. The amount of alcohol consumed is proportion to the damage it brings to the immune system. The more alcohol consumed, the lower the immune system will be.
The University of Maryland and Loyola University study that gave five shots of vodka to 15 females and males has shown that their immune system increased after 20 minutes of drinking. However, the white blood cell levels decreased significantly after two and five hours.
The researchers concluded that alcohol addiction can make individuals more prone to injuries. Heavy drinking also decreases the body’s ability to heal after some time.
Apart from alcohol addiction, other triggers for lower immune system include unhealthy eating, poor sleep, sedentary lifestyle, and being under chronic stress. Exercise and getting your heart pump for 20 minutes daily can boost the immune system.
It is also important to get complete hours of sleep, healthy diet and learn to manage stress. People must avoid binge drinking and should only drink moderately to protect their immune systems.
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