Here are 10 things to know about alcohol consumption.
- Alcohol can remain in our blood for up to 12 hours, in our urine for up to 24 hours and in our hair for up to 90 days!
- Alcohol is sometimes called ‘empty calories’. This basically means that it does not provide us with any proteins, minerals or vitamins. There really is little nutritional value in alcohol. The sugar that we find in alcohol does not even contribute towards stored energy (known as glycogen). Instead, our metabolism converts the sugars in the alcohol into fatty acids.
- Alcohol contributes towards dehydration – as a toxin it enters our blood stream causing dehydration
- Alcohol may impact our ability to heal- as a toxin it enters our blood stream impairing healing
- Alcohol impacts our energy – it has the potential to disrupt the water balance in our muscles which in turn negates energy production
- Alcohol may inhibit the absorption of a number of nutrients including:
- Vitamin B1 (helps produce energy as well as plays a crucial role in our heart health)
- Vitamin B9 (folate) (crucial for enabling oxygen to travel around our bodies)
- Vitamin B12 (important to support energy, prevent anaemia and support our immune health)
- Zinc (plays a key role in our immune health, our metabolism and wound healing)
- Alcohol impacts our sleep quality. Our sleep is often disturbed after alcohol which may impact our body’s ability to repair and in turn our overall wellness.
- Alcohol has the potential to interfere with brain communication pathways impacting mood and emotions and even nervous system
- Alcohol can disrupt our hormone levels / balance. This includes our ability to control blood sugar
- Alcohol has the potential to alter our gut microbiome and weaken our gut wall which protects toxins from entering our blood stream
If you are struggling with your drinking and are looking for support, Alcohol Change UK is a good place to start. (alcoholchange.org .uk )