does alcohol...?

Question

does alcohol kill brain cells? i was just wondering. i know that it causes poor judgement and you end up in the bathroom with your head in the toilet but what else does it do for you?

would you mind explaning or saying more than just YES!

Answer 1

From TODAY's NEWS:

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Moderate drinking may lengthen your life, while too much may shorten it, researchers from Italy report. Their conclusion is based on pooled data from 34 large studies involving more than one million people and 94,000 deaths.

According to the data, drinking a moderate amount of alcohol -- up to four drinks per day in men and two drinks per day in women -- reduces the risk of death from any cause by roughly 18 percent, the team reports in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

However, "things radically change" when consumption goes beyond these levels, study leader Dr. Augusto Di Castelnuovo, from Catholic University of Campobasso, said in a statement.

Men who have more than four drinks per day and women who have more than two drinks per day not only lose the protection that alcohol affords, but they increase their risk of death, the data indicate.

The reason why men are protected at up to four drinks per day, while women lose the protection after two glasses has to do with how men and women metabolize alcohol, researchers say. It's been shown that when men and women who drink the same amount of alcohol, women experience higher blood alcohol levels than men.

Therefore, women who consume more than two glasses of alcohol per day may be at increased risk for diseases of the liver and certain types of cancer.

"Our findings, while confirming the hazards of excess drinking, indicate potential windows of alcohol intake that may confer a net beneficial effect of moderate drinking, at least in terms of survival," the Italian team concludes.

"Heavy drinkers should be urged to cut their consumption, but people who already regularly consume low to moderate amounts of alcohol should be encouraged to continue," they add.

The manner in which alcohol is consumed also appears to be important, the researchers report. "Little amounts, preferably during meals, this appears to be the right way (to drink alcohol)," said Dr. Giovanni de Gaetano of Catholic University, another author on the study. "This is another feature of the Mediterranean diet, where alcohol, wine above all, is the ideal partner of a dinner or lunch, but that's all: the rest of the day must be absolutely alcohol-free."

"The message carried by scientific studies like ours is simple," Dr. de Gaetano continued. "Alcohol can be a respectful guest on our table, but it is good just when it goes with a healthy lifestyle, where moderation leads us toward a consumption inspired by quality not by quantity."

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, December 11/25, 2006

Answer 2

It does kill brain cells but the brain produces new ones. The real damage is to the kidneys and liver. If you don't binge too often and you leave plenty of time to recover between sessions you should be okay. I didn't do this, and now I'm screwed.

Answer 3

It's a question of survival of the fittest.

Look at it this way,

As a herd of wilderbeast move across the plains to their grazing grounds, predators will systematically pick off the slowest and weakest of the herd. Although this is unfortunate for the individual wilderbeast it is also good for the herd as a whole because their average speed will increase making it harder for the predators to attack.

Now, As you sit in the pub putting the pints away, the alcohol will pick off the slowest, weakest braincells first. This leaves the stronger, faster braincells to do all the work and is why you always feel smarter when you're drunk.

Seriously though, as long as you do things in moderation you won't do too much harm.

Answer 4

This is just a myth, it doesn't kill brain cell (trust me if it did I'd be Brian dead). Other effects of alchol are slow reaction times ,dehydration and of course those beer goggles.
For hang over cures try the old pint of water before bed, it works. When you eventually crawl out of bed drink a glass of hot water and lemon. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and veg throughout the day and keep drinking WATER. Now if I can just take my own advise

Answer 5

Ok as far as I know there are certain chemicals in the alcohol ( the ones which make you drunk) which go straight to the brain and freeze cells. Most of these thaw out but the ones that don't are left unused thus causing a LOT of damage!

Answer 6

Alcohol does not kill brain cells but it does damage dentrites--the branched ends of nerve cells that bring messages into the cell.
Drinking doesn't kill brain cells. It damages the way brain cells comunicate and the damge is largely reversible.

Answer 7

Yes

Answer 8

Yes, it kills brain cells, but only the ones you are better off without.

Answer 9

if u drink excessively it can yes other than that it can cause liver problems not to forget the broken limbs u may get when falling all over a holed the list is endless but yet hey we still all drink the stuff and enjoy when we do and then have one sod off of a bad head the next morning

Answer 10

Yes it does and screws up your liver and messes up your eyes and for some people that wants to have children it slows everything down so each time you think you might get pregnant it doesnt work . T he dr told my ex he was sterile 2 drs told him this untill he got with me I made him stop drinking so much and we had 3 children , It also can tear up your nerves if you drink for so long not counting others nerves .

Answer 11

Actually, moderate drinkin helps stimulate brain cells into your older age, however, abusive drinking can cause serious neuroligical damage.

Alcohol also deteriorates muscle tissue, hence the meaning behing beer gut.