Body reaction to alcholo

Alcohol can impair brain function and mood while also affecting tissues, gut health, hormones, and cancer risk.

• 1. Brain inhibition and memory: Alcohol suppresses prefrontal-cortex activity, weakening inhibition and impulse control; it also disrupts the neural networks that form and store memories. 1
• 2. Mood: Alcohol can initially make mood-related circuits more active, so people may feel talkative or good. As alcohol wears off—or intake increases—serotonin activity and mood can fall. 2
• 3. Metabolism, inflammation, and gut: Alcohol is metabolized into acetaldehyde, a toxic compound. Its metabolism can promote inflammation, while alcohol disrupts gut microbes and may temporarily impair the gut lining, allowing bacteria to enter the bloodstream. 3 4
• 4. Hormones and cancer: Alcohol can promote conversion of testosterone to estrogen and is associated with increased cancer risk, including breast cancer. 5 6
• 5. Neocortical degeneration: The episode describes evidence of neocortical thinning even among people averaging one or two drinks per day. 7