Alcohol abuse can cause damage to many parts of the body. Beyond the heart, lungs and stomach, alcohol abuse can affect smaller organs such as the kidneys.
The kidneys filter the blood in order to keep it clean by excreting excess water and waste products in the form of urine. The kidneys control the composition and amount of electrolytes in the body. For example, they can assist in clearing waste material from cells, aid in the absorption of nutrients that help in forming cells, and provide the right environment for those cells as well. They also produce certain hormones and help stabilize the cell's acid-base equilibrium. Consequently, they play a major role in significant bodily processes, and alcohol abuse compromises their ability to function properly. When this occurs, the consequences can be quite serious, and our metabolic reactions may change, resulting in physical harm.
High blood pressure can result in chronic kidney disease, and alcohol abuse may increase the risk for developing this serious condition. Since it is high in calories, alcohol also causes people to gain weight, which can result in high blood pressure. In addition, alcohol can also prevent certain high blood pressure medications from being absorbed and processed properly by the body.
People who are diabetic can also develop chronic kidney disease, and alcohol abuse can prevent the liver from converting food into glucose. After alcohol enters the liver, it will only produce glucose again when that alcohol has been eliminated from the body, which can lower the glucose levels of diabetics.
Alcohol abuse has serious side effects on your body. It effects all aspects of the way the body functions and can be especially dangerous for people who have existing health problems. Fortunately, there is hope for people suffering from addiction and alcohol abuse problems, because as soon as you stop drinking, your body begins to heal.