Effects of Alcohol on the Human Homeostatic Response

Effects of Alcohol on the Human Homeostatic Response

Introduction

Several research studies have demonstrated the effects of alcohol on the normal physiology and homeostasis of the body. Alcohol alters the normal metabolic functions of the body along with the other functions such as psychological and physical ones. Liver is the primary organ that gets damaged via alcohol use. Furthermore, there are particular homeostatic mechanisms of the human body that are severely destructed due to the excessive alcohol consumption.

Discussion

Use of Alcohol

The large segment of the population in Australia consumes alcohol. The population includes not only the adults but also the women and teenagers (White & Bariola, 2012). Most of people take alcohol for pleasure as well as to get relief from depression. The excessive use of alcohol lead to the severe consequences related to the health.

Physiological Effects of Alcohol on Human Body

Alcohol and other substance abuse drastically affect the human physiological mechanisms. The results are same regardless of the gender, but women are more sensitive to the consequences of alcohol use. Liver cirrhosis is the frequent corollary of alcohol abuse. Besides; alcohol affects the kidney, central nervous system, mechanism of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the homeostatic mechanisms of the body.

Alcohol and Human Homeostasis

Alcohol has the nature to get miscible with water and reaches the cells. This mixture of water and alcohol is highly toxic for the cells. Alcohol is metabolized to aldehyde, which is also a water soluble compound and possess the hazardous effects for the human body cells (Hong, 2010). Both constituents disturb the various biochemical mechanisms of the body. The major homeostatic pathways, altered by alcohol, include

Impaired neuroendocrine function

Loss of thermoregulation

Increased insulin sensitivity

Role of vasopressin

Increased Insulin Sensitivity

The large consumption of alcohol leads to the disturbed homeostasis of glucose and cause ...