1f. Alcohol & Chronic Health Conditions

Like most health conditions, genetics play a role in alcohol related disease. For example, the amount of alcohol you can break down at a time is determined by genetics, not the amount you’ve had to drink. People who break down alcohol more slowly have the toxin acetaldehyde in their systems longer, increasing the chances of damage to tissues and organs.

The majority of alcohol is broken down in the liver, meaning the liver is the most likely to be damaged by exposure to the toxin. The brain, pancreas, esophagus and stomach can also metabolize small amounts of alcohol, exposing these body parts to the same toxic effects. Researchers believe many conditions caused or worsened by alcohol abuse are related to exposure to acetaldehyde.

In the next lessons, we’ll look closely at the effects of alcohol abuse on chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.