Mild to moderate alcohol consumption may have little, if any, effect on the body. If a person does drink to the point that he begins to feel a “buzz” or feel “a little tipsy,” the decision is often made to stop drinking at that point in order to avoid any problems that may occur with over-consumption of alcohol.

However, some people, for different reasons, continue to drink to the point of intoxication. For some, the aftereffects (the hangover or vomiting that occurs from too much alcohol) are enough to make them decide to never get to that point again, or at least not do it very often. Others, however, continue to increase their alcohol intake, and thus become addicted, a condition sometimes referred to as alcoholism.

True alcoholism (as opposed to binge drinking or occasional drunkenness) will eventually cause long-term effects on the body. These can include such things as illnesses caused by nutritional deficiencies, and brain and organ damage.

Nutritional deficiencies occur because of alcohol’s dual effect on a person. For one thing, the person is so preoccupied with wondering where his next drink will come from and with procuring that next drink, that he gives little, if any, thought to eating. In essence, drinking is more important than food consumption.

Further, alcohol can contain anywhere from 25 to as much as 65 calories, or more, depending on the type of beverage. These, however, are considered “empty” calories. The person does not feel hunger, because his stomach is full of alcohol, but he has taken in no nutrients.

Alcoholism causes organ damage, especially to the liver. The liver is responsible for filtering out the harmful effects of alcohol. As it has to handle larger and larger volumes of alcohol, its filtering effects become diminished. Eventually, the liver actually begins to harden, a condition known as cirrhosis, which eventually leads to liver failure.

Alcoholism also affects the brain. Each time alcohol is consumed, brain cells are killed, and they do not regenerate. Further, excessive consumption can lead to episodes of memory loss, sometimes referred to as “blackouts”.