One or two drinks per day may provide a health benefit, according to MayoClinic.com. However, excessive drinking can lead to alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Alcoholism is defined by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as a medical disorder characterized by excessive drinking that leads to bodily or mental harm. For those who abuse alcohol, the potential detrimental health effects outweigh the benefits.
Injuries
Drinking too much alcohol greatly increases the risk of bodily harm due to injury, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. In fact, the Institute reports that alcohol was a contributing factor in 50 percent or more in cases of fatal drownings, burn injuries, murders, sexual assaults and severe trauma. Alcohol also contributed to about 40 percent of fatal suicides, car crashes and fatal falls. These facts mean a person's life is significantly at risk when she is regularly intoxicated.
Cardiovascular Problems
The chronic abuse of alcohol can lead to heart and blood vessel problems, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. These problems include chronic high blood pressure, which can weaken both the heart and blood vessels throughout the body. Alcoholism is also significantly associated with cardiomyopathy, the clinical term for a significantly weakened heart that often affects the heart's ability to effectively pump blood. MayoClinic.com adds that excessive drinking ultimately increases a person's risk for heart failure or stroke.
Eye Problems
MayoClinic.com also indicates that alcoholism can weaken or even paralyze the muscles that control eye movement. Thus, excessive consumption of alcohol can affect a person's vision.
Nerve System
Excessive drinking can damage the nerves throughout the body, according to MayoClinic.com. Damage of nerves in the hands and feed can cause temporary or chronic numbness. If nerve cells in the brain are damaged by chronic alcohol use, dementia may occur.
Birth Defects
An unborn fetus is very susceptible to the effects of alcohol. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that alcohol use by a pregnant woman can cause potentially severe brain damage to a fetus. Merck Manuals adds that alcohol can cause metabolic disorders and electrolyte imbalances in unborn babies. These problems affect the way the baby processes nutrients and how the concentration of salts in the blood stream is regulated.
