High cholesterol levels in the blood increase the risk of clogged arteries which may eventually lead to a variety of medical conditions that negatively affect health. Excessive use of alcohol also has detrimental effects on the body, including the liver and brain. Watching consumption of both alcohol and cholesterol will provide long-term health benefits.
Artery Damage
High cholesterol has been directly linked to artery damage caused by a buildup of plaque inside the arteries. This damage can lead to decreased blood flow to the heart and brain, causing heart attack or stroke. Atherosclerosis is defined as a hardening of the arteries caused by excess cholesterol or other wastes in the blood vessels that mostly affects medium and large arteries. The plaque builds up and narrows the artery or breaks off, causing blockages that may cause heart attack or stroke.
High Blood Pressure
Cholesterol may build up inside the arteries, leading to narrowed passages that results in high blood pressure, which means the heart must pump harder than normal to get blood through these narrowed passageways. The increased pumping action and force with which the heart must pump is registered in systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. The Mayo Clinic determined that excessive amounts of alcohol can raise blood pressure and it limits men to two drinks a day (12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of spirits) and women to one a day. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, alcohol interferes with the normal flow of blood to the heart and can in fact hamper the flow of nutrient rich blood to the heart, resulting in high blood pressure.
Liver Damage
Abnormal or high cholesterol may lead to fatty liver disease. The Mayo Clinic has determined that high triglyceride (fat) levels in the blood can lead to such disease processes. While cholesterol and triglycerides are not the same, they are both types of lipids or fats found in the body. When the doctor checks your cholesterol, he's also checking triglyceride levels.
High amounts of alcohol in the blood may cause liver damage that hampers the ability of the liver to filter wastes from the body. The liver is responsible for breaking down alcohol but, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, excessive alcohol consumption causes liver cirrhosis.
Brain Damage
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, studies have shown that excessive alcohol abuse can lead to brain damage, memory lapses and blackouts. Binge drinking, when an individual consumes excessive amounts of alcohol in a short period of time, has grown in popularity in recent years. Binge drinkers experience higher rates of blackouts. Individuals diagnosed with high cholesterol also increase their risk of stroke caused by the blockage of arteries that may result in varying degrees of brain damage.
