Beer contains alcohol, which can have devastating effects on the brain when consumed in excessive amounts. According to MedlinePlus, you’re at risk of alcoholism if you consume five or more beers at one sitting once a week, or more often. If you’re a man who consumes 15 or more beers weekly, or a woman who consumes 12 or more, you’re also at risk of alcoholism. The short-term effect of alcohol consumption on the brain is obvious: behavioral changes and loss of coordination. The long-term effects of abusing alcohol, including beer, can cause serious damage to the brain.
Brain Shrinkage
The brains of alcoholics weigh less than those of nonalcoholics, according to a 2006 article in the academic journal “Alcohol and Alcoholism.” The degree of brain shrinkage is relative to the amount of alcohol consumed – in other words, the more you drink, the more your brain shrinks. White matter decreases in volume, while the fluid-filled spaces in the brain enlarge. Some of these changes appear to be permanent, while others are reversible after a period of abstinence. Working memory, postural stability and visuospatial ability all are impaired by alcoholism but appear to improve with abstinence from alcohol.
Liver Cirrhosis
Liver cirrhosis is commonly associated with alcoholism. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, one of the potential effects of liver disease is hepatic encephalopathy, a life-threatening brain disease. The effects of hepatic encephalopathy include anxiety, depression, decreased attention span, mood and personality changes and asterixis, a condition that causes flapping or shaking of the hands. Brain damage occurs when the damaged liver allows harmful ammonia and manganese to enter the brain.
Thiamine Deficiencies
Alcohol abuse can cause a deficiency in thiamine, an essential vitamin. A deficiency in thiamine causes Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a condition that results in damage to the thalamus and hypothalamus of the brain. The symptoms of this disorder include confusion, lack of muscle coordination, double vision, eyelid drooping and abnormal eye movements. As Wernicke’s encephalopathy progresses, it can result in Korsakoff psychosis, a condition that is associated with memory loss and hallucinations.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Alcohol is especially dangerous to the developing brains of children in the womb. Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy can have children born with fetal alcohol syndrome, a condition that causes poor coordination and social skills, learning disorders, behavioral problems and developmental delays in addition to facial deformities.
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