Alcohol thins or thickens the blood: the influence of vodka, cognac and other alcohol

Stages of alcohol passing through blood vessels

To understand what alcohol does to the blood, whether it thins or thickens, you need to consider the phases of ethanol passing through the vessels.

Regardless of the quality of alcohol, the percentage of alcohol has an effect on clotting. So, almost immediately after drinking alcohol, the blood vessels begin to dilate and blood flow accelerates. This happens approximately half an hour or an hour after drinking, and depends on the individual characteristics of the individual organism.

After an hour or half an hour, again depending on the body, ethanol begins to slowly disintegrate into processed products. At this moment, a sharp narrowing of the vascular walls occurs. The breakdown products of ethanol try to take all the liquid from the tissues, so the viscosity of the blood increases. As a result, the movement of the fluid slows down.

From the above we can conclude whether alcohol thins the blood. It turns out that alcohol-containing products can simultaneously both thin the blood and thicken it.

To understand how liquefaction and thickening occur, let’s consider the phases of alcohol absorption into the body.

Liquefaction

Any alcohol can, when ingested, attract liquid. Due to the large amount of fluid, the blood becomes more fluid, and its movement through the vessels occurs at an increased speed. This explains why people suffering from high blood pressure feel better after drinking. When alcohol thins the blood, the following symptoms appear at this moment:

• the skin turns red;
• a person feels a slight fever, warmth in the limbs;
• there is a frequent urge to urinate.

It is during this period that a person feels good when drinking alcohol. You feel an unprecedented surge of strength and your mood improves. During the liquefaction phase, the person feels excellent and does not require medication.

There is an opinion that drinking red wine is beneficial for high blood pressure. Indeed, if you have hypertension, red wine can help you feel better. Many people are interested in what kind of alcohol thins the blood. Any alcohol-containing drink, regardless of strength, can make the blood more liquid. But, it is necessary to understand that the improvement in well-being occurs for a short period. Then, the next phase begins, accompanied by thickening.

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Thickening

After half an hour has passed from the moment of drinking alcohol, processes begin in the body to break down ethanol into simple substances for subsequent elimination. Whatever type of alcohol reaches the internal tissues, processes immediately arise to get rid of unusual substances that are considered poison.

Ethanol split into its constituent parts passes through almost all organs, affecting the esophagus, liver tissue, even the brain. To get rid of toxic substances, the body takes water from the tissues, and thus flushes out the poison. As a result, the blood becomes thicker and its consistency changes.

The phase when alcohol thickens the blood is usually noticeable by the following symptoms:

• swelling of the face and limbs appears;
• bothered by headache;
• there is a feeling of dryness in the mouth, the tongue literally sticks to the roof of the mouth;
• I'm constantly thirsty.

The described symptoms occur with a hangover. It is the hangover signs that indicate that thickening is occurring.

At one time, specialists practiced helping with blood thickening by diluting it with special solutions during intravenous infusions. Now they are of the opinion that it is necessary to give the body time to cope with the problem on its own if alcohol poisoning does not pose a danger to life.

It is recommended to carry out the following activities to help improve well-being when the blood begins to thicken:

1. To regain the fluid lost by the body, you need to drink a lot. Both plain water and mineral water will do. But before drinking mineral water, it is advisable to open the bottle to allow gases to escape;
2. It is useful to drink fruit drinks and herbal decoctions. Sea buckthorn fruit drink remarkably restores the water balance;
3. if after thickening it becomes bad, then you need to seek medical help. It is not always possible to cope with hangover symptoms on your own.

Both phases of the passage of alcohol through the tissues of internal organs are inevitable. But when a person drinks constantly and is in a state of binge drinking, he ceases to feel the stage of blood thickening. He feels good at the first stage, when the blood thins out. If you suddenly stop drinking, the hangover symptoms will appear with a vengeance. This is why it is so difficult for alcoholics to give up drinking.

How to properly treat a hangover

Considering the above, proper relief of hangover syndrome should accomplish two tasks.

The first is to remove toxic substances that were in alcohol, alcohol residues, under-oxidized metabolites from the body, and the second is to restore normal water balance.

Once these tasks are completed, the unfortunate person’s well-being will improve significantly. But in order not to take various medications without a doctor’s prescription, it is necessary to subject the body to normal water load.

For this, 3 - 5 liters of mineral water, preferably naturally mineralized, an effervescent aspirin tablet, freshly squeezed lemon juice with sugar as a source of vitamin C, a little hot tea and honey will be enough. After about one and a half liters of mineral water enters the body every hour, the blood will begin to thin out, diuresis will be restored again and the desire to urinate will arise.

After this, recovery begins, the feeling of thirst disappears, and after a few hours the painful symptoms of intoxication will go away. If you need to get rid of the remaining alcohol in your body as quickly as possible, you can start treatment as early as possible, in the morning. In order to ensure that potassium and magnesium ions do not leave the body with a large volume of urine after a water load, it is advisable to combine this with eating dried fruits or baked potatoes in their jackets.

Taking a warm bath or hot shower, always rubbing with a washcloth or hard towel, will also significantly speed up the body’s return to normal condition. If your health allows, then a bathhouse, only heated not to extreme temperatures, will be very helpful in removing toxins from the body through the skin. Warming up the steam room to 70 degrees, quietly staying in it with the goal of just lying down, sweating, drinking mineral water will bring the desired results and relieve the blood from thickening.

Now you are familiar with the main effects of alcohol on the liquid part of blood plasma contained in the human bloodstream, and you can know whether alcohol thins the blood or thickens it.

The fact that thrombotic complications - heart attacks and ischemic strokes - occur much more often as a result of alcohol abuse suggests that thickening is a much more dangerous condition than blood thinning.

When the blood thins, its coagulability also decreases, but almost none of the alcoholics die from normal bleeding, perhaps with the exception of varicose veins of the esophagus due to severe cirrhosis of the liver.

That is why regular indulgence in alcoholic beverages is not recommended for those people who have a tendency to thrombosis - with thrombophilia, systemic diseases of the blood vessels, with obliterating endarteritis and thromboangiitis, with diabetic angiopathy, with severe arterial hypertension. All these conditions are characterized by an increased risk of thrombosis and vascular insufficiency, and a case of alcoholic “dehydration” of the body can cause a vascular accident.

The study of the effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular and circulatory systems examines a huge number of factors and parameters. A universal algorithm for the absorption, breakdown and elimination of alcohol is known.

Modern research suggests that moderate consumption of certain alcoholic beverages may even reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

However, the parameters of this process will be determined by the composition of the particular alcoholic beverage, the level of ethanol content, etc. One of the important points when studying the effect of alcohol on the human body is the level of blood viscosity and the ability of alcohol to thin it and prevent further thickening. Why is this happening?

Let us consider in detail the universal and special cases of the effect of alcohol on the viscosity of human blood. We will also discuss what other blood parameters are affected by alcohol and explain the possible consequences of abuse.

Self-removal of blood viscosity

The main reason for blood thickening is insufficient fluid. Due to dehydration, all hangover symptoms begin to appear. You want to drink so much that your thirst is almost impossible to satisfy. Fluid accumulates in the soft tissues, leading to swelling.

There are several ways to independently cope with the blood thickening phase after drinking alcohol:

1. you need to eat more fruits, vegetables and greens;
2. It is useful to take ascorbic acid from pharmaceutical preparations;
3. The menu should contain products containing increased amounts of vitamin C. These are rose hips, any citrus fruits, fresh and sauerkraut, wild strawberries, strawberries. The listed fruits will help the body eliminate toxic substances;
4. it is necessary to revise the menu, including porridge, lean meat, cottage cheese, fish and other seafood in the diet.

Your health will begin to improve when your blood consistency returns to normal. You should not bring the body to a state where the blood becomes viscous. To do this, you need to control the amount of alcohol you drink.

But, viscosity occurs even with a reasonable amount of alcohol-containing drinks. In addition to the fact that the blood thickens, its composition also changes under the influence of alcohol.

Even a small dose of alcohol helps reduce the number of red blood cells, which affects the hemoglobin content in the blood. Hemoglobin is responsible for the normal function of gas exchange, and therefore for the supply of oxygen to tissues. Therefore, when the blood thickens, the number of red blood cells decreases sharply and the tissues feel a lack of oxygen. Therefore, it is so important to replenish the amount of fluid lost in the body after drinking alcohol.

How does ethanol affect blood thickening and thinning?

Before talking about different types of alcoholic drinks, and assessing which alcohol contributes to blood thinning and which to thickening, you need to first understand the mechanisms and stages of thinning and hemoconcentration (blood thickening) after regular drinking.

Initially, alcoholic drinks, like ordinary liquids, are absorbed in the stomach and small intestine. After alcohol is absorbed, it causes the blood vessels in the skin to dilate, and as a result, blood pressure decreases slightly. But this does not lead to a systemic effect that protects the body. At this time, the vessels of the internal organs, on the contrary, experience spasm, and due to this, “robbing” of the myocardium and brain occurs. It is at this stage that a person who has drunk a sufficient dose of alcohol experiences reddening of the skin and a feeling of warmth and even comfort, but his internal organs suffer from a lack of blood flow. After all, if the blood has flowed into the vessels of the skin, then it must flow out from somewhere?

The primary effect of alcohol can actually eliminate increased blood viscosity, since alcohol acts in the same way as the anticoagulant heparin. But its heparin-like effect is short-lived, and after 30-40 minutes it is leveled out. In addition, ethyl alcohol has a pronounced osmotic effect and is able to draw water with it. This leads to a state of blood thickening, or hemoconcentration, several hours after a heavy meal.

The effect of different types of alcohol on the blood

Whatever type of alcohol is consumed, if the measure is not observed, it has a negative effect on the body. Any type of alcohol, when it enters the internal tissues, goes through the same stages of elimination. These are the phases of blood thinning and thickening. But, each type of alcohol attracts a different amount of liquid:

• Vodka attracts liquid the most, which means that under the influence of strong alcohol the blood thickens more strongly. Under the influence of vodka, the number of red blood cells, leukocytes and platelets changes. The walls of the blood vessels literally stick together and blood clots form. As a result, there is a danger of blood clots;
• Drinking large amounts of beer affects blood pressure, which begins to either increase or decrease sharply. Beer provokes the expansion of vascular walls and further thinning of the blood if consumed in moderation. Excessive dosage of beer leads to increased blood pressure and impaired renal function;
• red wine in moderate doses actually thins the blood and prevents the formation of blood clots;
• champagne destroys red blood cells, which are responsible for normal blood consistency. As a result, tissues are deprived of the required amount of oxygen;
• cognac , like vodka, can affect blood pressure, raising and lowering its levels. So, if you drink cognac in moderation, your cholesterol level even decreases. But a large amount of strong alcohol almost instantly makes you feel worse.

Almost any alcohol, regardless of strength, consumed in large quantities, contributes to a sharp drop in the level of red blood cells. As a result, blood clots form and there is a risk of blood clots. This is why it is necessary to monitor the amount you drink.

About different types of alcohol and their effects on the body

Of course, the type and strength of the alcoholic beverage makes a very big difference in the metabolism of ethanol. Let's look at the main types of popular alcohol and their effect on thinning (and mainly thickening the blood).

Strong alcohol

The highest level of ability to absorb water exists in vodka, as well as in all alcoholic drinks with a strength of over 40 degrees. So, many types of cognac and brandy exceed this value, the same applies to moonshine. But if you drink 150 ml of good cognac of sufficient strength, but over several hours and with a snack, then nothing special will happen to you. But if you drink vodka, and its quantity exceeds half a liter per “capita”, then there is a risk of falling into a state of severe hangover, since it is not only a matter of degree, but also of quantity.

Vodka and strong alcohol, as mentioned above, first thins and then begins to thicken the blood. At the beginning of the process, a heparin-like effect appears, but the liquefaction will be very weak and short, and then hemoconcentration occurs, a tendency to thrombosis, and in the morning - severe thirst. At the same time, the quality of alcohol can reduce the symptoms of intoxication, but thirst is unlikely. It depends on the strength and quantity. Therefore, it does not matter what was drunk: vodka, gin, tequila, whiskey, strong liqueur. The symptoms will be the same, even with a very good quality product.

As for beer, there is perhaps no greater enemy for the cardiovascular system among all types of alcohol. First of all, beer is always drunk in large quantities. Patients are scared that they have to drink 3 or 5 liters of mineral water to treat a hangover, but when it comes to 5 liters of beer, this seems like a small amount, because sometimes you have to buy more. Beer contributes to volume overload of the heart and the development of valvular disorders in the myocardium, for example, increased mitral valve prolapse. Beer contributes to the appearance of pronounced edema, but not due to the liquid that is in the bloodstream, but due to the liquid that comes out of it. This is why thirst also occurs during a beer hangover; beer increases blood pressure. In case of chronic beer alcoholism, men receive analogues of female hormones, or phytoestrogens. Therefore, excessive consumption of beer can contribute to a decrease in potency.

Does alcohol thin the blood or thicken it? What alcohol thins the blood: vodka, beer, wine?

Does alcohol thin the blood or thicken it?
Does it facilitate the passage of blood through the vessels, and can ethyl alcohol protect against strokes and heart attacks? Let's look into this issue. Many alcohol lovers try to whitewash the situation and idealize their craving for alcoholic beverages, presenting it as a concern for a healthy lifestyle. They can give different arguments: alcohol supposedly thins the blood and replaces “heart” aspirin.

There is also an argument that in order to overcome increased blood viscosity, it is necessary to regularly drink good wine. And, of course, the most favorite aphorism says that alcohol in small doses is harmless in any quantity.

In fact, it has long been proven that alcoholic drinks consumed regularly lead to an increase in blood pressure. A recent Canadian study found that regular alcohol consumption increased the incidence of hypertension by 4% in men aged 60 years.

Phases

As noted above, alcohol directly affects the viscosity of body fluids, interacting closely with the blood. This is due both to the characteristics of the body and the alcohol itself. Let's figure out how alcoholic drinks can affect the circulatory system and how does the effect of alcohol on blood clotting manifest itself?

Absorption phase: when alcohol thins the blood

So, does alcohol thin the blood? Alcohol has the ability to attract water, as a result of which, after entering the vessels, alcohol molecules begin to draw water from the tissues.

At the same time, the blood becomes more liquid due to the large amount of water in the circulatory system. In addition, its circulation through dilated vessels accelerates, which allows hypertensive patients to feel relief immediately after taking a dose of alcohol.

The main symptoms indicating that alcohol thins the blood include:

• redness of the skin;
• sensation of warmth or slight heat;
• frequent urination.

At this stage, a person feels great, he has a surge of vitality, his mood and performance improve. You want to have fun, and your self-esteem increases several times. Naturally, during the absorption phase the person does not require any medication.

This feature applies to any type of alcohol, regardless of strength. It is worth noting that the blood thinning phase is quite short-lived, and soon alcohol thickens the blood and causes constriction of blood vessels.

The blood of a sober and drunk man

Important! It has been proven that a small dose of red wine can alleviate the condition of hypertensive patients, however, in addition to the positive effect, wine can have a negative effect. Experts recommend replacing this drink with natural grape juice or consuming a small amount of red grapes daily.

Elimination phase: when alcohol thins the blood

About half an hour after taking the first dose of alcohol, its breakdown into breakdown products begins. The fact is that the body perceives ethanol as a poison, and strives to break down and remove it as quickly as possible.

In this case, the breakdown products of alcohol penetrate the walls of the esophagus, liver, kidneys, brain and other organs. To cleanse, the body uses water, “directing” it towards toxic particles, which allows them to be flushed out naturally.

In this case, fluid from the blood is consumed, as a result of which its consistency becomes more viscous.

The blood liquefaction phase may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

• swelling of tissues;
• headaches;
• dry mouth;
• feeling of thirst.

In simple words, the hangover syndrome, known to many, is the main indicator of the thickening phase.

If earlier doctors believed that it was possible to help thin the blood with the help of special infusions through a dropper, today experts are inclined to believe that the body should cope with the problem itself (if the case is not complicated). The following can be used as support measures:

• it is necessary to restore the mineral-salt balance in the body. To do this, you can drink mineral water, which will also restore fluid balance;
• you can prepare and drink fruit drinks containing large amounts of vitamin C. The ideal option in this case is sea buckthorn;
• in case of complications and poor health, it is best to seek qualified help and obtain the necessary medications.

The blood liquefaction phase is inevitable, however, during a long binge, when new portions of the toxin are constantly entering the body, a person practically does not feel its effects. However, as soon as you stop drinking, all the symptoms appear with great force.

Consequences of alcohol abuse

The most dangerous diseases caused by long-term abuse include:

• Cirrhosis of the liver - since the liver is the main filter of our body, it is the liver that suffers first of all in alcoholics. The disease is considered incurable and in most cases leads to death if the person cannot give up alcohol;
• Oncological diseases - cancerous tumors in alcoholics most often affect the stomach, intestines, kidneys, as well as the mucous membrane of the mouth and larynx. In addition to alcohol, alcohol contains a huge amount of by-products, which are essentially preservatives and are gradually deposited in tissues, provoking irreversible changes at the cellular level;
• dementia - the brain of an alcoholic loses volume much more intensively than is inherent in nature. As a result, dementia, loss of the ability to adequately reason and perceive the world occurs much earlier in people who drink;
• epilepsy - this disease is much more common in alcoholics and occurs in a more severe form. In order to alleviate a person’s condition, specialists recommend completely eliminating alcohol from life, even in minimal doses;
• pancreatitis - alcohol affects all organs. Inflammation of the pancreas is accompanied by quite severe pain. In this case, drinking alcohol provokes complications and causes a new attack of colic.

This is not the entire list of diseases that can occur due to alcohol abuse. If you ever decide to “treat” blood vessels with alcohol, be sure to think about the consequences.

Alcohol provides only short-term relief, and hypertension requires medical attention.

In addition, any qualified professional will be able to explain to you why alcohol thins or thickens the blood and why you should limit your alcohol consumption.

Is it true that alcoholics do not have atherosclerosis?

Indeed, in the course of numerous studies, doctors were able to prove that in people who abuse alcohol, sclerotic plaques are not deposited on the walls of blood vessels.

The fact is that regular intake of ethanol into the blood simply dissolves them. However, according to statistics, the mortality rate from heart attacks among alcoholics is quite high.

Despite the fact that alcohol reduces blood clot-forming factors, it nevertheless has a much more destructive effect on the body.

Ethanol entering the blood dissolves sclerotic plaques

Contraindications

Cognac, like any alcohol-containing drinks, is contraindicated for diseases of the liver, kidneys, disorders of the lymphatic and nervous systems.

Cognac should be excluded from the diet if you have diabetes, have undergone major surgery during the recovery period, and also limit consumption if there are signs of hypertension.

Hypertensive patients can afford a daily dosage of up to 25 ml for women and up to 35 ml for men.

Like any alcoholic drink, beer has a number of contraindications. To avoid harm to health, they must be taken into account.

1. Age up to 18 years. The body of children and adolescents is categorically incapable of accepting alcohol of any strength: it will harm them even more than adults.
2. Pregnancy and lactation. Contrary to existing opinion, even natural, live beer is unsafe for mother and child.
3. Elderly age. Starting from the age of 65, doctors recommend no more than 250 ml of drink per day.
4. Drivers and operators of various types of machines. Any alcohol significantly reduces the reaction, which can lead to injury and even worse outcomes.
5. Alcoholism in the past. With this diagnosis, you cannot resume drinking alcohol.
6. Immunity to intoxication. Despite the fact that outwardly a person may not succumb to intoxication, his body, in particular the heart and blood vessels, will suffer in the same way as that of a quickly intoxicated person. As a result, there is a danger of significantly exceeding the dosage.
7. Having many medical diagnoses. In case of diseases of the nervous system, serious pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, drinking alcohol is impossible.

Stages and phases of alcohol movement

The principle of action of alcohol-containing liquids on blood quality is significantly different and can be of only two types - thinning the blood flow and promoting blood thickening. Knowing these aspects will not only help you avoid danger to your health, but also, in some cases, get relief.

Absorption stage: liquefaction

Alcohol has a specific characteristic (osmoticity) - the ability to attract liquids well. Dissolving in the blood, alcoholic drinks provoke the accumulation of fluid, thin the blood and facilitate its easier movement through the blood vessels.

This can be considered a positive dynamic in case of a sedentary lifestyle, with stagnation in the body, but a dangerous phenomenon in the presence of blood clots and increased blood clotting.

There are characteristic symptoms that appear in a person at the initial stage of alcohol consumption:

• skin redness;
• warming warmth throughout the body;
• calming mental activity;
• relaxation of the whole body;
• urge to urinate.

These symptoms can be observed in the first 20-40 minutes if you drink a small amount of alcohol. If you continue to abuse alcohol, the opposite and very dangerous effect will occur - thickening of the blood. For this reason, chronic alcoholics tend to have thick blood flowing through their vessels.

Condensation in the output phase

As the human body identifies consumed alcoholic beverages as poison, its internal protective reserves begin to turn on. The process of removing harmful substances from the body is underway.

Ethanol (the main component of alcohol) is broken down into its constituent elements and, along with a large amount of liquid, is excreted. In this case, dehydration of the body occurs, the blood sharply thickens, its viscosity and blood sugar levels increase.

At this time, a person may experience the following characteristic symptoms, which are popularly called a “hangover”:

• thirst and dry mouth;
• swelling;
• whole body aches;
• headache;
• tremor of the limbs and/or the whole body.

People say: “The best cure for a hangover is to avoid drinking alcohol a day before the attack.”

The effect of alcohol on blood vessels

Before finding out whether alcohol thins the blood or acts in the opposite direction, thickening it, it is worth familiarizing yourself with all the stages (phases) of the passage of ethyl alcohol through the blood vessels.

Regardless of the quality, strength and the presence of other additives, strong drinks actively affect blood clotting.

How quickly this happens depends on the level taken “on the chest” and the condition, individual characteristics of the body of a particular person:

1. Immediately after taking the intoxicating drink, a sharp dilation of the blood vessels occurs, which provokes an acceleration of blood flow. This effect can be observed 20-60 minutes after drinking it - it depends on the nuances of the person.
2. After 1-1.5 hours, ethyl alcohol begins to gradually break down into metabolites. At this time, the vascular walls sharply narrow. Alcohol metabolites actively “absorb” fluid from internal tissues, thereby increasing the level of blood viscosity. As a result, the movement of fluids slows down.

All drinks that contain ethanol to one degree or another work in two directions: they can simultaneously thicken the blood and thin it.

Stage 1: Suction

Any drink that contains a certain alcohol content, once inside the human body, begins to actively attract liquid to its cells.

As a result, the blood composition thins and, accordingly, blood flow accelerates.

This explains the initial improvement in the condition of individuals, especially those suffering from hypertension (high blood pressure). This is how the myth about the benefits of small doses of alcohol arises.

When blood thinning occurs under the influence of alcohol-containing drinks, a person experiences the following symptoms:

Source: https://NarkoPro.ru/alkogolizm/alkogol-razzhizhaet-krov.html

Rules of use and daily intake

The culture of cognac consumption is important. Firstly, you need to follow the dosage

For healthy people, the daily intake for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes should be limited to 50 ml, and it is better to drink 25 ml rather than in one gulp.

During a feast, you can afford 100-150 ml, but this will already exceed medical recommendations.

Secondly, the best effect is achieved by consumption in the fresh air, in a pleasant stop. For absorption by the body, a number of conditions must be met, including a sufficient amount of fresh air and the absence of stress.

Thirdly, cognac is recommended to be enjoyed with tasty and healthy food: nuts, dark chocolate, fruits, berries, cheeses. In addition to the taste obtained by combining these products with cognac, recommendations for their consumption are due to their beneficial effects on the body and cardiovascular system, including neutralizing the negative consequences of alcohol consumption.