All living units ranging from single cells and organs to entire organisms carry out homeostasis (source 1). Homeostasis refers to the ability of the body or a cell to seek and maintain a condition of stability within its internal environment when dealing with external changes. It is involved in the maintenance of the constant internal environment which includes the function of kidney, liver, skin and many organs. The abuse of drugs alters the body’s internal environment, causing a response in order to achieve homeostasis, this is via negative feedback. Modern lifestyle poses many pressures on human homeostasis responses due to the use of drugs in our society. Specifically, Alcohol, and its effect on the human homeostasis responses. Negative feedback loops act to undo the changes induced by a stimulus. Negative feedback loops are essential for maintaining homeostasis in complex organisms (Sources 2). Almost all homeostatic control mechanisms are negative feedback mechanisms. These mechanisms change the variable back to its original state or “ideal value”. To remove alcohol AL from the body, the person who is intoxicated can evaporate through respiration and …show more content…
One of these vital organs is the kidney. Our kidneys filter harmful substances from your blood. One of these substances is alcohol. Alcohol can cause changes in the function of the kidneys and make them less able to filter your blood. In addition to filtering blood, your kidneys do many other important jobs. One of these jobs is keeping the right amount of water in your body. Alcohol affects the ability of your kidneys to do this. When alcohol dehydrates (dries out) the body, the drying effect can affect the normal function of cells and organs, including the kidneys, disrupting the body’s water balance, thus effecting the maintenance of homeostasis in the
Why Shouldn’t We Lower the Blood Alcohol Rate? It is a tragic truth: About 10,000 lives are lost in the United States because of drunk driving each year. Alcohol is widely known as one of the main reasons for causing social security issues. Small amounts can make people feel relaxed, but bigger amounts can make them lose their coordination, get a feeling of confusion and disorientation, and significantly slow their reaction time. On average, one person dies every hour because of an alcoholic traffic accident in the United States.
Most alcoholics proceed to a stage where their brains or their bodies have been so harmed by alcohol that the effects persist even when they are not drinking. This stage may be reached...
Roger E. Meyer writes this article to explain the effects of alcohol and how it affects the body. Once alcohol is taken into the body it is absorbed from the stomach and the small intestine and into the bloodstream. If too much alcohol is taken in the stomach may secrete a mucous that will slow absorption. One tenth of the alcohol exits form the body as sweat or urine, as the rest is slowly broken down by the body. This article and information can be helpful to me because it will give me a background and information on alcohol and what happens when one consumes it.
Homeostatic mechanism use feedback loop. The detection - correction or feedback systems that the body uses to maintain homeostasis are constantly detecting internal or external conditions. These homeostatic mechanisms then evaluate the conditions to determine whether or not they represent any deviations from the normal. If conditions are outside of the optimal functioning range, the mechanisms take corrective action to bring the body back into balance. A good example of a negative feedback mechanism is a home thermostat (heating system). The thermostat contains the receptor (thermometer) and control center. If the heating system is set at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the heat (effector) is turned on if the temperature drops below 70 degrees Fahrenheit. After the heater heats the house to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, it shuts off effectively maintaining the ideal temperature. ( http://anatomyandphysiologyi.com/homeostasis-positivenegative-feedback-mechanisms/ )
previously one of the effects of alcohol is that one is unaware of the changes
Homeostasis mostly works through negative feedback, this is where the effectors response lessens the effects of the original stimulu...
Once ingested, food must be digested so it is available for energy and maintenance of body structure and function. Alcohol inhibits the breakdown of nutrients into usable molecules by decreasing secretion of digestive enzymes from the pancreas. Alcohol impairs nutrient absorption by damaging the cells lining the stomach and intestines and disabling transport of some nutrients into the blood. In addition, nutritional deficiencies themselves may lead to further absorption problems. For example, foliate deficiency alters the cells lining the small intestine, which in turn impairs absorption of water and nutrients including glucose, sodium, and additional foliate. Even if nutrients are digested and absorbed, alcohol can prevent them from being fully utilized by altering their transport, storage, and excretion. Decreased liver stores of vitamins such as vitamin A and increased excretion of nutrients such as fat, indicate impaired utilization of nutrients by alcoholics.
Liver disease resulting from alcohol affects more than two million Americans and is one of the primary causes of illness and death. The liver frees the body of harmful substances, such as alcohol. While the liver breaks down alcohol, it produces toxins that can be even more dangerous than the alcohol consumed (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol's Impact on Your Health” 13). “These by-products damage liver cells, promote inflammation, and weaken the body’s natural defenses. Eventually, these problems can disrupt the body’s metabolism and impair the function of other organs” (“Beyond Hangovers: Understanding Alcohol’s Impact on Your Health” 13).
Alcohol seems to be a common topic for teenagers in today’s society. Mainly alcohol is consumed by adolescents that are bored or trying to fit into a crowd by attempting to look ‘cool’. Students are aware of the effects but why is nothing being done? There are many consequences that come along with drinking; alcohol negatively affects not only the body, but the brain.
Alcohol not broken down by the liver goes to the rest of the body, including the brain. Alcohol can affect parts of the brain that control movement, speech, judgment, and memory. These effects lead to the
Alcoholism is a disease in which the drinking of alcohol becomes uncontrollable. Compulsion and craving of alcohol rules the life of the alcoholic. Many of us drink alcohol to socialize which is not alcoholism. An alcoholic is a frequent habitual user. Alcohol, a central nervous system depressant, dulls the senses especially vision and hearing. Signs of alcoholism are tremors, delirium, inability to concentrate and many others. “According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, more than 13 million Americans abuse alcohol”(Mayo Clinic Health Information 1). There are many causes leading an individual to alcoholism. Alcohol damaging effects are physically, psychologically, and socially devastating.
Drug and alcohol abuse has become a worldwide epidemic within today’s society. The battle against drugs and alcohol is not going to diminish. Therefore, we as a society need to work together to address these problems while incorporating successful treatment plans and services for these individuals. The addiction to these substances does not only effect oneself, but can also have profound consequences for the children and families.
Alcohol is an extremely dangerous substance, not only does it do a lot of damage to the drinker physically and emotionally, it also harms others around them such as family, friends and the society in general (Gmel, & Rehm,2003). This essay will look at the dynamics of alcohol, addiction, past and present approaches of alcoholism and the neurological networks of alcoholism.
Drinking alcohol is associated with many adverse health problems in the short and long-term. These include cancer, stroke, heart disease, miscarriage, premature birth and unintentional injuries. Despite the fact that alcohol brings many negative impacts, many people still choose to drink and do not overcome their drinking habit. They have been successfully seduced by alcohol until drinking has become their addiction. However, some of them try to quit drinking, but they still cannot break the addiction. Basically, quitting alcohol is difficult and almost impossible for them because of brain-craving, lack of belief and support, and weak willpower.
In conclusion, from what it was previously reported in the essay, it could be noticed that within the body, one of the systems that is more damaged by alcohol abuse is the renal system. The damages that this substance creates are really crucial since they interfere with the maintenance of homeostasis. As it could be clearly noticed throughout the essay, alcohol affects the kidneys at both at a macroscopically and microscopically level leading to many different health problems in alcoholic. Furthermore, it can be noticed that usually microscopic problems are usually connected to macroscopic changes that occur in the tubules and glomerulus of the kidneys (nephron region).