Warning: This article contains discussion of alcoholism which some readers may find distressing.
A fascinating simulation shows exactly what happens to your body when you stop drinking alcohol.
The video illustrates just how alcohol affects your body and what happens when you stop drinking.
Posting to YouTube by The Infographics Show, the simulation gives us an insight into what takes place into our bodies mere seconds after we put down the drink.
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The clip explains how immediately, ‘your liver slowly filters out the toxins and sugars found in the alcohol’.
The YouTube channel continues: “After about an hour, your body has filtered your blood several times and metabolized the drinks you’ve had.
“The time it takes your body to break down the alcohol directly correlates to the amount consumed.”
Around 24 hours after you stop drinking, your ‘immune system returns to normal’.
Within three to five days of sobriety, more benefits become noticeable. Your blood pressure begins to drop and you might feel less stressed.
The video goes on: “You might also notice your appetite begins to decrease about a week after you stop consuming alcohol.”
After a fortnight with no alcohol, you ‘may find your cognitive abilities start to improve’ and about three weeks to a month later, your ‘liver will begin to thank you’.
“Without having to worry about alcohol, your liver can focus on breaking down other toxins that are produced by the body, which overall will make you feel healthier,” the video explains. “The regeneration of damaged tissue takes time,but it happens much quicker when you stop drinking.
“A month or two after your last sip of alcohol your liver will be working at full power again.”
Two months of sobriety will repair your heart from any damage that might have been caused by overconsumption of alcohol.
Over time, more health benefits will become apparent but some major positive side effects might not be noticeable at all.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, alcohol has been found to be a carcinogen, meaning that there is a chance that the substance can be a cause of cancer.
Video adds: “The research suggests that people who consume large amounts of alcohol are at higher risk for certain types of cancer, which makes sense when you think about it.
“Since your body technically sees alcohol as a toxin, and your liver is responsible for removing that toxin, it is no surprise that people who are heavy drinkers have a high risk of developing liver cancer.”