Viewers horrified at sobering reality of what regularly drinking alcohol really does inside your body
While we all enjoy the occasional drink, especially when the Sun's out, some might feel more cautious after seeing the actual effects of alcohol on the body.
YouTube videos and simulations have done quite a job of educating viewers about the consequences of vaping, and what happens when you stop smoking or drinking coffee.
Now, a detailed video by Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell illustrates exactly what regularly drinking alcohol does to your body.
Starting with some alarming statistics, the video reveals that alcohol kills more people than terrorism, war, homicides and car accidents combined.
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"If it didn't exist already, inventing it today would be unthinkable," the narrator described.
After one drink
"With just one sip, sextillions of alcohol molecules flood your stomach and small intestine," the video illustrated. From there, they travel to your liver and other organs, including the brain.
Our liver can only process about a sip of beer every five minutes. Since most people drink faster than this rate, an 'ever-growing swarm [of molecules] floods your brain.' The molecules 'numbs your neurons, making them slower and disrupts their communication,' Kurzgesagt said.
By affecting the prefrontal cortex, the person starts feeling sedated, with reduced tension and stress, but also less control and poorer decision-making abilities.
Regular drinking
With work schedules, social meetups, office drinks, birthdays, and ways to unwind after long days, regular drinking can quickly become routine.
"But as the rounds add up over years, the damage builds up," the narrator explained.
Because alcohol molecules can dissolve in both water and fat, they can invade almost every cell and tissue in the body. When broken down into acetaldehyde, it becomes more dangerous than alcohol itself, 'wreaking havoc on your tissues, cells and DNA.'
In the brain, the neurons start to shrink and connections are severed, 'making it harder for different parts of the brain to communicate.'
Kurzgesagt warned: "As your brain withers, your memories fade, your thinking slows down, and your risk of dementia increases."
The video also pointed out that timing and quantity matter as: "The younger you are, the wider the damage and the more you drink in one go, the worse you'll make it."
Drinking regularly can weaken your heart, raise blood pressure, and increase stroke risk.
In the liver, alcohol disrupts fat metabolism, causing fat buildup that leads to swelling and inflammation. Since this process has no symptoms, it gradually worsens until reaching the final stage called cirrhosis – a liver full of scars that barely functions.
"This might take over 10 years, but once it appears, it's largely irreversible," the video noted. "Every year, 600,000 people die because they have a liver destroyed by alcohol."
While these figures are certainly unsettling - and enough to make you steer clear of booze for life - understanding how alcohol affects our bodies can help us make more informed choices about our drinking habits.
Meanwhile, people have been sharing their reactions to the sobering video.
"Never been more happy that I’ve never found alcohol appealing," one user wrote.
"Kills more people than war is crazy," another replied.