How alcohol affects the bones?

You’re finally at that stage in life where you can drink so much vodka and still wake up with enough energy to run a marathon (just kidding). But did you know that alcohol doesn’t only affect your liver, but also your bones? No worries, we’ve got you covered. This article will explain exactly how alcohol affects your bones.

What is Alcohol?

Before we dive into the details of how alcohol affects our bones, let’s establish what it really is. In simple terms, alcohol or ethanol is a beverage produced when grains or fruits undergo fermentation by yeast. It takes its toll on our body from cognitive impairment to physiological damage due to long-term consumption. (Bottoms up)

The Science Behind Our Skeleton

Our skeleton supports our body shape and structure while maintaining balance and protecting vital organs such as the heart and lungs from external injury. Interestingly, this solid structure isn’t all hard bone material; rather it consists of living tissues including blood vessels (Arteries), cartilage (Nasty Stuff), osteoid (a collagen-based tissue) and minerals such as calcium phosphate which are important for strong bone formation [1]. Therefore any changes in the metabolic function of these components could lead potentially lead to low bone health.

Cells Involved in Bone Health

It’s essential first to understand what cells contribute towards proper growth & development of healthy collagen-rich-joints.

  1. Osteoclasts: These cells are responsible for breaking down bone material during remodeling
  2. Osteoblasts: They generate new bone materials thus aiding further skeletal production
    3. Chondrocytes/Chondroblasts: they produce popular joint-lubricating fluids known as synovial fluid produced by chondrocyte proliferation within layers promoting shimmery mobility despite aging.

So anytime an external substance enters into your bloodstream, it tends to impact these cells indirectly.

Alcohol Effects on Bone Health

Drinking only impacts your bones in two ways: first, its direct effect on osteoclasts by increasing them or secondly reducing the formation of new ones. In either way that you view it, this could mean bad news for bone health since our body relies heavily on balancing remodeling and formation during skeletal development.

Cessation of Osteoblastic Differentiation

When alcohol enters into someone’s system through ingesting alcohol-laden fluids/food substances anything higher than moderate consumption(150ml per day) starts to suppress growth function and proliferation ability of osteoblasts [2]. This means your bones aren’t generating enough materials suitable for proper structural integrity as they always should be at any given moment/situation.

Rapid Proliferation of Osteoclasts

On contrary excessive alcohol has also been observed across various studies as stimulating rapid production rate a bone-remodeling cell known as an osteoclast [3] This is not necessarily good news since anytime you lose more minerals than are deposited possible weak spots will occur along waiting fracture sites!

The Vicious Cycle

So let’s assume one is addicted to liquor (Unfortunate Situation)which includes occasional heavy drinking over time there comes inevitable depletion in vital nutrients essential in maintaining optimal skeletal tissue network eventually leading to porous-like-weak structure & eventual degeneration.. However With reduced functionality noted among chondrocytes /osteocytes such damaged spaces from low mineralization generate full-fledged compounds dependent solely upon joints accelerating their deterioration over time inducing stress. When subjected under Higher operating-stress levels bone mass gives away making joint spread out even further damaging capacity-regenerating processes necessitated-proper-collagenous-fixed-joints formed primarily during adolescence likely extending beyond childhood.

The vicious cycle doesn’t stop there; once cartilage cells suspend their differentiation, they start to migrate along with various factors becoming a new target for potential alcohol-induced damage.

Tips on How To Avoid the Effects of Alcohol

  • Always drink moderately.
  • Focus your diet on foods rich in calcium and vitamin D
  • Eat more vegetables specifically those filled with anti-inflammatory properties
  • Focus on resistance training like weightlifting.

Fortunately, A study conducted among aging women showed that even though moderate alcohol consumption correlated with reduced bone mineral density relative to other non-drinking peers [4]. Subjects previously challenged by osteoporosis proceedings were less likely to incur frequent falls when allowed occasional safe drinking without exceeding excessive alcohol levels!

Conclusion

Not everyone can control their alcoholic desires, but it is essential not to ignore how your body may react chemicals put into it long term. If healthy bones are integral fundamental structures dictating tissue formation within an individual’s structure -the skeleton- so why risk diverting from the natural process of metabolic functionality?

Stay vigilant do everything in moderation ensure optimal care measures free from accumulating toxins promoting regular exercise dietary preferences also reducing inactive habits ensuring staying hydrated too(I mean who doesn’t love Water?)

Reading this article should give you an insight about why its essential one take extra precautions before consuming alcoholic beverages or get close acquaintance healthier substitute routine personally suited for us all since nobody wants brittle hanging joints alt text.


References:

[1] Gielen E., Vanderschueren D., Calvani M., Kaufman JM., Boonen S.: “Osteoporosis in men”. Bone. 2015 Apr;73:124-34. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2014.12.005
[2]Florez H & Martinez P, ‘Moderate drinking and health: A review’ in J Royal Soc Med. 1997;90(10):564-8.
[3] Léna C., Leccia E., Mesnage V. et al. Chronic alcohol consumption has detrimental effects on bone strength parameters mediated by PTHrp signaling pathways, not estrogen cytokinin signaling
. PLOS ONE. August 20th,2021[I]
[4] Samelson EJ1, Zhang Y2,Dawson-Hughes B3,Kiel DP4.New Engl J of Medicine (NEJM)‘Alcohol Consumption and Bone Mineral Density in Older Adults’,May14,2016Vol 358No19 pg1949 –1955DOI:101056/NEJMoa055218

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