Frequent colds, low libido and high blood pressure can be signs of incipient alcoholism. The hidden symptoms of this problem are published by the Daily Mail. Nathan Penman, clinical director at health charity Nuffield Health, warned that hypertension is a sign of incipient alcoholism. According to the expert, due to the prolonged consumption of alcoholic drinks, blood vessels narrow and the heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout the body, leading to a rise in blood pressure. Hypertension can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and dementia.
Another non-obvious symptom of alcoholism Penman calls decreased interest in sex. Alcohol initially has a stimulating effect on the hormones serotonin, dopamine and testosterone, responsible for libido, but with consistent alcohol abuse their levels begin to decline, the expert explained. This can lead to reduced interest in sex, fertility and orgasm problems, menstrual irregularities and impotence.
Mental health prevention specialist Lisa Gunn noted that signs of alcohol problems can include a persistent bad mood and increased anxiety. In addition, excess alcohol negatively affects sleep quality and leads to a deficiency of important vitamins and micronutrients, which makes a person feel tired all the time.
In addition, excessive alcohol consumption, according to experts, leads to visual impairment, to a weakened immune system and, as a result, to frequent colds and problems with the gastrointestinal tract. | BGNES