Alcohol Makes
You Sexy? No Way!
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Okay,
here is something you may not have heard about before. Sure, you know that when you drink you are
putting yourself at risk. But do you
really know what alcohol can do to your reproductive system?
v Some people may
think that alcohol enhances sexual performance while in reality alcohol is a
depressant that harms the reproductive system.
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When
discussing the reproductive system, it is important that we talk about
hormones. Hormones are what regulate the
human reproductive system.
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In
your body, you produce hormones called androgens (testosterone) and estrogens
(estradiol). Hormones are synthesized
mainly by the testes and the ovaries.
The hypothalamus, a small region located within the brain that controls
many bodily functions, and the pituitary gland, also located in the brain
directly below the hypothalamus, also make hormones. Both men and women have many of the same hormones; however, their
concentrations and functions vary.
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If
you choose to drink heavily, whether you are male or female, you will
experience complications. Problems in hormone production occur due to
inadequate functioning of the testes and ovaries. Furthermore, you are risking the possibility of sexual
dysfunction and infertility.
Men
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Reproductive
hormones are important in sexual maturation, sperm development, fertility, and
sexual behavior.
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Alcohol
causes reduced testosterone levels in men.
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Alcohol
can also cause shrinkage of the testes, which results in impotence, infertility,
and reduced secondary sexual characteristics:
·
Reduced
facial and chest hair
·
Breast
enlargement
·
Shift
in fat deposition from the abdomen to the hip area.
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In
one study of normal healthy men who received alcohol for four weeks,
testosterone levels declined after only five days and continued to fall through
the entire experiment.
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Alcohol
administration affects the release of hormones from the hypothalamus and
pituitary—changes in these hormones can cause problems for male sexual and
reproductive functions.
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Normal
sperm structure and movement can be inhibited by chronic alcohol use, this
happens because the metabolism of vitamin A is inhibited when you drink
alcohol. Vitamin A is essential for
sperm development
Women
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Hormones
in women promote the development of secondary sexual characteristics such as
breast development and distribution of body hair. They also regulate the menstrual cycle and are necessary to
maintain pregnancy.
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Chronic
drinking causes variety of reproductive problems:
·
Cessation
of menstruation
·
Irregular
menstrual cycles without ovulation,
·
Early
menopause
·
Increase
risk of spontaneous abortions
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Alcohol
causes problems with hormonal regulation of the reproductive system and
indirect problems with hormonal regulation through disorders such as liver
disease, pancreatic disease, malnutrition, and fetal abnormalities.
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Even
women who are considered social drinkers have had some of these same problems,
such as abnormal menstrual cycles and lack or delay of ovulation (expulsion of the
egg from the ovary).
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Breast
cancer is a risk factor for women who engage in even moderate drinking.
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Of
course, you must not forget the dangers of alcohol on the developing fetus Link
to fetal alcohol syndrome.
In conclusion, the companies that are trying to sell you alcohol by showing beautiful models and implying that drinking is sexy are way off; as you can see, there is nothing sexy about drinking! !
Back to Overview of Endocrine System
For
more information about the effect of alcohol on the endocrine system visit
these links:
Are you pregnant or
nursing? Find out what alcohol does to
the hormone Prolactin.