Previous: The Liver
Stomach and GI Tract
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Alcohol irritates the lining of the stomach and can cause painful stomach ulcers. Alcohol consumption creates an immediate spike in blood sugar, and this blood sugar spike is followed by a large pancreatic insulin release, which in turn leads to reduced levels of sugar in the blood. This hypoglycemia can cause fatigue, dizziness, headaches, anxiety and a host of other symptoms, and most chronic drinkers suffer from almost permanent low blood sugar. Additionally, because of the overworked pancreatic response, diabetes development is very likely with chronic alcohol use; and the risk of pancreatic cancer and other painful and serious pancreatic conditions is elevated substantially.
