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How does alcohol affect the platelet count in human blood?

The state of the endocrine system mainly affects the concentration of platelets in the blood – it is with the help of hormones that the body regulates the production of shaped elements.

According to research, alcohol consumption can increase platelet levels in the blood.

Is there a so-called "safe" dose of alcoholic beverages that does not worsen the balance of shaped elements in the blood? How can the negative effects of alcohol on the blood be minimized? Is it justified to drink alcohol for medicinal purposes? All the answers are in the article.

The effect of alcohol on platelet levels

When drinking any alcoholic beverages, ethyl alcohol enters the bloodstream. It, in turn, is broken down to acetaldehyde, and then into carbon dioxide and energy. The whole process is stimulated by water, which is the basis of plasma. That's why alcoholic beverages thicken the blood and give a strong diuretic effect.

All this is accompanied by a violation of the water-salt balance, the fluid in the blood becomes less, respectively, the concentration of shaped elements increases (although the number of cells remains the same). That is, platelet levels are rising, and in leaps and bounds , reaching the highest mark only after 4-6 hours immediately after drinking alcohol (the exact period depends on the amount of alcohol consumed).

A sharp increase in platelet levels increases the risk of thrombosis - "gluing" of platelets. This effect is complemented by the action of ethanol derivatives on cell membranes, increasing the attraction between them. Platelet concentration decreases and normalizes only after complete elimination of alcohol from the blood, which can take more than 24 hours.

Also check out the infographic:

 

Review of 5 Popular drinks

Studies show that different alcoholic beverages do not have the same effect on the blood condition:

  1. Wine. If you drink up to 30 ml of red wine, it practically does not increase the concentration of platelets in any way. If more, the level increases proportionally blood clots .
  2. Beer. Due to a sufficiently strong diuretic effect beer greatly increases blood viscosity . And frequent consumption of this particular drink causes the greatest risk of thrombosis.
  3. Vodka. Gets into the blood quickly, the platelet level rises at the same rate. It is normalized when the electrolyte balance is restored. However, it is because of vodka that they stick together the fastest red blood cells , therefore, the risk of blood clots after drinking this alcoholic beverage is one of the highest.
  4. Cognac. Refers to strong alcoholic beverages. Cognac acts on the blood similar to vodka.
  5. Low-alcohol carbonated cocktails. Soda itself provokes an imbalance of sodium and potassium. It is because of this that mineral water with soda gives a diuretic effect. This effect is enhanced by the presence of alcohol in those cocktails. Even a small portion of such a drink provokes an increase in platelet levels. But the effect is short–term (on average, up to 2 hours from the moment of use).

"Safe" daily dose

If you believe the doctors, then a dose comparable to 30 milliliters of wine is safe (it contains only about 1.5 milliliters of pure alcohol). In this case, the blood density does not actually increase.

If you drink more, then the platelet level is at least a few points higher, but it increases. And it should be borne in mind that the withdrawal of alcohol derivatives in any case takes at least 4 hours.

It turns out that even in small quantities alcohol negatively affects the biochemical composition of the blood, increasing its viscosity. And this is one of the factors of exacerbation of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system .

That is why in most cases thrombosis is not prescribed even medicinal tinctures , which contain ethyl alcohol.

Contraindications

Alcoholic beverages are contraindicated in almost all diseases of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems. You should also minimize its use when the presence of the following diseases and conditions:

  • Elevated platelets;
  • Hypertension;
  • Thrombocytosis;
  • Tachycardia.
Alcohol is also strictly contraindicated during pregnancy.

During pregnancy, women's platelet levels exceed the nominal level, and in the first trimester it is the highest.

Gradually the indicator normalizes, it decreases to the usual level after the restoration of the menstrual cycle after childbirth (that is, about 3 to 6 months after the birth of the child).

Useful video

We recommend watching these videos for a better understanding of the topic:

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Conclusion

In total, absolutely all alcohol-containing drinks increase the concentration of platelets in the blood. This is explained by an increase in its plasma viscosity due to a sharp decrease in the level of "free" liquid, which is actively spent on splitting ethyl alcohol derivatives.

Accordingly, people prone to thrombosis should strictly refuse alcohol in any form.

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