The Immune System

HOW DOES ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND/OR DRUGS AFFECT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM?

Alcohol

• Alcohol abuse suppresses multiple arms of the immune system response, leading to an increased risk of infections.
• Alcohol consumption also is associated with a higher prevalence of Hepatitis C infection and increases the risk of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), particularly in binge drinkers.
• Alcohol travels through your bloodstream and can damage your brain, stomach, liver, kidneys and muscles.
• Each year, approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking.

Tobacco



• Smoking is less acknowledged that it affects both the innate and adaptive immune arms of the body.
• Smoking leads to elevated IgE concentrations development of atopic diseases and asthma.
• Smoking harms your immune system and can affect nearly every organ of your body.
• Even after 30 years of warnings on packages, tobacco continues to impact our health.

Drugs





• Prolonged cocaine snorting can irritate and cause scabs to form on your mucus membranes, damage your nasal septum (the thin wall that separates your left and right nostrils) and eventually make your nose collapse.
• Steroid use can lead to high blood pressure, an increased risk of blood clotting and increases in LDL (bad cholesterol)—all three combined are a recipe for heart failure.
• Hallucinogens disturb the normal functioning of the brain and put you at risk of developing long-lasting psychoses or mental disorders.
• Using GHB repeatedly can cause severe withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and increased heart rate and blood pressure.

Works Cited:
Molina, Patricia E.; Happel, Kyle I.; Ping Zhang.; Knolls, Jay K.; Nelson, Steve. Alcohol Research and Health. 2010. vol. 33, pg. 97-108

Arnson, Yoav; Shoenfeld, Yehyda; Amital, Howard. Journal of Autoimmunity; May 2010. 34.3

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