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The belief that alcohol keeps you warm even when it s snowing may have worked in Bollywood movies, but does it actually hold any truth? While most of us live by the belief and indulge in drinking to beat the cold, the truth will surprise you. We asked Dr Rakesh Tandon Medical Director and Head of Gastroenterology at PSRI Hospitals New Delhi if alcohol really helps produce heat in the body and here s his response.
It is a misconception. In fact, it works just the opposite. Alcohol consumption cools down the core of the body and the vital organs located therein . Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means it relaxes and smoothes the muscle cells in the blood vessel walls and thus widens the blood vessels. This results in extra blood going to the body surface, making the skin feel warm and suffused. This is the reason you feel warm temporarily when you consume alcohol.
The body s mechanism works differently during winters. When it is cold outside, the blood vessels are constricted to minimise the blood flow to the skin so that the innards or the core body temperature is up. Alcohol works exactly opposite, due to which excess heat is lost from these dilated blood vessels, resulting in cooling down of the innards. Furthermore, alcohol reduces the shivering tendency, which is another mechanism used by the body to keep the core temperature warm. In fact, exposure to cold weather after binge drinking can be dangerous, according to Dr Tandon. Drinking during winters can also be a cause of heart attack.
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