alcohol and health important facts & figures. alcohol ethyl alcohol or ethanol an intoxicating...
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Alcohol and Health
Important facts & figures
Alcohol
Ethyl alcohol or ethanol An intoxicating by-product of
fermentation, which uses yeast to change the sugars in food into alcohol (grains, fruits…)
Alcohol content is expressed as a percentage of volume or weight
Central nervous system depressant
Proof
The value is twice the percentage of alcohol in the solution
The percentage is how much alcohol is in water
Pure alcohol is 200 proof or 100% alcohol
What’s a drink?
Shot -1.5 oz 40% alcohol 80 proof
Wine - 5 oz 11% alcohol 22 proof
Beer or wine cooler -12 oz 4% alcohol 8 proof
*Malt liquor – looks and tastes like beer, contains 50% more ethanol
What’s a drink?
Popular beverages measured by the number of drinks in each serving
Drink Shots #of drinks1 Solo beer 1.51 Solo wine 3.512 oz beer 1Cosmopolitan 3 3L I Ice Tea 5 5Rum & Coke 2 2
Alcohol & Your Body
Mouth and EsophagusIs an irritant to the delicate linings of
the throat and food pipeIt burns as it goes downCancerDulls the taste and smell, reduces
desire to eat
Alcohol & Your Body
Stomach & IntestinesApproximately 20-25% of the alcohol
goes through the walls of the stomach directly into the bloodstream
The remainder goes into the small intestine, where it passes through the intestinal walls and into the bloodstream
Alcohol & Your Body
Stomach & IntestinesCritical factor on the rate of absorption
into the bloodstream is dependent on the emptying time of the stomach (ie food present)
Causes irritation to the lining of the stomach, resulting in ulcers
Blocks absorption of the key vitamins in the small intestine
Alcohol & Your Body
HeartAffected by the lack of vitaminsPumping action of heart is weakenedHeart failure can result from long time
useCauses inflammation of the heart
muscle
Alcohol & Your Body
Liver 95% of alcohol is broken down in the liver
Breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, and then into acetic acid by the enzyme acetaldehyde dehyrdogenase.
Next, the acetate is converted into fats or carbon dioxide and water. The fats are mostly deposited locally which leads to the characteristic “beer belly".
Prefers fatty acids as its fuel – but when alcohol is around, the liver is forced to use it instead
Alcohol & Your Body
Liver Inflames the cells of the liver, causing them
to swell and blocking the tiny canal to the small intestine.
Fatty acids build up as plaques around liver cells and those cells begin to die, leading to Cirrhosis
If damaged then certain toxins build up, leading to Jaundice
Alcoholism is the main reason for cirrhosis of liver
Alcohol & Your Body
Brain Ethanol is quickly absorbed into the
bloodstream and reaches the brain As a small molecule, it is able to cross the
blood-brain barrier Depresses many functions of the brain and
nervous system, such as• Coordination, orientation, alertness, breathing,
processing of information and making decisions
Alcohol & Your Body
BrainReduces the amount of brain tissue
and increases the size of the ventricles
Can kill brain cells which never returnDeprives the brain of vitamins and
other food substancesDeficiencies of Thiamine can lead to
serious mental disturbance
Alcohol & Your Body
Bladder & Kidneys Inflames the lining of the bladder, making it
unable to stretch properly Causes increased loss of fluids because it is
irritating – causes dehydration Depresses the antidiuretic hormone which
causes the kidneys to reabsorb water – causes the loss of water
Leads to vitamin deficiencies
Alcohol & Your Body
Reproductive System Sexual functioning can be impaired and deteriorate
• Male prostate gland may swell which inhibits performance
• Inhibits ability to climax during intercourse for men and women
Can result in impotence and infertility (long term) Higher risk of breast cancer for women Irregular periods for women may develop Birth control pill may speed up absorption rate of
alcohol
Alcohol & Your Body
Immune SystemLowers the effectiveness of the
immune systemIncreased risk of developing
viruses/flu
Factors that Influence
Determines how the alcohol will make you feelAlcohol content – It is not how many
drinks you have – it is the alcohol content that is important
Body weight – generally, the less you weigh, the more affected you will be by the alcohol
Factors that Influence
Age Gender Amount of food eaten Other drugs or medicines taken Fatigue – stronger effect of alcohol when
tired Emotional state – mood can make a
difference in how you react – does not alter BAC
Drinking time
Factors that Influence
Men Higher muscle mass Higher alcohol
enzyme More water Breakdown alcohol at
a faster pace than women
Women Higher fat content Less alcohol enzyme Less water Breakdown alcohol at
a slower pace than men
Menstruation Birth control pills
Tolerance
Your body’s way of adapting to alcohol use
Humans develop tolerance when their brain functions adapt to compensate for the disruption caused by alcohol in both their behavior and their bodily functions
The person drinks more to get the high – can lead to problems and addiction
Effects – In low doses
A relaxing effect Reduces tension Lowers inhibitions Impairs
concentration
Slows reflexes Impairs reaction
time Reduces
coordination
Effects – In medium does
Slurred speech Drowsiness Altered emotions Loss of coordination
Effects – In high doses
Vomiting Breathing difficulties Unconsciousness Coma
BAC
Blood Alcohol ConcentrationThe amount of alcohol in the
bloodstreamMeasured in percentagesExample: Having a BAC of 0.10
percent means that a person has 10 drops of alcohol per 100 drops of blood in they body
10% of the blood content is alcohol
BAC
With each sip of alcohol, your BAC rises
BAC refers to your body’s ability to process the alcohol in your bloodstream regardless of how you feel
Your BAC can pass the legal limit before you feel it
BAC
No two people will react to the same drink in the same way
There are many factors that determine how alcohol will make you feel
Remember that BAC is a constant and CANNOT be changed once the alcohol goes into the body
BAC
How to calculate your BAC
BAC = (150/body weight) (%ethanol/50) (ounces consumed) (0.025)
Example: 175 lb man who drinks four 12 oz cans of beer
(150/175) (4/50) (48) (0.025)
= .86 x .08 x 48 x .025 = .08% BAC
BAC
Remember…BAC continues to rise 30-90 minutes
after the drinking has stoppedAlcohol leaves the body approximately
one drink per hour
Determining BAC using a Breathalyzer
How is it possible to determine the level of alcohol concentration in the blood by using a person's breath? Unlike milk or fruit juice, the body does not digest alcohol.
Rather, it is absorbed through the membranes in a person's mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines.
Once absorbed by the body, the alcohol passes immediately into the bloodstream, where it circulates until it is expelled through evaporation in the lungs.
Evaporation occurs because alcohol is "volatile" in a solution, meaning that its molecules do not combine with the liquid that it mixes with.
Due to this volatility, as the blood passes through the lungs, some of the alcohol passes over the alveoli (the lungs' air sacs), allowing it to be released by the person's breath.
Determining BAC using a Breathalyzer
The expulsion of the evaporated alcohol through the breath permits the BAC to be accurately measured, since the percent alcohol being expelled contains the same level of alcohol that is contained in the blood.
The amount of alcohol in 2,100 ml of expelled breath is exactly equivalent to the amount of alcohol in 1 ml of blood.
With these equivalent measures in mind, it is possible to attain an accurate measure of the driver's intoxication, based on the figures set for legal limits.
• http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/breathalyzerpol_sext.htm
The morning after the night before… Hangover
A lot of theories about why they occur• Accumulation of acetaldehyde• Dehydration• Depletion of important enzyme systems
needed to maintain routine functioning• Metabolism of different types of alcohol
beverages• Congeners – natural by-products of
fermentation
How do you sober up?
Take a couple minutes to think of ways you’ve heard to sober up quickly…
What you need
Rest and time!
The Problem
Binge Drinking
Binge Drinking
Greater than 4 drinks “in a sitting” for women
Greater than 5 drinks “in a sitting” for men
Alcohol Poisoning
Main signsLow respirations (less than 8 breaths
per minute)UnarousableSlurred speechPassed outVomitingCold, sweaty, and/or bluish skin/nails
(late sign)
What to do
Call for help! Never leave them alone!Public safety, VEMS, Residence Life,
911 (depends on location)Place person on their sideDo not feed or give water (or coffee)
or medicationsDo not walk them aroundNever let someone “sleep it off”
without monitoring them