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