Understand variability in consequencesHow these substances affect us internally and how they make us feelHow some people can use them recreationally yet others use these substances and develop problems…Alcohol Absorption via capillariesOccurs throughout the bodyAlcohol strong enough some absorption will occur in the stomach, also in the intestinesAbsorption is actually happening everywhere. Some of it goes to bloodstream from mouth. And then also stomach and large intestines…Different parts of the body affected: Mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestineCan be absorbed in all of these areas. It really depends on situation, if drinking on full stomach or something like that.Capillaries are reaching to absorb whatever makes contact with the stomach walls. Happens with alcohol because it is such a small molecule.When alcohol gets into body, we measure this through blood alcohol concentration (BAC)Breathalyzer test directly finds the blood alcohol concentration because there are a lot of capillaries in your lungs; breath when you exhale has alcohol, and can measure how much alcohol is in your blood but measuring how much alcohol is in your breath.BAC = Mass alcohol per volume of bloodThink about two people one weighing 100 pounds other person weighing 200 pounds. The 200 pound person has more blood. Heavier person is going to have lower alcohol concentration because of denominator of volume of blood. That is why heavier people have lower blood alcohol concentration.If you aren’t drinking you will have 0.00 BAC.0.01 BAC is when you start to have lowered inhibitions, feelings of relaxation.Depressive effects of alcohol start to set in when you start to drink more; this is why alcohol is deemed a depressant drug.If you have a really high BAC you are at risk for going into a Coma or your body shutting down.0.08 BAC becomes illegal to drive for >=age 21Some people die if you vomit while you are passed out. Sometimes people die because it shuts down your brain. Jimmy Hendrix died because he passed out and vomited.0.4 risk of coma and death0.2 unsafe (vomiting when passed out)IClicker question:Factor most powerful contributors to blood alcohol concentration when drinking?A) Experience with drinking, weight, amount of alcohol consumedB) Experience with drinking, weight, genderC) Gender, weight, amount of alcohol consumedD) Amount of sleep, mood, exerciseE) None of the aboveExperience with drinking: develop a toleranceDoesn’t affect your blood alcohol concentration! So A and B are out.Mood- already depressed you can become more depressed.Exercise- to reduce BAC don’t go out and run. Doesn’t work!Amount of sleep: alcohol could make you more sleepyAnswer: CSubjective Affects:There is a graph up on the lecture slide.Think about someone who drinks and does not have a tolerance to drinking. Tolerant: needed more of something to have same effects that you initially had when you first started the substance.For example:-Caffeine-Any other drugHave you experienced a tolerance and then had that tolerance go away because you starting using less of the substance…?Tolerance does fluctuate it can go up and down.What does it feel like when you use substance again but not tolerated to it?Almost like the feeling is intensified.When you are not tolerate to a substance, the subjective affects work much better; you get more euphoria.Graph depicts this: X axis is blood alcohol concentration. Starts at 0 and it goes to .4 which is near death.Blood alcohol concentration is about .05 at low risk for alcohol related harms. Below there you are experiencing largely the euphoric effects of drinking. As your blood alcohol rises, once it passes that threshold you are approaching point where you experience the depressant effects. You get slowed down, less coordination, etc.If you were to use alcohol in only feel positive effects, you want to stay around lower risk drinking stage. But some people like to be totally free and like to get out of the lower risk drinking stage. In those states the euphoria doesn’t get experienced in the same way, drinking caffeine or whatever…There are benefits of keeping alcohol drinking amount in check so you can always experience euphoria (or good effects) in a low risk drinking stageNot everyone who drinks want to just get to euphoria.Graph a little difficult to understand, but now we should get it.Factors increasing absorption rateEmpty stomach (faster than full stomach)Concentration of alcohol (alcohol amount is absorbed quicker, more slowly if you drink beer) -Shots are more alcohol and is high concentration so absorbed quickerCarbonationCaffeine (mixing this with alcohol, increases absorption rate)Higher alcohol temperatureExample: Vodka redbull, threw in microwave and then drink it, day is probably over. You would get very drunk from doing this.Absorption has to do with getting alcohol in your blood stream this is body getting alcohol out of blood stream…Metabolism:Alcohol metabolism occurs in:LiverPancreas (alcohol metabolites things that breakdown alcohol)Esophagus, stomach, and intestines (enzymes hanging out in those organs)Brain (processing done here through different methods too)All of these organs is where metabolism is occurringMetabolismProduct goes with what is in parenthesis to do the next thing.Mix alcohol and alcohol dehydrogenase, but we don’t want alcohol dehydrogenase in body so we need something to break that down.Products being metabolized: Alcohol (alcohol dehrdrogenase) -> Acetaldehyde (Acetaldehyde depydrogenase)-> Acetic acid (oxygen) -> Carbon dioxide (water and energy)AcetaldehydeAcetaldehyde is a carcinogenInterferes with DNA replication (copying) and repairResponsible for cancers in the areas of metabolismMouth, throat cancers are more common in people who drinkAnd digestive problems are more in people who drinkWhat do carcinogens do?DNA is genetic material and our bodies use that to produce proteins. Always DNA, body always producing proteins. Carcinogens interfere with that process, cancers are due to replication of cells in ways they aren’t supposed to, goes out of control. This is the reason why alcohol is classified as a carcinogen.Lucky this process happens quicklyIf you drink high amounts over long period of time, more exposure to the riskExample of genetic susceptibilityGenetic variations cause a deficiency or a surplus in alcohol enzymesResults in fewer positive effects and/or more