NSC 170C1 1st Edition Lecture 19 Outline of Last Lecture I Water Outline of Current Lecture I What is alcohol II Effects III Consequences Current Lecture I What Is Alcohol and Why Do People Drink It A Alcohol is not considered an essential nutrient because your body does not need it to survive B Alcoholic beverages contain ethanol i Ethanol is made through fermentation of yeast and natural sugars in grains and fruits ii Yeast breaks sugar into carbon dioxide and ethanol iii Grapes provide sugar for making wine iv Grain provides sugar when producing beer C Liquors are made through the process of distillation i An alcoholic beverage is heated which vaporizes ethanol ii The vapor is collected cooled and condensed into a concentrated liquid D Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Have Health Benefits i People Drink Alcohol to Relax Celebrate and Socialize ii Moderate alcohol consumption may reduce risk for heart disease and risk of dying in general for middle aged and older adults iii Moderate consumption is defined as 1 drink day for women and up to 2 drinks day for men iv Red wine and dark beer contains flavonoids phytochemicals and antioxidants that can help reduce buildup of LDL bad cholesterol in arteries v Inhibits stickiness of platelets and increases HDL good cholesterol level vi Protective benefits limited to women older than 55 years and men older than 45 years E The standard drink is i One 12 ounce beer ii One 1 5 ounce shot of liquor iii One 5 ounce glass of wine II Metabolism of Alcohol III A You Absorb Alcohol in Your Stomach and Small Intestine i 20 percent of alcohol consumed is absorbed in your stomach 80 percent is absorbed in the small intestine B The amount and type of food in the stomach determines how long alcohol lingers before entering the small intestine i Food in the stomach will delay the arrival of alcohol to the small intestine C You Metabolize Alcohol Primarily in Your Liver i Some alcohol is metabolized in the stomach by alcohol dehydrogenase ii The majority of alcohol however is metabolized in the liver D Enzymes in the liver take about 1 to 2 hours to break down one alcoholic drink E Metabolism of alcohol occurs at a steady rate regardless of the amount consumed F Alcohol Circulates in Your Blood i If the liver cannot handle all of the alcohol you ve consumed at once alcohol will enter the bloodstream ii Blood alcohol concentration BAC the amount of alcohol in your blood measured in grams per deciliter of blood expressed as a percentage iii The more you drink the higher your BAC iv The amount of alcohol on your breath correlates with BAC The Effects of Alcohol on the Brain A Alcohol is a depressant a substance that slows the transmission of nerve impulses i Slows reaction time to stimuli ii Confuses thoughts iii Impairs judgment iv Induces sleepiness B The more you drink the more areas of the brain are affected C BAC can continue to rise even after unconsciousness D If enough alcohol is consumed brain stem function can be suppressed resulting in death E Women Are More Susceptible Than Men to the Effects of Alcohol i Women have increased susceptibility due to ii 20 to 30 percent less alcohol dehydrogenase in their stomach than men iii Less body muscle mass therefore less body water iv Every alcoholic beverage that a man consumes is equivalent to about 1 alcoholic beverages for a woman F Alcohol Can Disrupt Sleep and Cause Hangovers i Drinking before bed disrupts your sleep cycle causing you to awaken in the middle of the night ii Being tired and drinking alcohol exacerbates alcohol s sedating effects iii Reduces reaction time and alertness G A hangover describes the symptoms following a night of heavy drinking i Headache fatigue nausea thirst rapid heartbeat tremors sweating dizziness depression and anxiety ii Alcohol is a diuretic it causes dehydration and electrolyte imbalances iii Time is the only true remedy for hangover symptoms H Binge Drinking i When men consume 5 or more drinks or women consume 4 or more drinks in a short time ii Associated with a Increased risk of unintentional injuries hypertension heart attack sexually transmitted diseases suicide homicide and child abuse iii Blackouts periods of time a person cannot remember even though he or she may have been conscious iv Alcohol poisoning when BAC rises to such an extreme level that central nervous system function breathing and heart rate are affected v Alcohol tolerance brain becomes less sensitive to alcohol and more is needed to get the same intoxicating effect IV Alcohol Consequences A Alcohol Can Interact with Hormones i Alcohol negatively affects bone strengthening hormones which can increase risk of osteoporosis ii In women alcohol can increase levels of estrogen which may increase risk of breast cancer iii Alcohol can interfere with reproductive hormones and may contribute to male and female sexual dysfunction B Alcohol May Lead to Overnutrition and Malnutrition i Alcohol provides 7 calories gram ii Mixers and bar food consumed while drinking can lead to excess caloric intake and weight gain iii Excess alcohol consumption is associated with increased fat and weight around the stomach iv Compensating for calories in alcoholic beverages by cutting out more nutritious foods will cause you to fall short of nutrient needs v Routine drinking can affect how the body absorbs protein zinc magnesium and many vitamins and may contribute to malnutrition C Too Much Alcohol Costs You Good Nutrition i Alcohol Can Harm Your Digestive Organs Heart and Liver i Inhibits the ability of the esophagus to contract ii Acidic stomach juices flow back up into the esophagus iii Chronic inflammation can lead to esophageal cancer ii Risk is further increased in smokers iii Heavy drinkers have increased incidence of gastritis and stomach ulcers iv Can affect beating and rhythm of heart damage heart tissue and increase risk for hypertension D Alcohol Can Harm Your Liver i Can damage your liver and cause alcoholic liver disease a Stage 1 Fatty liver 1 Can result from just a few days of excessive drinking 2 Liver delays metabolism of fat and other nutrients in order to focus on metabolizing alcohol 3 By products of alcohol metabolism further contribute to fatty buildup in liver 4 Can reverse itself if alcohol consumption is stopped b Stage 2 Alcoholic hepatitis 1 Liver is irritated by harmful by products of alcohol metabolism 2 Causes nausea vomiting fever jaundice and loss of appetite c Stage 3 Cirrhosis 1 Liver