Alcohol is absorbed into your body through the stomach and
small intestines. Food slows down the rate of absorption - that's why alcohol
affects you more quickly on an empty stomach. Alcohol then flows through the
bloodstream throughout the body, reaching your heart, brain, muscles and other
tissues. This happens very quickly - within a few minutes. Usually, though not
always, this has a pleasant effect.
The role of your liver
Your body can't store alcohol, so it has to break it down -
mostly via your liver. Through a complex metabolic process the liver firstly
changes alcohol into acetaldehyde, a highly toxic substance. The acetaldehyde
is converted by the liver into acetate, a harmless substance, which is then
turned into carbon dioxide and water which are then simply excreted from the
body.
About 90% - 95% of alcohol consumed is metabolised by the
liver. The remaining 5% - 10% is excreted through urine, breath and sweat. Your
body's ability to process alcohol depends on various things, like your age, weight
and sex. Your body breaks down alcohol at a rate of roughly one standard drink
per hour.
Because it takes time for your body to break down alcohol,
drinking more than one unit of alcohol an hour will build up your blood alcohol
concentration (BAC) and it may be many hours before you are safe to drive.
After a night of heavy drinking you risk being over the
drink drive limit the next morning.
Size
A larger, heavier person may not be affected by alcohol in
the same way as a lighter, smaller person. This is because the larger person
has more body fluids. These body fluids dilute the alcohol. Therefore the
larger, heavier person may have a lower BAC even when drinking at the same pace
the same amount as a smaller person.
Tips to keep your blood alcohol level down are to eat before
you start drinking alcohol, to pace yourself by not drinking too fast and to
eat whilst drinking, preferably at meal times and to alternate each alcoholic
drink with a refreshing soft spacer.
Gender
Women have proportionally less body water than men so the
concentration of alcohol in their blood stream is proportionately higher. There
is also some evidence that women may metabolize alcohol slightly differently.
There are small amounts of the enzyme ADH which is responsible for breaking
down alcohol in the liver in the lining of the stomach; some people believe
that the ADH levels are lower in women and that this might contribute to their
higher blood alcohol levels
What makes you feel drunk?
Alcohol is a mood altering substance. It affects the nerves
that pass messages around the body by slowing them down and the more you drink
the greater the effect. The reason people often get more lively when they've
had a drink is that alcohol affects parts of the brain responsible for self-control.
Your reactions also slow down, and you may become
uncoordinated or unsteady on your feet. Your speech may get slurred and you may
start seeing double. If you've had a lot to drink you may also experience
strong emotional responses - for instance you may become aggressive or tearful
and because your judgement is impaired, you may do things that you might not
normally do - from dancing on tables to going home with strangers. They may
seem a good idea at the time, but can be extremely dangerous.
"The danger of drinking too much too fast"
As you drink, the alcohol passes into your bloodstream.
Ethanol is the intoxicating part of alcohol and its molecules are so small that
they can actually pass into the gaps between brain cells. Here they can
interfere with the neurotransmitters (the brain's central post office) that
govern all the brain's activities. If you drink faster than one standard drink
an hour, alcohol will start to flood the brain. Depending on how much and how
fast you're drinking, it can affect the brain stem (even cause it to shut down)
and this can interfere with vital body functions. A young person, or somebody
unused to drink, may experience this after just a few standard drinks taken in
one go. Fortunately, alcohol gives warning signs at each level of penetration
into the brain so, if you spot the signs, moderate your drinking, or stop
altogether.
Classic warning signs:
You feel giddy
You start to lose the thread of what you're saying
You feel unsteady on your feet
You start seeing double
Look out for these symptoms in your friends too
Tips to avoid feeling sick or passing out are to eat before
you start drinking - even a bowl of cereal or a couple of pieces of toast will
help. Try and avoid top ups as it's harder to keep track of what you're
drinking, - pace yourself - having a non alcoholic drink between each alcoholic
drink (preferably water) really helps slow your drinking down and gives your
body a chance to break down the alcohol you've already drunk.
Drinking to drunkeness
Getting drunk impairs your judgement and can increase risky
behaviour, which could result in:
· Injuries and accidents
· Unsafe sex, which could result in sexually transmitted
infections and unplanned pregnancies
· You being robbed or going home with a stranger
· Fights, arguments and relationship problems
· Getting into trouble with the cops and getting a criminal
record
· In extreme cases, alcoholic poisoning, coma, brain damage
and death
If you get drunk or drink heavily on a regular basis you
increase your risks of:
· Alcohol dependence or alcoholism
· Sexual difficulties, including impotence
· Cirrhosis of the liver and alcoholic fatty liver
. Cardiac arrest and stroke
· Pancreatitis
· Stomach disorders, such as ulcers
· An increased risk of certain types of cancer, especially
of the aero-digestive tract and breast cancer.
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Source: http://www.drinkingandyou.com
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