ALCOHOL Palmer Ridge Health Education

ALCOHOL Ethanol: produced through fermentation of fruits, vegetables, and grains.

IMPORTANT ISSUES:  PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL  SHORT TERM  LONG TERM  BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION  DRINKING AND DRIVING  BINGE DRINKING  ALCOHOL ADDICTION

Short Term Effects of Alcohol in the Human Body  Heart  Brain  Liver  Kidneys

BLOODSTREAM  Blood vessels widen causing more blood flow to the skin’s surface.  This produces a feeling of warmth, but in reality, makes the body temperature drop.  Once alcohol is circulating throughout the body in the bloodstream, it will continue until broken down by the liver.

BRAIN BRAIN  Upon reaching the brain, alcohol has an immediate depressant effect. This causes the feeling of relaxation and loss of inhibitions  Physical changes such as loss of sensation and a decrease in the sharpness of vision, hearing, and other senses occur due to alcohol.  Muscle coordination and reflexes are also depressed causing loss of balance or stumbling.

Brain under the influence  Eventually, alcohol will depress the centers of the brain that control breathing and heartbeat  The drinker can blackout, lose consciousness, slip into coma, or die from alcohol poisoning.

Liver  The liver chemically breaks down the alcohol into energy, carbon dioxide, and water. (Oxidation)  This process can breakdown approximately 1 ounce of alcohol per hour.  If an individual drinks alcohol faster than it can be broken down – the individual becomes intoxicated.

INTOXICATION  The state in which the body is poisoned by alcohol or another substance and the person’s physical and mental control is significantly reduced.

KIDNEYS:  Alcohol prevents the release of body chemicals that regulate how much urine the kidney’s make.  The kidneys produce more urine than usual. The drinker becomes very thirsty.  In extreme cases, a drinker may lose water needed for the body to function properly. Dehydration occurs.

What’s the problem?  Sally had a tough day at work and was feeling a little down. She decided to stop off and have a drink or two after work to feel better.

What’s the problem?  John and Sergio are skiing in the back bowls. It’s a really cold day but they want to make the best of it. Both Sergio and John filled their flasks with a little “liquid heat” before heading out.

What’s the problem  Jill and Mike love the ocean, the sun, volleyball, and partying. It’s blazing hot but the beer is cold! It’s all good!

Alcohol produces similar effects in all people – but not all people are similar. Factors to consider.  How fast you drink  Remember – your liver will only process approximately one ounce of alcohol per hour.

 What type of beverage you drink  12 ounce beer  1 mixed drink (80 proof)  1 glass of wine  Water and fruit juice slows absorption – carbonated beverages increases absorption  Proof of the beverage

PROOF  Proof is the percentage of alcohol in a beverage  Proof = 2 x % of alcohol  You do the math!  80 Proof Vodka = ____ % alcohol  ____ Proof Beer = 3% alcohol 3% alcohol

 Your body weight  Smaller people are usually affected by alcohol more quickly than larger people  Why is this true?  (Hint: The MADD speaker addressed this issue.)

Blood Alcohol Concentration  Sobriety Test  DEFINITION: The amount of ethanol in a person’s blood is expressed by a percentage call Blood Alcohol Concentration.  BAC measures the number of milligrams of ethanol per 100 milliliters of blood expressed by a percentage. .08 BAC is considered intoxicated – 1 part alcohol to 800 parts of blood

BAC Predictions (Hand out)  Estimated BAC  Weight  Number of drinks  Time  (Hand out)

 DRINKSMALEWEIGHT IN POUNDS  /hour       

 DRINKSFEMALEWEIGHT IN POUNDS  / hour       

Individual Effects Continued  Have you eaten?  Your stomach lining absorbs alcohol directly into the bloodstream. Food blocks or slows the absorption.  Fatty foods don’t absorb alcohol

Gender  Women generally have less body fluid and more body fat than men plus  Women have fewer amounts of the enzymes that metabolize alcohol.  Therefore, alcohol almost always affects women more quickly than men, even if their weights are similar.

Presence of other drugs  Alcohol and other drugs can combine for dangerous effects  Synergistic Effect (the effect when two or more drugs, taken together, result in a greater effect than when taken alone)  Antagonistic Effect (the effect of one drug is cancelled or reduced when taken with another)

Binge Drinking  Film: Tell Me Something I Don’t Know  What is binge drinking?  What are the dangers of binge drinking?  What is alcohol poisoning?  How can you help someone you suspect has alcohol poisoning?

BINGE DRINKING  Binge drinking refers to the heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time (just as binge eating means a specific period of uncontrolled overeating).  Today, the generally accepted definition of binge drinking is the consumption of five or more drinks in a row by men — or four or more drinks in a row by women — at least once in the previous 2 weeks. Heavy binge drinking includes three or more such episodes in 2 weeks.

 What Are the Risks of Binge Drinking?  Excessive drinking can lead to difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, mood changes, and other problems that affect your day-to-day life. But binge drinking carries more serious and longer-lasting risks as well.  What are the dangers from binge drinking?

Alcohol Poisoning  Alcohol poisoning is the most life- threatening consequence of binge drinking. When someone drinks too much and gets alcohol poisoning, it affects the body's involuntary reflexes — including breathing and the gag reflex. If the gag reflex isn't working properly, a person can choke to death on his or her vomit.

Other signs someone may have alcohol poisoning include:  extreme confusion  inability to be awakened  vomiting  seizures  slow or irregular breathing  low body temperature  bluish or pale skin

What should you do?  If you think someone has alcohol poisoning, call 911  Position the person on his or her side

Binging and the Brain  Binge drinkers have a harder time in school and they're more likely to drop out. Drinking disrupts sleep patterns, which can make it harder to stay awake and concentrate during the day. This can lead to struggles with studying and poor academic performance.  People who binge-drink may find that their friends drift away — which is what happened with Chet and Dave. Drinking can affect personality; people might become angry or moody while drinking, for example.