*How MUCH you drink *How FAST you drink *The AMOUNT of FOOD in the stomach *Your BODY WEIGHT and SIZE *AGE *Your SEX (Females are more GREATLY affected) *Your MOOD and EXPECTATION *Body Chemistry and heredity *Use of OTHER DRUGS *What alcohol is MIXED with

Once in the bloodstream, the alcohol immediately “bathes” the brain in alcohol. The alcohol keeps passing through the brain until the liver can break the alcohol down in the blood. *The brain is the organ that is MOST SENSITIVE to alcohol. Alcohol use affects judgement, learning, behavior, coordination and vision. Excessive amounts can lead to coma and death. The liver removes alcohol from the blood by breaking it down into carbon dioxide and water. This process is called OXIDATION. Oxidation occurs at the rate of one drink an hour – no faster or slower. *Large amounts of alcohol can lead to deadly liver diseases like cirrhosis and cancer.

Alcohol use can promote aging- it causes wrinkles by drying out the skin It also causes the capillaries to swell, causing a broken vein look- red, ruddy appearance It can also cause glassy eyes, make acne worse, and dry out your hair It also adds weight (alcohol contains empty calories!)

The brain is the organ that is MOST SENSITIVE to alcohol! Alcohol use affects judgement, learning, behavior, coordination, vision and mood! It can cause blackouts where the person cannot remember what they said or did while drinking. Excessive amounts can lead to a coma or even death.

Blood Circulation- it causes the capillaries to widen (causing a false sense of warmth), and increases blood pressure (which increases the risk of a stroke) HEART- Alcohol increases the work load of the heart. Heavy drinking can cause a heart disease called cardiomyopathy where the heart muscle gets stretched out and floppy. The heart starts to work badly, and can lead to a heart attack and even death.

Alcohol causes urinary function to increase. This happens because alcohol changes the hormones in the kidneys that regulate water in the body. This can lead to kidney failure and even death.

The liver can only oxidize (break down) one drink an hour. Heavy drinking can overwork the liver, leading to cirrhosis- the scarring of the liver tissue. It can also cause alcoholic hepatitis- an inflammation of the liver. Both of these diseases are deadly, and can also increase the risk of cancer. Drinking can also lead to fatty liver disease.

Drinking alcohol slows down your: Reflexes Reaction Time Coordination Your risk of an accident goes up because alcohol affects your judgement and slows the reflexes. This increases your risk of getting hurt or hurting others.

Alcohol causes the chronic attacks of severe pain caused by the inflammation of the pancreas. This can lead to death. Alcohol has NO FOOD VALUE, it is NOT digested by the stomach It irritates the stomach lining and can cause ulcers, gastritis, and increases the risk of stomach cancer

Heavy drinking in both males and females can lead to infertility (loss of the ability to have children) Lowers sperm count, causes problems in having sex Can cause hormonal problems, irregular periods, and difficulties in getting pregnant Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause FAS, which is the leading cause of mental retardation in children.