AlcoholAlcohol

What’s your What’s your poison?poison?

Did you know?Did you know?

Yeast is the star of the drinks industry. If it feeds on sugar in the Yeast is the star of the drinks industry. If it feeds on sugar in the absence of oxygen, it releases carbon dioxide and ethanol - the absence of oxygen, it releases carbon dioxide and ethanol - the drinkable form of alcoholdrinkable form of alcohol

Only 20% of the alcohol you swallow is absorbed by the stomach Only 20% of the alcohol you swallow is absorbed by the stomach

Heavy drinking is blamed for up to 33,000 deaths a year in the UK Heavy drinking is blamed for up to 33,000 deaths a year in the UK

When you consume alcohol, you lose more water in your urine When you consume alcohol, you lose more water in your urine than you take in the drink itselfthan you take in the drink itself

Booze interferes with the nerve endings that control erections Booze interferes with the nerve endings that control erections

Binge drinking is thought to have serious long-term health impacts Binge drinking is thought to have serious long-term health impacts

After a heavy night out drinking your body is dehydrated which After a heavy night out drinking your body is dehydrated which causes your brain to shrink away from the skullcauses your brain to shrink away from the skull

How Booze Enters Your How Booze Enters Your BodyBody

"Yeah, I've had a few... but "Yeah, I've had a few... but I'm still in control, definitely... I'm still in control, definitely... just having a really, really just having a really, really brilliant time."It's the way so brilliant time."It's the way so many big nights begin. many big nights begin. Enjoying the effects of Enjoying the effects of moderate alcohol moderate alcohol consumption you've become consumption you've become the life and soul of the party - the life and soul of the party - and don't you just love all and don't you just love all your friends?your friends? How do you absorb those How do you absorb those tipples?tipples?

As the drinks continue to flow, As the drinks continue to flow, things can start to go badly things can start to go badly wrong. How fast that happens wrong. How fast that happens depends what you're drinking, depends what you're drinking, what you've eaten and your what you've eaten and your physical build.physical build.

Can you take it?Can you take it?Only 20% of the alcohol you swallow is absorbed by the stomach. The majority seeps into the Only 20% of the alcohol you swallow is absorbed by the stomach. The majority seeps into the bloodstream from the small intestine, the piece of bowel directly below the stomach. Separating bloodstream from the small intestine, the piece of bowel directly below the stomach. Separating the two is a trapdoor called the pyloric valve which can hold the key to how quickly you get the two is a trapdoor called the pyloric valve which can hold the key to how quickly you get drunk.drunk.

Lining the stomachLining the stomachTo pace yourself on a night out eat some food with fat or protein in it before you leave the To pace yourself on a night out eat some food with fat or protein in it before you leave the house. When the stomach is full the pyloric valve closes and the alcohol is trapped in the house. When the stomach is full the pyloric valve closes and the alcohol is trapped in the stomach where it is absorbed more slowly. This way your liver is given more time to break down stomach where it is absorbed more slowly. This way your liver is given more time to break down the alcohol that's already in your bloodstream.the alcohol that's already in your bloodstream.

That fatal fizzThat fatal fizzIf you're trying to catch up with your mates who've been in the pub since lunchtime, go for If you're trying to catch up with your mates who've been in the pub since lunchtime, go for champagne. The bubbles in carbonated drinks can cause the pyloric valve to open, sending champagne. The bubbles in carbonated drinks can cause the pyloric valve to open, sending alcohol straight to the part of the body that absorbs it best.alcohol straight to the part of the body that absorbs it best.

When You’re PlasteredWhen You’re Plastered

There are plenty of words to There are plenty of words to describe it: bladdered, describe it: bladdered, slaughtered, mullered, legless or slaughtered, mullered, legless or as drunk as a skunk. Call it what as drunk as a skunk. Call it what you will, if you keep drinking you will, if you keep drinking beyond the early warning signs beyond the early warning signs you're heading for trouble - you're heading for trouble - trouble focussing, trouble trouble focussing, trouble speaking, trouble keeping speaking, trouble keeping upright.For that classic sitcom upright.For that classic sitcom moment, the thing to do at the moment, the thing to do at the end of the evening is fall off the end of the evening is fall off the barstool. Falling over is a common barstool. Falling over is a common mistake when drunk because mistake when drunk because alcohol affects the cerebellum, the alcohol affects the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls fine part of the brain that controls fine movements. If finding the end of movements. If finding the end of your nose with your index finger is your nose with your index finger is difficult, you know your difficult, you know your cerebellum has been affected.cerebellum has been affected.

BlottoBlottoResearchers think they Researchers think they know why inebriated know why inebriated people sometimes pass people sometimes pass out. When people stand up out. When people stand up their blood pressure drops their blood pressure drops and a sober body responds and a sober body responds by tightening blood by tightening blood vessels. After knocking vessels. After knocking back a skinful, this system back a skinful, this system no longer works, which is no longer works, which is why standing up to leave why standing up to leave can induce a faint.can induce a faint.

The danger zoneThe danger zoneDrinking heavily is very Drinking heavily is very dangerous. A major dangerous. A major session can affect the session can affect the medulla or brain-stem, medulla or brain-stem, which controls the basic which controls the basic functions of the body that functions of the body that keep you alive. Large keep you alive. Large quantities of drink cause a quantities of drink cause a similar effect to general similar effect to general anaesthesia and lead to anaesthesia and lead to lack of consciousness and lack of consciousness and even death.even death.

When you’re hungoverWhen you’re hungover

You've already signed the You've already signed the pledge several times over. pledge several times over. And as you continue to And as you continue to examine the enamel surface examine the enamel surface of your toilet for of your toilet for imperfections, you vow also imperfections, you vow also to give half your earnings to to give half your earnings to charity and visit grandma charity and visit grandma more often... if only you can more often... if only you can start to feel better right now!start to feel better right now!

Waking up with a hangover Waking up with a hangover is a sign that you drank far is a sign that you drank far too much last night and your too much last night and your body didn't like it at all. body didn't like it at all. Here's what's happening...Here's what's happening...

DehydrationDehydration

Alcohol is a diuretic, Alcohol is a diuretic, which makes you wee which makes you wee more. In fact, you lose far more. In fact, you lose far more water in your urine more water in your urine than you are taking in the than you are taking in the drink itself. Dehydration drink itself. Dehydration causes the brain to shrink causes the brain to shrink away from the skull away from the skull slightly. This triggers pain slightly. This triggers pain sensors on the outside sensors on the outside surface of your brain.surface of your brain.

Electrolyte Imbalance & Electrolyte Imbalance & TiriednessTiriedness

Vital electrolytes such Vital electrolytes such as magnesium and as magnesium and potassium are potassium are excreted from the excreted from the body with the urine. body with the urine. These minerals help These minerals help keep the heart beating keep the heart beating and dangerous cardiac and dangerous cardiac arrhythmias can occur arrhythmias can occur after heavy drinking.after heavy drinking.

Alcohol lowers your Alcohol lowers your blood sugar levels as blood sugar levels as glucose is excreted in glucose is excreted in the urine. Along with the urine. Along with the late night, this the late night, this contributes to contributes to extensive yawning the extensive yawning the following day. following day.

Attack of the free radicalsAttack of the free radicals

Free radicals are harmful molecules formed in the liver as it struggles to break down ethanol. Usually, these are seen off by an anti-oxidant called glutathione but its reserves can run low after a drinking session.

• The foolproof hangover cure

No, sorry there isn't one. The general advice is to drink plenty of water, possibly even a sports drink to rebalance those electrolytes and go back to bed.

The Drinking HabitThe Drinking Habit

The recommended limits of The recommended limits of alcohol consumption are 2-3 alcohol consumption are 2-3 units per day for women and 3-4 units per day for women and 3-4 units for men. In standard UK units for men. In standard UK pub measures a unit is half a pub measures a unit is half a pint of ordinary beer or lager, a pint of ordinary beer or lager, a third of a pint of strong brew, a third of a pint of strong brew, a small glass of table wine, one small glass of table wine, one glass of sherry or a single glass of sherry or a single whisky.whisky.

The limits were changed to a The limits were changed to a daily dose when doctors realised daily dose when doctors realised many people's interpretation of many people's interpretation of the weekly limits was that if they the weekly limits was that if they saved all their units up for Friday saved all their units up for Friday night they'd still be OK. In fact, night they'd still be OK. In fact, binge drinking is thought to have binge drinking is thought to have serious long-term health impacts serious long-term health impacts although this form of drinking although this form of drinking has been less well studied.has been less well studied.

Long Term EffectsLong Term Effects

The long-term toll of heavy drinking is The long-term toll of heavy drinking is serious and the NHS estimates it spends serious and the NHS estimates it spends £164m a year treating alcohol-related £164m a year treating alcohol-related conditions. One of the most serious conditions. One of the most serious consequences is for the liver. In consequences is for the liver. In response to long-term alcohol exposure response to long-term alcohol exposure it starts producing more alcohol it starts producing more alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme which it dehydrogenase, the enzyme which it uses to break ethanol down. uses to break ethanol down.

This means, you need This means, you need more alcohol for the same more alcohol for the same effect. This worsens the effect. This worsens the addiction. The liver then addiction. The liver then becomes over-active, cells becomes over-active, cells die and the tissue hardens. die and the tissue hardens. The result is cirrhosis of The result is cirrhosis of the liver. This incurable the liver. This incurable condition was the reason condition was the reason for football hero George for football hero George Best's recent liver Best's recent liver transplant.transplant.

Other risks of long-term drinking include heart disease, Other risks of long-term drinking include heart disease, stroke, dementia and brain damage, myopathy - a stroke, dementia and brain damage, myopathy - a weakening of the muscles - and shrivelled sex organs. weakening of the muscles - and shrivelled sex organs. Cancers related to alcohol include those of the liver, Cancers related to alcohol include those of the liver, colon, rectum and breast cancer in women.colon, rectum and breast cancer in women.

Treatment centres including the worldwide organisation Treatment centres including the worldwide organisation Alcoholics Anonymous have helped thousands of Alcoholics Anonymous have helped thousands of alcoholics who want to give up drinking. Other forms of alcoholics who want to give up drinking. Other forms of help are slowly becoming available. Disulfiram, trade help are slowly becoming available. Disulfiram, trade name 'antabuse', is a tablet, which causes an extremely name 'antabuse', is a tablet, which causes an extremely unpleasant reaction including copious vomiting when unpleasant reaction including copious vomiting when you consume alcohol. However, it's a severe form of you consume alcohol. However, it's a severe form of treatment and needs a lot of extra support if it is to treatment and needs a lot of extra support if it is to work.work.

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