Alcohol and the Body

● Alcohol is:● Fermented (using yeast or bacteria to change

the sugars in foods to alcohol) grains, fruits, or vegetables.

● A drug● “Any substance which when absorbed into a living

organism may modify one or more of its functions”● A depressant

● Affects the Central Nervous System and brain that alters mood and thinking, and which controls virtually all body functions.

What is Alcohol?

What is ONE drink?

BAC is the percentage of ethanol in the bloodstream.

Oregon’s legal limit = 0.08

The body can “burn up” the affects of ½ to 1 drink per hour.

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

● Rate of consumption● Amount of alcohol consumed● Body Type/Body Mass● Age● Food in the system● Gender…

Factors that Influence BAC Levels

• Women can become intoxicated more quickly than men:• Alcohol is water-soluble rather than fat-soluble• Women’s bodies have more fat than men’s

bodies, they have less water to dilute the alcohol• Women’s bodies produce less of the enzyme

that breaks down alcohol• Estrogen enhances the absorption of alcohol.

Women on birth control have higher levels of estrogen.

Women vs. Men

● Drinking coffee● Taking a cold shower● Getting some fresh air● Exercising● Eating food● Drinking lots of water

Sobering Up?

● Drinking coffee: Caffeine will not help your liver metabolize alcohol, and neither will any other ingredients in coffee. Drinking coffee can actually have a negative effect, you may feel more alert and capable of driving, when in fact, you’re still impaired.

● Taking a cold shower: Unless your liver hops out and takes a shower with you, this will have no effect on your level of drunkenness. Like drinking caffeinated beverages, it can also give you a false sense of alertness.

● Getting some fresh air: Like taking a shower and drinking coffee, this may make you FEEL less impaired, but it has absolutely no effect on your BAC.

● Exercising: While exercise can help the body eliminate alcohol through sweating, the amount is negligible and won’t affect your BAC. Plus, someone who is impaired and exercising vigorously may hurt themselves.

● Eating food: Eating food before you begin drinking can slow the absorption of alcohol unto your bloodstream, but eating after you drink will have zero effect on your drunkenness.

● Drinking lots of water: Drinking tons of water once you’re already impaired will not make it okay to drive home.

Not.

Only TIME will sober you up

● Impaired vision● Impaired hearing● Impaired coordination● Altered perceptions and emotions● Poor judgment● Bad breath

Short Term

● Linings of the mouth, throat and stomach are irritated

● Blood vessels dilate● Fluids within body cells are drawn out,

causing dehydration● Body temperature decreases● Liver becomes inflamed● Hangover symptoms may last up to 24 hours

● Headache, nausea, stomach pains, thirst, mental dullness

As consumption increases…

● Vitamin deficiencies● Stomach ulcers● Liver damage (such as cirrhosis)● Inability to digest foods, loss of appetite● Broken blood vessels● Damage to mouth, esophagus and stomach

tissues● Impaired heart muscle function● Memory loss● Brain damage

Long Term

Each year there are about 100,000 alcohol related deaths in the United States. Intake higher than 2 drinks a day is associated with increased risk for several health problems:● Liver Disease● Cancer

Major Health Risks

● Alcohol keeps the liver from breaking down fats well

● Too much fat in the liver causes it to scar (cirrhosis)

● Liver function then decreases● 25,000 people die from cirrhosis every year● Alcohol hepatitis (swelling of the liver)

Liver Disease

● Cancer of the head and neck: mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus

● Digestive tract cancers: stomach, pancreas and colon

● Alcohol can play a roll in the development of these cancers

● Women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are at a higher risk of breast cancer

Cancer

● Young people lack experience in compensating for the effects

● Less driving skills to begin with● Young people are more likely to take risks● Young people weigh less, which increases the

effects of small amounts of alcohol.

Why is alcohol more deadly for young people?

● A pattern of drinking that brings a person’s BAC to

.08 or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks, and when women consume 4 or more drinks, in about 2 hours.● More common in young adults aged 18-34 years.● The prevalence of binge drinking is twice as high

among men as women.● Binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to report

alcohol-impaired driving than non-binge drinkers.

● About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the US is in the form of binge drinking.

Binge Drinking

● Can happen in one episode of binge drinking● Can be fatal● Choke on own vomit OR● Midbrain shuts down (which regulates

breathing)● Call 911 if you notice:

● Uncontrollable vomiting● Can’t awaken● Pale skin* Once a person passes out, their BAC can continue to rise!

Alcohol Poisoning

● 40% of violent crimes annually are alcohol related

● Half of all homicide victims have alcohol in their bloodstream

● Nearly half of all traffic fatalities are related to DUI● DUI

● Estimated cost: $9.070● 2 year license revoked

Effects on Family & Society

● FAS is a condition in a person that results from alcohol exposure during the mother’s pregnancy. FAS causes brain damage and growth problems, particularly in the skull and face. Defects caused by FAS are irreversible. ● A national survey found that more than half of

women age 15-44 drank while pregnant.● There is no amount of alcohol that is known to be

safe to consume during pregnancy.● FAS is the leading known preventable cause of

mental disabilities and birth defects.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

● Through the process of obtaining an ODL (Oregon Drivers License), you give consent to chemical testing. This means if a police officer has reasonable belief that a person is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the officer can request the person to submit to:● Blood Test● Breathalyzer Test● Urine Sample Test

Implied Consent