Chapter 8 – Alcohol and Nutrition
Summary for Chapter 8
What Is Alcohol?
Alcohol is a general term used to describe a group of organic chemicals with common properties. The most commonly ingested form of alcohol is ethyl alcohol or ethanol (EtOH), providing 7 calories/gram. Alcohol is a sedative and central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Impairment after alcohol consumption is directly correlated to the amount of alcohol in the blood. As a college student, you can make the choice to drink responsibly by “knowing when to say when” if you drink. You can reduce your risk of alcohol-related problems by using common sense and avoiding alcohol in dangerous situations.
Absorption and Metabolism of Alcohol
About 20% of alcohol is absorbed in the stomach, and the remaining 80% is absorbed through the small intestine. Alcohol absorbed through the small intestine passes into the portal vein, where it is transported to the liver. Alcohol is metabolized more slowly than it is absorbed. It takes approximately 1 hour to metabolize a standard drink. Rate of alcohol metabolism depends, in part, on the amount of alcohol dehydrogenase formed and varies among individuals. Presence of food in the stomach slows absorption of alcohol. Women metabolize alcohol differently than men, which sends 30% or more alcohol into their bloodstream than men of the same weight from the same amount of alcohol.
Alcohol and Its Effects
Even small concentrations of alcohol can affect the central nervous system and slow reactions. The body responds to alcohol in stages, and a person can build up metabolic and functional tolerances to alcohol. Once a person’s body has adapted to alcohol intake by developing tolerances, more and more alcohol must be consumed to achieve the desired effect, often leading to addiction. Light drinkers in good health and otherwise well nourished often suffer nothing more than weight gain from the excess calories alcohol provides. Alcohol can negatively affect nutritional status, depending on the amount of alcohol consumed and a person’s nutritional or health status. Nutritional deficiencies can develop in drinkers who substitute alcohol for food.
Health Benefits of Alcohol
Health benefits or risks depend on amount of alcohol consumed and age of the drinker. Deaths reduced by moderate alcohol consumption are generally in age groups with high coronary health disease—in other words, in age groups 45 years and older.
Health Risks of Alcohol
Most deaths due to alcohol consumption occur in people younger than 45 years. Among young adults, risks (alcohol abuse and dependence, alcohol-related violent behavior and injuries) or alcohol consumption outweigh any benefits that may accrue later in life.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of Alcohol Consumption
One way is to investigate the common causes of morbidity and mortality for individuals of your age and gender, determine how likely it is that moderate alcohol use will reduce risks, and compare this to the likelihood that use will pose risks of its own.
What Is Alcohol Abuse or Alcoholism?
Alcoholism is a dependency on alcohol involving psychological and physical cravings for the drug and loss of ability to control drinking. NA and AA use a scale to grade alcohol addiction. Use refers to drinking without negative consequences, misuse to drinking which results in negative consequences, abuse to continued drinking in spite of negative results, and addiction to compulsive drinking.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
The Spotlight at the end of the chapter discusses problems that occur when women drink while pregnant. Fetal alcohol syndrome is just one example of how alcohol affects health consequences of others in addition to the drinker. Alcohol can be dangerous when taken in combination with other drugs (prescription or over-the-counter) or when someone gets behind the wheel of a car, even if it’s after just a “few” drinks. Dependency on alcohol can develop, especially if a blood relative has problems with alcohol abuse. Like other drugs, there is a beneficial dose of alcohol and a dose that will cause harm.