Alcohol and effects

By Sabattony and Stefana.


What is alcohol?
There are different kinds of alcohol. The one that people drink is called ethyl alcohol. It is made by fermenting different ingredients.

Here some of the key ingredients for fermentation, and the alcoholic drinks they make:

• grain for whisky and beer
• potatoes for vodka
• grapes for wine and brandy
• apples for cider
• honey for mead
• sugar for rum

What happen to alcohol in the body?

Alcohol is absorbed through the walls of the stomach and small intestine into the bloodstream where is it carried to the rest of the body, including the liver and the brain.

• in the liver: alcohol is slowly metabolised (removed from the blood)
• in the brain, alcohol slows the action of nerve cells - a 'depressant' effect
• some alcohol is excreted (got rid of0 unchanged through the lungs and in unrine and sweat

Alcohol effects

In small amounts, alcohol makes people feel more relaxed and less inhibited - they may do things they would not normally do.

In larger amounts:

• movements become clumsy
• reflexes are slowed down
• eyes do not focus properly
• speech becomes slurred
• judgement becomes impaired (e.g. a person might drive while intoxicated, or have unsafe sex)

The person is often not aware of these changes, and may think that he is able to do things ever better than usual, when in fact he cannot do things as well as usual. For example, he may drive faster than usual, because he thinks he is driving well, when in fact he is driving much more poorly than usual.

Large amounts can also have a strong effect on the person's mood.

He might become:

• violent and aggressive
• very depressed
• excitable and reckless
• withdrawn and sleepy

Long term effects of drinking too much include:

• heart damage
• liver damage
• cancers of the digestive system and breast
• sexual impotence (for example, men not being able to have an erection)
• sleeping difficulties
• brain damage, causing changes in mood and personality
• concentration and memory problems
• missing work - maybe getting fired
• problems with school - missing school (truancy), not getting work done on time
• arguments with friends
• family conflict and breakdown