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Jason U. Gimena III-Mendeleev

ALCOHOL
Alcohol is a part of many social occasions like family dinners, parties, or even the smallest social event you can imagine. Behind these things, alcohol is considered as a depressant that alters the processing of the central nervous system. What is the impact of social drinking or a moderate intake of alcohol? Does alcohol belong in our diet, or does the risk that it presents outweigh any benefits that may be derived from consuming it? Good nutrition can help to improve your health and prevent diseases. The essential nutrients that your body needs are carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Alcohol would not fall under the category of essential nutrients because there is no problem or disease state if you do not consume it. However, some argue that there are added health benefits from consuming alcohol and argue that it should be added to our diets for that reason. The tool for you to determine whether you need alcohol or not is to know how it is processed or to know what the things that alcohol gives us are. Calories provide energy for our bodies to function. We get calories from carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol. You may compare the amount of calories youll get using these data: 1 gram Carbohydrates Protein Fat Alcohol Calories 4 4 9 7

The amount of alcohol consumed can be measured through Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). The formula for calculating the blood alcohol content is: BAC = (Standard drinks* 0.06 * 100 * 1.055 / Weight * Gender Constant) - (0.015 * Hours) These are the steps in calculating your Blood Alcohol Concentration: 1. Calculate Alcohol Consumed. Take the number of standard drinks consumed (in ounces) and multiply by 0.06 since one standard drink is approximately 6% pure ethanol. 2. Compensate for Specific Gravity of Blood. Take the number you got in step 1 and multiply it by 100 and then by 1.055 to account for the specific gravity of blood. 3. Multiply Body Weight by the Gender Constant. Multiply your body weight in pounds by the gender constant. The gender constant is on average 0.68 for men and 0.55 for women. 4. Divide Step 2 by Step 3. Divide the number you found in step 2 by the number you found in step 3 to get a rough estimate of BAC. 5. Find How Much Alcohol Has Been Metabolized. Multiply the number of hours since your first drink, times the alcohol elimination constant to find how much alcohol has been eliminated. The alcohol elimination constant has an average of 1.5% (or 0.015). 6. Subtract Metabolized Alcohol to Find Final Answer. Subtract your number from step 5 from the number you found in step 4 to find your Blood Alcohol Content.

The BAC of an individual shouldnt be greater than 1.9 BAC so that he/she will not experience the effects of alcohol in his/her behavior. For men, 2 glasses of alcohol is the maximum, while for women, 1 glass of alcohol is the maximum. What is Alcoholism? Alcoholism, also called alcohol dependence or alcohol addiction, is a destructive form of alcohol use that includes tolerance to or removal/separation from the substance, using more alcohol or using it for longer than planned, and trouble reducing its use. It is a disease that is characterized by the following elements:

Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink. Loss of control: The frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun. Physical dependence: The occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. These symptoms are usually relieved by drinking alcohol or by taking another sedative drug. Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to get "high."

Abuse of Alcohol Why is it that some people can drink socially and not become addicted while others become alcoholics? According to researches, the reason has to do with a combination of genetic, physiological, psychological and social factors:

Genetic factors o Genes may be an important factor triggering the development of alcoholism. o Research has indicated that children of alcoholics are four times more likely to become alcoholics themselves (that is at least due to other factors) and because of this, scientists have determined that there is a genetic link. o Researchers are working on knowing which genes increase a persons risk of being an alcoholic in order to develop new medications for alcoholism Physiological factors o Alcohol alters the balance of chemicals in the brain. o It affects chemicals in the brains reward center, such as dopamine (which is neurotransmitter that plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior). o The body eventually craves alcohol to restore pleasurable feelings and avoid negative feelings. Psychological factors o People who already suffer from high stress or psychological problems such as low self-esteem and depression are at higher risk for developing alcoholism. Social factors o Social factors such as peer pressure (which is the feeling of wanting to fit in), advertising and environment also play an important role in the development of alcoholism. o Young people often start drinking because their friends are doing so. o Beer and liquor ads on television tend to portray drinking as a glamorous, exciting pastime.

Effects of Alcohol Benefits Drinking alcohol in moderate amounts can give positive effects on physical and mental health. For individuals who consume low levels of alcohol, benefits like reduced stress, increased cardiovascular health and decreased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes offer many reasons for consumers to drink in moderation. Research shows that the consumption of alcohol in moderate amounts can lead to certain psychological benefits. Low levels of alcohol can trigger stress reduction, easy feelings of anxiety and help consumers to reduce tension. In addition, low levels of alcohol consumption can also cause the consumer to feel more pleasant and relaxed. Studies on sleep show that people who drink in moderation get more sleep on average than those who drink in excess. The positive psychological effects of drinking in moderation can be associated with the studies that show moderate drinkers tend to love longer than people who don't drink at all or those who drink in excess. Studies from a number of different countries including China, the United States and England indicate that long life is highest among groups of people who drink alcohol in moderation. Several studies have shown that drinking alcohol in moderation has a positive association with certain aspects of cardiovascular health. In particular, the risk of developing coronary artery disease is significantly lowered in combination with moderate consumption of alcohol. Another link between alcohol and cardiovascular health shows that moderate consumption of alcohol has a positive association with survivability in the event of a heart attack. Those who drink low levels of alcohol are more likely to live and less likely to experience another heart attack. Alcohol produces several positive effects on the body when consumed in low levels. For example, it increases levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). Alcohol also acts as a blood thinner once it enters the human body, much like common aspirin does. Thus, when consumed in moderation, it can reduce the likelihood of developing blood clots in arteries. Some studies show that drinking in moderation puts drinkers into a lower risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. Harmful effects Central Nervous System o Alcohol is a depressant and can depress the sensitive areas in the brain, particularly the parts that control thinking, comprehension, memory, speech, judgment, and reaction time. o It also relaxes the inhibiting center of the brain, giving drinkers a false feeling of being good at everything and gives them courage to talk and brag about everything in a slurred speech. o A drinker may suffer from effects of depressed vital centers of the brain and such condition may lead to coma and death or in other cases may experience black -outs in their memory.

Cardiovascular system o The walls of the blood vessels expand as alcohol enters the blood stream and results in an increased flow of the blood to the skin, giving the drinker a blushing appearance and a temporary warm feeling. o As a result, heat is lost, thereby decreasing the body temperature. o The feeling of warmth during cold weather after drinking alcohol is just temporary so one cannot rely on alcohol for warmth because the drinker will just achieve the opposite feeling. o Another effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular system is that it slows down the heartbeat and causes the loosening of the heart muscle. Digestive System o A small amount of alcohol stimulates appetite by increasing the flow of gastric juices while a larger amount of alcohol slows down the flow of gastric juices. o Alcohol acts as an irritant to the intestinal lining of the stomach. o The drinker becomes nauseated because the digestive walls contract faster than normal. o These conditions lead to vomiting and LBM (Loose Bowel Movement) o Presence of alcohol disturbs the breaking down of fats by the liver and results in the accumulation of fats in the liver (fatty liver). o The liver cells may later on develop scars called cirrhosis, limiting the functions of the cells and the liver may soon develop cancer cells. Urinary system o Alcohol is a diuretic drug that increases the formation of urine. o This effect is brought by the ability of alcohol to overpower the hormone that controls urine production. o This makes a person urinate frequently, causing him/her to become thirsty and dehydrated. Respiratory System o Alcohol also slows down the respiratory function by slowing down the breathing rate because the alcohol drinker absorbs these through the lungs by sniffing alcohol fumes from strong liquor. o Alcohol is then quickly brought to the brain by the blood vessels.

Health Problems Anemia Heavy drinking can cause the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells to be abnormally low. This condition, known as anemia, can trigger a host of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness. Cancer Scientists believe the increased risk comes when the body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, a potent carcinogen. Cancer sites linked to alcohol use include the mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal region. Cancer risk rises even higher in heavy drinkers who also use tobacco. Cardiovascular disease

Heavy drinking makes platelets more likely to clump together into blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. Heavy drinking can also cause cardiomyopathy, a potentially deadly condition in which the heart muscle weakens and eventually fails, as well as heart rhythm abnormalities. Cirrhosis Alcohol is toxic to liver cells, and many heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis, a sometimes-lethal condition in which the liver is so heavily scarred that it is unable to function. Dementia As people age, their brains shrink, in an average it is at a rate of about 1.9% per decade. That's considered normal. But heavy drinking speeds the shrinkage of certain key regions in the brain, resulting in memory loss and other symptoms of dementia, which is a set of signs and symptoms in which brain function, such as memory, language, problem solving and attention are affected. Depression A large study from New Zealand showed that depression leads to heavy drinking, was actually the other way around; that is, heavy drinking led to depression. Seizures Heavy drinking can cause epilepsy and can trigger seizures even in people who don't have epilepsy. It can also interfere with the action of the medications used to treat convulsions. Gout A painful condition, gout is caused by the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Alcohol also seems to worsen existing cases of gout. High blood pressure Alcohol can disrupt the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the tightening and expansion of blood vessels in response to stress, temperature, exertion, etc. Heavy drinking can cause blood pressure to rise. Over time, this effect can become chronic. High blood pressure can lead to many other health problems, including kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke. Infectious disease Heavy drinking suppresses the immune system, providing a start for infections, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Nerve damage Heavy drinking can cause a form of nerve damage known as alcoholic neuropathy, which can produce a painful pins-and-needles feeling or numbness in the extremities as well as muscle weakness, incontinence, constipation, erectile dysfunction, and other problems. Alcoholic neuropathy may arise because alcohol is toxic to nerve cells, or because nutritional deficiencies attributable to heavy drinking compromise nerve function. Pancreatitis In addition to causing stomach irritation (gastritis), drinking can inflame the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis interferes with the digestive process, causing severe abdominal pain and persistent diarrhea.