SOME FACTS ON ALCOHOL

ALCOHOL-SOME FACTS

Let us see how our body handles alcohol soon after its consumption.

Immediately after consumption alcohol passes through the liver as the first pass to be metabolized.

The liver can metabolize one ounce of alcohol per hour

After consumption alcohol can remain in the blood for several hours and in the urine for several days 

After consumption, approximately 20% of alcohol is absorbed by the stomach and the remaining 80% absorbed by the small intestine

Any remainder portion left is excreted out by saliva, sweat, and urine.

After absorption into the bloodstream alcohol goes to the liver. The liver produces enzymes to process alcohol.

But if someone is drinking alcohol rapidly the liver cannot process all alcohol and hence some alcohol may remain in the body without metabolized.

The total amount of unprocessed alcohol remained in the blood is known as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)

The higher the BAC the more pronounced effects as follows.

Pronounced Alcoholic Effects

1.Reduced Inhibitions

2.Damaged Memory

3.Slurred Speach

4.Confusion

5.Difficult concentration

6.Respiratory depression

7.Vomiting

8. Impaired Balance and Coordination

9.Irritability

Age

Age influences the alcoholic usage by retaining alcohol longer time in the liver in old aged people.
The reasons are probably due to the slow blood flow in the old aged people and may be due to the intake of more medicines in old age which may interfere with the alcoholic metabolism in the liver.
As the liver process the alcohol at a smaller rate which increases the amount of unprocessed alcohol absorbed in the body.

Sex

Though it is not common to all, alcohol remains a long time in women's body than men's because the body of women have more fat and lesser water than the body of men.

Race

Some East Asian Race people lack the enzyme necessary to break down the alcohol molecule which leads to facial flushing, nausea, dizziness, tachycardia, and headache.

Family History 

Even though gene alone may not influence alcohol individual consumption but researches have shown that gene along with the environment may affect the alcohol handling of the body.

Body Mass Index

Similar to other drugs alcoholic metabolism may be influenced by body size

A person with a lean body or smaller BMW will have a sooner effect than the person with a larger BMW.

Medicines That Influence Liver Processing Of Alcohol

Medicines that can influence alcohol metabolism are as follows:-

1.Anxiolytics like benzodiazepines, barbiturates, meprobamate

2.Antidepressants such as amitriptyline

3.Antibiotics

4.Antihistamines

5.Antidiabetic drugs

How long does the alcohol stay in the system 

1.Blood

Measurement of BAC is one of the techniques to determine how long alcohol stays in the body.

In general alcohol is eliminated 0.015 per hour. For example if a person has a BAC of 0.08 which may be illegal to drive, it will take around 5.5 hours to flush out the alcohol from his body.

It is important to note that since alcohol is absorbed by the stomach also a person who drinks alcohol in a larger amount in an empty stomach may take even more than 24 hours to flush out the alcohol from his body.

2.Urine

The latest and more sensitive urine tests have proved that alcohol can be present in the urine up to 80 hours or up to 3 to 4 days after the last drink.

3.Breath

The most sensitive tests have proved that alcohol can be present in the breath up to 24 hours after the last drink.

4.Hair

Hair tests have proved that alcohol can be detected in the hair up to 90 days after last drink

5.Saliva

Tests have proved that traces of alcohol can be detected in the saliva up to 24 hours after the last drink.

6.Breast Milk

It is proved that alcohol is present in the breast milk as long as its presence in the blood. When it leaves from the blood automatically it would leave from the milk, hence it is not necessary to pump the milk from the breast to clear alcohol.

Long term effects of Drinking

Heavy drunkards may have the following risks

1.Cancer of the mouth, throat, and breast

2.Stroke

3.Heart problems

4.Liver damage

5.Nervous and brain damages

Conclusion 

Alcohol becomes a social drink in parties and in recreation clubs.

Frequent social drinking habit is risky. If anyone feels he drinks alcohol frequently to become a stage of heavy drink without control should speak with their doctor.