Beverages
Liver Excretion
Absorption Metabolism
Malnutrition
Alcohol and Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
University Use Short-term Effects
Long-term Effects
Quiz
Brain Liver Deterioration
Alcohol in Beverages
Each of
these
servings
equals one
drink
Alcohol in the
Stomach
• 20% absorbed
immediately in
empty stomach
• Food slows
absorption
• Enzyme: Alcohol
Dehydrogenase-
decreases amount
of alcohol entering
the blood by 20%
Alcohol in the Liver
• Processes one
drink per hour or
½ oz. of ethanol
• Alcohol makes
the biggest
impact on the
liver
Alcohol Metabolism
NAD+ NADH + H+ NAD+ NADH + H+
Alcohol Acetaldehyde Acetyl
Acetate
(ethanol) Alcohol Acetaldehyde CoA
dehydrogenase dehydrogenase CoA
•High concentration of acetaldehyde to brain and
other tissues are responsible for many of the
damaging effects
Liver Deterioration
1. Fatty Liver
– Accumulation of fat
2. Fibrosis
– Cells:
• lose their function
• characteristics of
connective tissue cells
3. Cirrhosis
– Cells:
• die Cirrhosis
• permanently lose their
function
Excretion of Alcohol
• Alcohol is not
digested nor
chemically changed
in the blood stream
• Amount of alcohol in
breath and urine
proportional to
amount still in
bloodstream
Alcohol’s Effects on the
Brain
• 0.05- Impaired judgment, relaxed inhibitions, altered
heart rate
• 0.10- Impaired coordination, delayed reaction time,
exaggerated emotions, impaired peripheral vision,
impaired ability to operate a vehicle
• 0.15- Slurred speech, blurred vision, staggered walk,
seriously impaired coordination and judgment
• 0.20- Double vision, inability to walk
• 0.30- Uninhibited behavior, confusion, inability to
comprehend
• 0.40 to 0.60- Unconsciousness, shock, coma, death
(cardiac or respiratory failure)
Nutrition Facts
• Contributes to fat
storage in central
region aka “Beer
Belly”
• 7 kcal/gram
• Recommendation:
Not more than two
drinks/day for
average-size man;
one drink/day for
average-size woman
Alcohol & Malnutrition
• Primary Malnutrition-
alcohol displaces
food
• Secondary
Malnutrition-alcohol
interferes with
digestion and
absorption of
nutrients
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome- Thiamin deficiency
Alcohol’s Short-Term
Effects
• Binge Drinking
(4+ or 5+ drinks)
– Alcohol Poisoning
• Alcohol consumption:
– Suicide (33%)
– Homicide (50%)
– Accidents (50%)
• DE (2002) DE (2007)
-> 51 fatalities 19 fatalities
– Violence (Robbery, rape, assault)
– Victim of crime
– Injury (falls, drownings, fire)
Alcohol’s Long-Term
Effects
• Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome
• Liver Disease
• Kidney Disease
• Heart Disease
• Cancer
University Use
• Students drink 4 billion cans of beer yearly
• 360,000 of 12 million undergraduates will
die from alcohol-related causes while in
school
• Nearly ½ of college students are binge
drinkers
• Average student spends $900 per year on
alcohol (books $450/year)
Quiz
1. What is considered one drink?
A. 10 oz. beer
B. 6 oz. glass of wine
C. 1 ½ oz. hard liquor
D. 8 oz. wine cooler
2. What is Delaware’s Blood Alcohol Concentration Limit?
A. .20
B. .05
C. .10
D. .08
3. What is the approximate BAC when a person has slurred speech, staggered walk &
blurred vision?
A. .30
B. .15
C. .10
D. .05
Answers: 1. C 2. D 3. B