| There are many factors that influence the effect of alcohol on the body: - type of drink
- how quickly it is drunk
- amount of food in stomach
- body weight and build
- mental / emotional state
- surroundings
- physical tolerance
All of alcohol's effects continue until the ingested alcohol is eliminated by the body. |
Nutrition / weight / calories
Alcoholic beverages are valued on account of their flavour and their stimulating effect and hardly at all as a source of energy. Nevertheless, the energy value of dry wine is about equal to that of milk.
Alcohol consumption increases calorie intake and may consequently affect weight control.
Physical tolerance
With frequent use, the brain and nervous system become less sensitive to alcohol's effects. The body's increased tolerance to alcohol increases to the level of the liver's enzymes that are used to break down alcohol. The activity of the brain and nervous system neurons increase too.
The levels of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase in the liver increase in response to long-term alcohol exposure. This means that the body becomes more efficient at eliminating the high levels of alcohol in the blood.
However, it also means that more alcohol must be consumed to experience the same effects as before, which leads to more drinking and contributes to addiction.
The normal chemical and electrical functions of nerve cells increase to compensate for the inhibitory effects of alcohol exposure. This increased nerve activity helps the body to function normally with higher BAC.
It also causes irritability when deprived of alcohol. Furthermore, the increased nerve activity may induce a craving for alcohol.
Beneficial effects in moderation
Beer provides one important nutrient group - the B vitamins. Half a pint of beer provides 17% of the recommended daily amount of the important B vitamin, folic acid.
A high intake of folic acid has been linked to lowering the levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, which is considered to be a risk factor for heart disease.
Drinking within the recommended allowances, alcohol may be of benefit to certain age groups as some alcohol can have a protective effect.
We know the stress-relieving and relaxant properties of alcohol but there are other benefits.
Longevity
Studies have shown that men over the age of forty and post-menopausal women who regularly drink between 1 and 2 units of alcohol a day tend to live longer than people who do not drink at all.
Many people in this age group are at a high enough risk of developing heart disease to make the advantages significant. Even in these groups, the risk of disease - so potential benefit of alcohol - will vary.
There is currently no evidence that drinking in your 30's protects you from getting heart attacks in your 50's.
Antioxidants
Wine and some other alcoholic drinks have been shown to contain antioxidant compounds that mop up free radicals, the harmful chemicals that are produced by the body in response to exposure to cigarette smoke, stress and environmental pollution.
Free radicals have been linked with cancer and heart disease. One of the most potent antioxidant substances in grapes, resveratrol, is particularly important in the fight against bowel cancer.
As well as being an antioxidant, it alters cholesterol metabolism in heart disease and gene expression in cancer. Beer also contains antioxidants, but in smaller quantities.
Wine contains large quantities of flavonoids (polyphenols) the beneficial antioxidant substances that are also found in fruit and vegetables. The body's ability to absorb flavonoids is not affected by the presence of alcohol.
Adverse effects
Accidents
By far the most common danger of drinking alcohol is through injury in accidents. In 1992 over 600 people were killed in alcohol-related accidents such as death from falls, death in fires, drowning and suicides.
| Heavy drinkers compared with light or non drinkers are: - twice as likely to die of heart disease
- twice as likely to die of cancer
- twelve times as likely to die of cirrhosis of the liver
- three times more likely to die in a car accident
- six times more likely to commit suicide
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Weight
Alcohol consumption increases calorie intake and may consequently affect weight control.
An average pint of beer contains 180 calories. Regular intake of alcohol adds significantly to the energy content of the diet; pure alcohol provides 700kcal per 100g. Habitual drinkers of beer or wine are commonly overweight.
19/05/2009