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Facts About Alcohol
Alcohol
Facts: Click on a link below for more info …
Alcohol Fact: How
Alcohol Is Absorbed
When alcohol
is consumed it goes directly to the stomach and passes through to the small
intestine. Once in the small intestine it is directly absorbed into the
bloodstream. It takes about 30 seconds for the first amounts of alcohol to
reach the brain after ingestion. Once alcohol reaches the head it acts
primarily on nerve cells deep in the brain.
Alcohol Fact: Quantity and Type of Alcohol
 One drink for the
average person (a 12-ounce beer, five ounces of wine, or one and one-half
ounces of 80-proof whiskey) will create a feeling of relaxation. Two and a
half drinks in an hour can affect the drinker's judgment and lower
inhibitions.
Alcohol Fact: Elimination of Alcohol
The elimination of alcohol from the body is a long
process. About 90 percent of alcohol must be metabolized through the liver
and the remaining 10 percent is eliminated through the lungs and urine. It
takes about one hour to eliminate one-half ounce of alcohol.
Alcohol Fact: Binge Drinking and Hangovers
Heavy drinking in a
short period of time will often cause a hangover the next day. A hangover
is a sign of alcohol poisoning; it is the body's reaction to alcohol
withdrawal. Symptoms of a hangover include nausea, disorientation,
headache, irritability and tremors.
Alcohol Fact: Absorption Factors
Alcohol is absorbed
quickly through the stomach and the gastrointestinal tract because no
digestion is required. Absorption rates for alcohol depend on the amount
and type of food in the stomach (for example, high protein and high fat
foods decrease absorption rates) and whether or not the beverage is
carbonated or effervescent (both of which increase absorption rates of
alcohol).
Alcohol Fact: Effects of Alcohol
The effects of alcohol
may appear within 10 minutes after consumption and peak at approximately 40
to 60 minutes and remains in the bloodstream until it is broken down by the
liver. If an individual consumes alcohol at a faster rate than it can be
broken down by the liver, the blood alcohol concentration level rises.
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