Alcohol: The Positives and Negatives

1
Unit 13

• Alcohol The Positives and Negatives

2
True or False

• Any amount of alcohol has harmful effects on
  health.
• A pregnant women can safely consume 2 drinks per
  day.
• It is not possible to die from an excessive
  intake of alcohol.
• Alcohol enters the circulatory system about 1
  hour after it is consumed.
• As caloric consumption from alcohol increases,
  the quality of the diet generally increases also.

3

• A beneficial effect of moderate alcohol
  consumption is
• increased blood cholesterol levels
• decreased ability of LDL cholesterol to stick to
  arteries
• decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
  levels
• reduction in body fat percentage
• increase in blood pressure.
• Decreased ability of LDL cholesterol to stick to
  arteries

4

• Alcohol provides the body with _____ calories
  per gram.
• 0
• 4
• 7
• 9
• 11
• 7

5

• Alcoholism increases the risk of all of the
  following diseases except
• cancer
• stroke
• central nervous system disorders
• cirrhosis of the liver
• sickle cell anemia
• Sickle cell anemia

6

• Which of the following are associated with
  alcohol abuse?
• Spouse abuse
• Homicides
• Drownings
• Child abuse
• All of the above
• All of the above

7

• What substance contained in purple grape juice
  and red wine seems to help prevent heart disease?
• Vitamin D
• Antioxidants
• Thiamin
• Vitamin E
• Antioxidants

8

• Where does the absorption of alcohol into the
  body take place?
• Liver
• Small intestine
• Stomach
• Brain
• Stomach and small intestine
• Stomach and small intestine

9
Alcohol is a food and a drug

• Food- made from carbohydrates and used as an
  energy source
• Ethanol
• Made by fermenting grains, fruits, potatoes
• Drug- modifies various body functions

10
The positives of alcohol

• Consumption of moderate amounts of alcohol by
  healthy adults who are not pregnant appears to
  cause no harm.
• Significant protection against heart disease and
  stroke
• Increases HDL cholesterol
• Red, blue and purple pigments in grapes decrease
  ability of LDL to stick to arteries

11
The negatives of alcohol

• Heavy drinking (5 or more drinks/day) poses a
  threat to the individual
• Increased risk of
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Throat, stomach, breast and bladder cancer
• CNS disorders
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

12
The negatives of alcohol

• Heavy drinking (5 or more drinks/day) poses a
  threat to other people
• Associated with a high proportion of deaths from
• Homicide
• Drowning
• Fires
• Traffic accidents
• Suicide
• Alcohol poisoning
• High proportion of rapes and assaults

13
Fetal alcohol syndrome

• Women who binge drink or drink regularly during
  pregnancy are at risk of delivering an infant
  with signs of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Long-term growth and mental retardation
• Severity of condition depends on when and how
  much alcohol was consumed during pregnancy
• It is recommended that women who are or may
  become pregnant, refrain from alcohol

14
How alcohol hurts the fetus

• Alcohol crosses the placenta and circulates in
  the fetal blood supply
• The fetal liver cannot break down alcohol so
  blood levels stay higher in the fetus than in the
  mother
• Alcohol is toxic to developing cells. If drinking
  occurs during critical period of fetal growth,
  the developing organ may be adversely affected

15
Alcohol intake and diet quality

• As calories from alcohol increases, quality of
  the diet decreases
• DTs (delirium tremors) from alcohol withdrawal
  caused by a thiamin deficiency
• Convulsions, hallucinations, confused
• Alcohol is toxic to body tissues consuming an
  adequate diet wont protect heavy drinkers from
  the effects of alcohol

16
How the body handles alcohol

• Easily and rapidly absorbed from the stomach and
  small intestines
• Remains in the body until it is broken down and
  used as energy or stored as fat
• Takes several hours or more to complete
• Lose control over muscle movement, slows reaction
  time and impairs thought processes
• More drinks greater effect
• May lead to drowsiness and unconsciousness

17
Acute Alcohol Poisoning

• Very high levels of alcohol are extremely
  dangerous
• High levels reached by drinking large amounts of
  alcohol in a short period of time
• Unconsciousness, rapid pulse, low blood pressure,
  dilated pupils
• Need emergency medical attention

18
What causes cirrhosis

• Alcohol must be metabolized by the liver
• Liver breaks down alcohol to use as energy or to
  store as fat
• Fat formed from alcohol in the liver cannot leave
  the liver- deposits in the liver
• Cirrhosis hardening of the liver caused by
  fatty deposits in the liver- replace normal,
  functioning liver tissue and over time, decreases
  the ability of the liver to function

19
What causes alcoholism
20
Alcohol use among adolescents

• Binge drinking- 5 or more drinks in a row in the
  previous 2 weeks
• 15 of 8th graders
• 26 of 10th graders
• 31 of 12th graders
• Alcohol more damaging to immature livers than
  adult livers