Alcohol Flashcards
the chemical used in beverages is called
ethanol
ethanol is the main ____ ingredient
psychoactive
methanol
production of making alcohol yourself
methanol can:
- can cause blindness
- damages optic nerve
what is the process of making alcohol?
fermentation (a natural process)
What is fermentation?
biochemical process; yeast converts sugar into alcohol
what is distillation?
a way to increase the alcohol content in beverages
Is alcohol a legal depressant?
yes
what is ethanol
a small molecule; easy to absorb into the body
where does 20% of alcohol go?
stomach
mouth –> esophagus –> stomach –>20% –> bloodstream –> brain
where does 80% of alcohol go?
liver
mouth–> esophagus–> stomach –> 80% –> intestine –> BS –> liver –> brain
what does alcohol get metabolized by?
metabolized by an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)
breaks down the ethanol to be excreted
what does the liver break alcohol down into?
water, carbon dioxide, and energy
(called oxidation)
factors that affect BAC
gender/sex, muscle mass, how much food is eaten, alcohol dehydrogenase
the liver can oxidize how many ounces of alcohol per hour?
male - 1 ounce per hour
female - 1/2 ounce per house
words ending in “ase” are
enzymes
“ase”’s beak down what?
“ose”
lact”ase” breaks down lact”ose”
Medulla oblongata
- carries out and regulates life functions (breathing, swallowing, heart rate)
- without it we die
vasopressin
produced by the pituitary gland
when we drink what happens to the vasopressin?
it goes into dehydration mode
(production of 4x more liquid being excreted; takes stored body water and excrete it)
BAC 0.16 - 0.30%
severe impairment
Detoxification includes:
hallucinations, anxiety, and tremors
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
true