Alcohol Flashcards
What is alcohol?
Alcohol contains the drug ethanol. When you drink alcohol, ethanol is absorbed into your bloodstream. It then travels to your brain, where it affects your nervous system. This chemical called a depressant which slows down body’s reaction.
How much alcohol can you drink safely?
Different alcoholic drinks contain different amounts of alcohol for example, spirits such as vodka and whisky contain more alcohol then beer.
What are the dangers of alcohol?
Your liver breaks down harmful chemicals (including ethanol) into harmless waste products, which are excreted into your body. As a result of having to break down large amounts of ethanol the livers of heavy drinkers become scarred. This means their liver works less efficiently, taking longer to break down alcohol and other chemicals.
Should pregnant women drink?
No because it diffuses the baby’s bloodstream. It can then damage the developing organs and nervous system. Drinking alcohol increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and low birth weight babies.
