Download Chapter 4 - CindiLamb.com

Judith E. Brown
www.cengage.com/nutrition/brown
Alcohol: The Positives and Negatives
Unit 14
Prof. Albia Dugger • Miami-Dade College
Alcohol Facts
• Alcohol is a food
• Contains carbohydrates (energy)
• Alcohol is a drug
• Alcohol (ethanol) modifies body functions
• Harmful in high doses
Fermentation
• Alcohol is produced from carbohydrates in
grains and other foods by fermentation
• Fermentation
• The process by which carbohydrates are
converted to ethanol by the action of enzymes
produced by yeast
The Positive
• Moderate alcohol consumption
• Men: 2 drinks/day, women:1 drink /day
• Reduces risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes,
hypertension, stroke, dementia
• Increases HDL cholesterol
• Improves glucose utilization
• Decreases chronic inflammation
• Improves cognitive function
One Drink
Key Terms
• Chronic inflammation
• Low-grade inflammation that lasts weeks to years
• Inflammation
• The immune system’s first response to infection
or irritation; triggers release of biologically-active
substances that promote oxidation and other
harmful reactions
Positive Effects of Phytochemicals
• Phytochemicals
• Act as antioxidants
• Reduce plaque in arteries
• Decrease inflammation
• Decreased inflammation:
• Helps prevent plaque formation in arteries
• Improves circulatory function
• Improves maintenance of normal cell health
The Negative
• Heavy drinking
• 5 or more drinks/day
• Increases risks of high blood pressure, stroke,
dementia, some cancers, central nervous system
disorders, vitamin and mineral deficiencies
The Negative
• Alcohol abuse is associated with:
• A high proportion of deaths from homicide,
drowning, fires, traffic accidents, and suicide
• Rapes and assaults
• Alcohol poisoning
• Steatohepatitis
• Cirrhosis
Key Terms
• Alcoholism
• Illness characterized by dependence on alcohol
and a level of alcohol intake that interferes with
health, family, social relationships, and job
performance
Key Terms
• Alcohol poisoning
• Life-threatening condition due to excess alcohol
consumption; a medical emergency
• Characterized by mental confusion, vomiting,
seizures, slow or irregular breathing, and low
body temperature
Key Terms
• Steatohepatitis
• Disease characterized by fat accumulation in the
liver and liver inflammation
• Associated with alcoholism, obesity, and diabetes
• May progress to cirrhosis
Key Terms
• Cirrhosis
• Disease of the liver characterized by widespread
fibrous tissue buildup and disruption of normal
liver structure and function
• Can be caused by a number of chronic conditions
that affect the liver
Violence and Alcohol
Steatohepatitis
• Normal liver and fatty liver
Drinking During Pregnancy
• Fetal alcohol syndrome
causes long-term
mental and growth
retardation
• There is no safe level of
alcohol intake during
pregnancy
Alcohol, Diet, and Nutrients
• “Empty calories”
• Alcohol contains 7
calories/gram, but few
nutrients
• Heavy drinkers may be
vitamin deficient
How the Body Handles Alcohol
• Alcohol is:
• Absorbed through stomach and small intestine
• Circulated to body tissues
• Broken down and used for energy or fat storage
• Blood alcohol builds up
• Mild intoxication, about 0.03%
• Legal limit, typically 0.08%
• 0.6% or more can cause death
Blood Alcohol Levels
Increased Effects of Alcohol
• Blood alcohol levels increase faster in women
than in men
• Over 150 medications interact harmfully with
alcohol (sleeping pills, pain killers)
• Combining alcohol and pain relievers may
cause stomach ulcers or liver damage
Drinking Responsibly
• Do NOT drink:
•
•
•
•
•
If you are or could become pregnant
On an empty stomach
Quickly
Until you lose control
Before or during driving, hunting, or operating
heavy equipment
What Causes Alcoholism?
• Alcoholism:
• Tends to run in families
• Has a genetic component
• Is influenced by environmental factors
• Risk increases:
• When drinking begins at a young age
• Around peers who drink
• With stress
Alcohol and Adolescents
• Underage drinking accounts for 20% of all
alcohol consumed in the US
• Average age when drinking begins: 14 years
• Four times more likely to become alcohol
dependent than 21-year-olds
Help for Alcohol Dependence
• Alcoholism is managed, not cured
• Behavioral therapy is successful in about 1/3
of people with alcoholism
• Medications treat people with genetic
predispositions toward alcoholism
Drink Responsibly