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- Ethyl alcohol is the intoxicating ingredient in all alcoholic drinks and occurs in different amounts in different types of drinks. For example, spirits contain approximately 40% alcohol, while full-strength beer contains only 4-6%
- The liver breaks down 91% of alcohol, while a small amount leaves the body in sweat, breath and urine
Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach and affects virtually all cells and systems in the body
- The rate of alcohol absorption in the body varies depending on several factors, including body size, gender, body fat and amount of food in the stomach
- Alcohol is a depressant drug - not because it makes you sad, but because it slows the activity of the central nervous system
- Excessive alcohol consumption can be fatal if it slows the central nervous system down to the point where breathing stops
- Alcohol has some health benefits for middle-aged and older people but can impair the development of children and adolescents.
- Short-term/acute effects of alcohol include the following* :
- relaxation
- elevated mood
- decreased inhibition and judgment
- decreased reaction time, alertness and co-ordination
- impaired vision and perception
- emotional lability
- aggression
- slurred speech
- sleep disturbances
- memory impairment
- Long-term / chronic effects of alcohol include the following:
- brain damage
- cancer
- hepatitis
- liver cirrhosis
- pancreatitis
- heart disease
- mental illness, e.g. alcohol dependence, depression, anxiety
social problems
* The short-term and long-term effects of alcohol vary depending on the quantity of alcohol consumed and the frequency of consumption
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