Lecture 11

Question 1

How is alcohol produced?

Answer 1

By natural fermentation of sugars and is the intoxicating constituent in beer/wine

Question 2

What does alcohol’s simple structure allow it to do?

Answer 2

Easy crossing over of membranes and barrier

Question 3

What are the functions of alcohol?

Answer 3

Nothing, but it does provide energy

Question 4

Does alcohol have a nutrition info panel?

Answer 4

No

Question 5

What percentage of alcohol is absorbed in the stomach?

Answer 5

20%

Question 6

What percentage of alcohol is absorbed in the small intestine?

Answer 6

80%

Question 7

How many grams of alcohol is in a standard drink?

Answer 7

10g

Question 8

What is the legal limit of alcohol in the blood (to drive)?

Answer 8

0.05 g / dL

Question 9

To reduce long term risk, what is the daily recommended amount for men and women?

Answer 9

• Women = less than 2 daily

- Men = less than 3 daily

Question 10

To reduce long term risk, what is the weekly recommended amount for men and women?

Answer 10

• Women = less than 10 weekly

- Men = less than 15 weekly

Question 11

In reducing long term risk, how many alcohol free days are recommended per week?

Answer 11

2 alcohol free days per week

Question 12

To reduce risk of injury on a single occasion what is the standard recommendation for men and women?

Answer 12

• Women = no more than 4

- Men = no more than 5

Question 13

What are the three processes for Alcohol Metabolism?

Answer 13

1. Alcohol dehydrogenase
2. Microsomal ethanol - oxidising system
3. Catalase (in presence of hydrogen peroxide)

Question 14

Describe Alcohol dehydrogenase

Answer 14

• In the stomach, pancreas, brain, and liver
• Is the major pathway in most people
• Is the RATE LIMITING step

Question 15

When is Microsomal ethanol - oxidising system activated?

Answer 15

In long term heavy drinkers

Question 16

What does Catalase do?

Answer 16

• Converts ethanol to acetaldehyde

- Accounts for less than 2% of ethanol metabolism

Question 17

What factors affect alcohol metabolism?

Answer 17

1. Quantity of alcohol consumed
2. Male vs Female
3. Size
4. Genetics

Question 18

Why would a female have enhanced effects of alcohol?

Answer 18

• smaller liver
• lower % of total body water
• less stomach ADH
• higher absorption

Question 19

What are the effects of consuming too much Alcohol?

Answer 19

1. Effects of acetaldehyde
2. Elevated NADH : NAD+ ratio
3. Induced metabolic tolerance

Question 20

What is the effect of acetaldehyde on the body?

Answer 20

Short term effect
-cell damage to liver, GIT, brain, pancreas

Long term effect
-Cirrhosis of liver, cancers

Question 21

What is the effect of elevated NADH : NAD+ ratio

Answer 21

• NAD not available for other pathways
• Accumulation of H+ (affects acid-base tolerance)
• Pyruvate not converted to lactic acid
• Increased lipid synthesis = fatty liver
• Inhibition of FA oxidation = elevated TG’s

Question 22

What is the effect of induced metabolic tolerance?

Answer 22

MEOS produce many toxic metabolites

Question 23

What % of people have had a drink in the last 12 months?

Answer 23

80%

-Pattern steady across age groups between 18-74

Question 24

What % of people have hazardously drunk in the last year?

Answer 24

22%

-Mainly in the 18-24 age group