Everyone knows of alcohol as typically something that you drink to become drunk. The actual definition of alcohol is “a compound with a carbon-oxygen bond with the oxygen also bonded to a single hydrogen; also the type of alcohol consumed.” Ethanol is the chemical term for the form of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages. Proof is determined by government documentation of a distilled beverage’s alcohol content. In other words, to find out how strong an alcoholic beverage is you would take the proof of the beverage and divide it by two and that will give you the percent of alcohol liquid is in the drink.
Luckily for us, when we consume alcohol our body can metabolize it. When you drink alcohol only two to eight percent is lost through urine, sweat, or breath. The other 92-98 percent is metabolized through our body. First, all ethyl alcohol which is broken down in the human body is first converted to acetaldehyde. After, this acetaldehyde is converted into acetic acid radicals--also known as acetyl radicals. This acetic acid radical combines with Coenzyme A to form acetyl-CoA. Then acetyl-CoA then enters the Krebs Cycle, which is the basic powerhouse of the human body. Finally, inside of the Krebs Cycle this acetyl radical is eventually broken down into carbon dioxide and water. This happens in result of three different enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase,
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It can also lead to addiction or dependency which also may make you do things you never would have even thought of doing, sometimes even to the people you love. It can also lead to major health problems as well. For instance, cirrhosis of the liver which in some cases can cause the liver to completely shut down and also dementia which is increased shrinking of the brain and results in many psychological problems. These are just two of the many health problems that you can attain from excessive
It is the slowest working metabolic pathway for the production of energy in the body. This cycle, unlike the energy consumption in sprinting, allows the body to maintain its energy level during endurance activities. The citric acid cycle, or the Krebs cycle, allows humans to sustain long-term energy (long running) because it produces more energy than the other pathways. The Krebs cycle uses lots of enzymes, which reduce the amount of energy required for a chemical reaction. These enzymes help the body use less and create more energy. By using enzymes in the absence of more energy, the Krebs cycle is different from other metabolic pathways. Through the catabolism of fats, sugars, and proteins, an acetate is created and used in the citric acid cycle. The Krebs cycle converts NAD+ into NADH. These are then used by another system called the oxidative phosphorylation pathway to generate
Chemistry is at the heart of all nutrition. Thus, to truly grasp alcohol, one must know the basic molecular compounds that the body consumes and divides. The most accessible energy resource the body ingests is carbohydrates (rice, beans, breads, pasta, sugar, fruit, etc…). Carbohydrates are made
Alcohol is absorbed over almost the entire length of the digestive tract. Absorption from the mouth and oesophagus (canal between mouth and stomach) is minimal. Ethanol absorption from the stomach may vary between 10 and 30 %. The remainder of the ethanol is absorbed from the duodenum and small intestine. Overall, more than 90% of all alcohol consumed is absorbed, irrespective of the presence of food in the stomach.
The strongest alcohol drinks are called liquors or spirits. An Arabian alchemist named Geber discovered liquor in the eighteenth century A.D. Geber made liquor by distillation, burning away the impurities that formed in wine during fermentation and isolated the remaining liquids. As a result, the concentrated liquid had a higher alcoholic content, which was ?mainly flavored alcohol and water?(Milgram 65). Arnaud de Villanueva discovered liquor in Europe 500 years later, when he made brandy. Arnaud claimed that brandy would cure all humanity?s diseases, prolong life, maintain youth, a...
Once the alcohol is absorbed into the body it leaves in three different ways: the kidney, lungs and liver. The kidney removes 5 percent of the alcohol in the urine. One of the duties of the kidney is to regulate the composition of blood in the body. Through this process the blood level is maintained by the removal of unwanted substances from the blood and into the urine.
Alcohol is a dominant tool that controls the human’s body when it takes over its major systems. In addition, alcohol has a huge impact on people’s behaviors so that their behaviors go out of their control and could lead to things rather more serious.
Roger E. Meyer writes this article to explain the effects of alcohol and how it affects the body. Once alcohol is taken into the body it is absorbed from the stomach and the small intestine and into the bloodstream. If too much alcohol is taken in the stomach may secrete a mucous that will slow absorption. One tenth of the alcohol exits form the body as sweat or urine, as the rest is slowly broken down by the body. This article and information can be helpful to me because it will give me a background and information on alcohol and what happens when one consumes it.
Alcohol is a colorless, volatile flammable liquid that is the intoxicating constituent of wine, beer, spirits, and other drinks and is also used as an industrial solvent and as fuel. Alcohol is a drug and it is classed as a depressant, meaning that it will slow down vital functions. Alcohol is made out of a chemical called ethanol. To make alcohol, they need to have the grains, fruits or vegetables go through a process called fermentation.
Alcohol can be an addictive substance if abused on a daily basis or consumed in large quantities. Alcohol is technically defined as, “a colorless flammable liquid that has the active principle of intoxicating drinks” (HarperCollins Publishers 2009). One of the leading causes of death in the United States is deaths induced by alcohol. There are many types of alcohol that are produced and distributed throughout the country. Common alcoholic beverages that are sold regularly are vodka, beer, rum, wine, whiskey, and much more. Each type does as much damage to the body as the other one, though they differ in amounts, or percentage, of alcohol. It depends on a person’s body type how alcohol will affect them personally. Weight, height, family background, and gender are common factors associated with a person’s blood alcohol content (HealthCheck Systems 2012).
Increased abuse of alcohol leads to physical damage to the body. Alcohol is absorbed directly into the brain, dulling one’s senses and weakling one's will power. According to the article from the Mayo Clinic Health Information, “Excessive use of alcohol can produce several harmful effects on your brain and nervous system. It also can severely damage your liver, pancreas and cardiovascular system. Alcohol use in pregnant women can damage the fetus” (Mayo 1). Continued ingestion of alcohol affects every organ in the body. Every organ in the body is affected. The liver has serious effects that may lead to cirrhosis and death.. At first the liver adapts and tolerates alcohol. It works harder and finally damages itself in time. Alcohol leads the liver to the inability to metabolize facts. Furthermore, it leads to increase in cholesterol and triglycerides leading to clogged arteries. Red blood cells are also affected leading the individual to become anemic.
Specific Purpose: After listening to my speech, my audience will know how alcohol was made and how it affects humans negatively and positively.
middle of paper ... ... Alcohol consumption needs to be taken seriously and always in moderation. It has not only short-term effects, but long-term ones as well. Alcohol can lead to serious problems with the central nervous system, blood, muscles, the liver, and more.
Alcohol is made through a process called fermentation (how alcohol is made). It is the process of sugar being broken down into carbon dioxide and ethanol. The main ingredient in fermentation is yeast. Yeast breaks down grains, fruits, and its main function is to get the alcohol
Effects of alcohol are many and are all bad. There is not one good effect of excessive alcohol drinking, except what an alcoholic considers a good feeling after getting drunk. The alcoholics drink for many reasons, but the results are all the same. Alcohol has very bad effects on all human body organs; it causes disease and some of those diseases are dangerous and even fatal, and the most common diseases re...
Alcohol is a class of organic compounds that is characterized by the presence of one or more hydroxyl groups (-OH) attached to a carbon atom. Alcohol was unknowingly produced centuries ago when fermentation occurred to crushed grapes (Pines, 1931). In today’s society alcohol is produced for the use of household products such as varnishes, cleaning products, but is more commercially important in the liquor business. A chemical process called fermentation accomplishes the production of ethanol, the alcohol or liquor. From there, the ethanol goes through distinct processes to become the dark and clear liquors on the store shelves.