Alcohol Is Poison

Topic - Define "Casual, Moderate and Heavy Drinking"

2008-05-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

This is where you can help us come to some agreement about those elusive terms that just aren't very well defined in so many of the articles we read.

Some research will clearly state, for example, that their subjects consumed 4 beverages containing alcohol per day. That's clear. We can all understand that and measure our own consumption against the number 4.

However, too many articles, studies, opinion papers etc. use terms like "heavy drinking", "light drinking" and "binge drinking" to report the effects of these undefined levels of alcohol use.

Tell us what you think. Click the comments link below and tell us how many drinks in a day would be Casual, Moderate, Binge and Heavy drinking.

Thanks for your help!

INFO - Do they really put ethanol into beer, wine and spirits? Yes, no kidding!

2008-05-27T21:24:00.000-07:00

What is ethanol? Ethanol is basically a grain alcohol used for beverages and fuel. It is also called ethyl alcohol or drinking alcohol. What most people don’t know is that ethanol is used as a solvent intended for human contact or consumption. Ethanol burns cleanly and has a long history of being used as fuel. In fact, ethanol is what Henry Ford’s Model T vehicle ran on.

People in the Midwest have been making ethanol for a long time because of easy access to the ingredients they need to make it. Sugar ethanol is also easy to make. It was not uncommon for people to have homemade distilleries used to make what was once called moonshine or white lightning.

Besides being used as fuel and in alcoholic beverages, ethanol is also used in medical wipes and most common antibacterial hand sanitizer gels. Ethanol is effective against most bacteria, fungi and many viruses, but is ineffective against bacterial spores.

Ethanol is also sometimes used as an antidote for methanol poisoning and ethylene glycol poisoning, despite ethanol’s own toxicity at high doses. Since ethanol makes a good solvent, it is what most manufacturers used to make perfumes, paints and tinctures.

Pure ethanol is tasteless and odorless. Pure or highly concentrated ethanol may bring about permanent damage to living tissue on contact. It also cools unbroken skin because of its rapid evaporation. Ethanol is also a known depressant and is considered to be a drug. Death from ethyl alcohol poisoning is possible when the blood alcohol level reaches at least 0.4%. The use of ethanol is prohibited if the person is also taking barbiturates, benzodiazepines, narcotics, or phenothiazines. Ethanol is not a known carcinogen, but can aggravate existing cancer.

Did you know that your favorite whiskey or gin contains the same chemical that runs a flex-fuel vehicle? Your beer and your glass of wine likewise contain ethanol. As a matter of fact, each of the following beverages contain the same exact amount of ethanol. Even though they look and taste very different from each other, the intoxicant in each beverage is exactly the same.

Topic - What caused you to decide to remove alcohol from your diet?

2008-05-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

This is a place to share the reason(s) why you decided to remove alcohol from your diet.

Was it "doctor's orders" or "my husband / wife threatened divorce" or "I woke up one morning feeling so sick, I said 'Never Again!' and I meant it."

You get the idea. Give this some thought and share as much as you can. If you are OK with it, please let us know how much alcohol was a part of your diet. Like one drink a day or one drink a week, for example.

Click the "comments" link to read what others have shared or to leave a comment for others to read.

Topic - Changes I have noticed in my personal relationships.

2008-05-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

This is a place to share the changes you have experienced in your personal relationships since you removed alcohol from your diet.

Whether you are a man or a woman, your central nervous system was in a state of depression when you consumed alcohol. Now that you have removed the alcohol from your diet, have your personal relationships changed?

Do you go out more often, seeking the company of others?
Do you spend more time at home engaged in activities with your family?
Do you find yourself more available to be intimate with your partner?
Has your experience of your sexuality improved in some way?
Have you stopped using sex enhancement drugs like Viagra?

You get the idea. Give this some thought and share as much as you can. If you are OK with it, please let us know how much alcohol was a part of your diet. Like one drink a day or one drink a week, for example.

Click the "comments" link to read what others have shared or to leave a comment for others to read.

Topic - Changes I have noticed in my emotions

2008-05-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

This is a place to share about your emotional changes which you have noticed since you removed alcohol from your diet.

Did you have difficulty substituting other beverages for alcohol in your diet? What did you do to overcome the habit of reaching for a beer, wine or cocktail? Do you stress about social events and there being alcohol available and what you will choose to drink?

Are you feeling more or less: relaxed, irritable, nervous, sensitive to stimulation, etc.

Have people at home or work made any comments about your personality? Are those who know about your choice supportive or not?

Do you feel differently about youself? Do you feel that you are missing out on something you need? Do you feel feel superior to others who continue to drink alcohol?

You get the idea. Give this some thought and share as much as you can. If you are OK with it, please let us know how much alcohol was a part of your diet. Like one drink a day or one drink a week, for example.

Click the "comments" link to read what others have shared or to leave a comment for others to read.

Topic - My body feels different now

2008-05-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

This is a place to share physical changes which you have noticed since you removed alcohol from your diet.

Did you notice an increase in your energy level throughout the day?
Did you fall asleep easier and sleep better?
Did that persistent cough finally go away?
Did muscle aches and arthritis diminish or disappear entirely?
Did your skin's health change?
Did you lose or gain some weight?

You get the idea. Give this some thought and share as much as you can. If you are OK with it, please let us know how much alcohol was a part of your diet. Like one drink a day or one drink a week, for example.

Click the "comments" link to read what others have shared or to leave a comment for others to read.

Topic - Alcohol and the squirts?

2008-05-24T23:20:00.000-07:00

Alcohol And Squirts?

Dear Doctor,

Why is crap so watery and fluid-like after a night of drinking? Bud mud or beer shit. Southern Comfort will really twist up your guts -- sometimes I use almost an entire roll of paper. Should I stop drinking or eat more fiber?
-- Insane Wayne

The answer is relatively straightforward: Alcohol is a toxin, and is toxic to the human body in even moderate amounts.
While we may have a few drinks and not feel anything, our body certainly takes notice of the alcohol. Alcohol is toxic to any area of the body that it touches -- from the point where it comes in contact with the oral cavity and is swallowed, down the esophagus, and into the stomach, alcohol is poisonous to cells and tissues of these parts of the digestive system.
The absorption of alcohol begins in the stomach and continues in the small intestine, where the bulk of the alcohol is absorbed. As the intestinal cells absorb the alcohol, the toxicity causes these cells to lose their ability to absorb water, and some cells even die. The cell injury and death leads to an outpouring of fluid from the intestinal lining, which is in turn poorly absorbed.
The end result is large volume secretory diarrhea. The diarrhea usually lasts for several hours until the alcohol is detoxified and removed from the digestive system.
Diarrhea after the consumption of alcohol is not a universal side effect. Many of us who drink do not have episodes of diarrhea afterwards. Why this occurs in some and not others is most likely related to the sensitivity of our individual digestive systems to alcohol, along with the amount of alcohol consumed. Furthermore, other kinds of food and drink can certainly cause and/or worsen diarrhea that was already caused by alcohol.
Does this mean we should never drink alcohol? No. Alcohol has been shown to have many beneficial effects throughout our bodies. However, I want to emphasize that alcohol is toxic -- it kills millions of people in the world every year, and should be consumed in small amounts with responsibility, moderation, and respect. Even by PoopReporters.
Best wishes,
Dr. Adams
Dr. Adams is a resident in the Department of Internal Medicine at North Shore University Hopsital in Manhasset, NY. Got a question for him?

Click the "comments" link to read what others have shared or to leave a comment for others to read.