Report on the Alcohol And Its Effects on health

SUBMITTED BY: SUBMITTED TO:

ASHISH BHANDARI REJAN POKHREL

4TH SEMESTER FOOD AND

BEVERERAGE
ROLL: 13 SERVICE
Acknowledgement
In preparation of my assignment, I had to take the help and guidance of some respected
persons, who deserve my deepest gratitude. As the completion of this assignment gave
me much pleasure, I would like to show my gratitude Mr.Rejan pokhrel, subject teacher
on SASTHM college for giving me a good guidelines for assignment throughout
numerous consultations. I would also like to expand my gratitude to all those who have
directly and indirectly guided me in writing this assignment.

I also thank the SASTHM college for consent to include copyrighted pictures as a part of
my paper.
Many people, especially my classmates have made valuable comment suggestions on
my paper which gave me an inspiration to improve the quality of the assignment
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Alcoholism is a growing medical and public health issue both in adult and younger generation.
It is a multietiological phenomenon influenced by genetic, psychological, cultural and
other factors. Alcoholic beverages have traditionally been prepared from various ingredients
such as grapes, hops, rice, honey, etc. Drinking prevalence has varied and is more pronounced
in women and the youth. Alcoholism is shown to be of neurophysiological etiologic and may
lead to impairment of all human body systems. The most frequent cause of death in alcoholics
are diseases of the cardiovascular system. The problem of alcoholism at workplace is very
important since by affecting health and reducing work productivity it leads to accidents,
injuries and decreased working capacity.
 Contents
 Introduction (1-5) . Alcohol and
benefits(10)
 what is alcohol? . Healthiest Drink (10-12)
 Historical Development . Low Risk Drinking Advice(12-
13)
 Classification . Preventive Measure (13-14)
 Effects of Alcohol (5-10 ) . Conclusion (15)
 Effects Of Alcohol on Body
 Blood and Immune System
 Bones and Muscles
 Brain and Nervous System
 Breast – women
 Heart and Blood Pressure
 Mental Health
 Liver
 Health Effects of Acute
Alcohol Use
 Alcohol Poisoning
 Hangover
 Effects Of Alcohol on People
 Unborn Child
 Children and Families
 Women
 Men
  Young people

What is Alcohol?

Alcohol (ethanol or ethyl alcohol) is the ingredient found in beer, wine and spirits
that causes drunkenness.

Alcohol is formed when yeast ferments (breaks down without oxygen) the sugars in different
food. For example, wine is made from the sugar in grapes, beer from the sugar in malted barley (a
type of grain), cider from the sugar in apples, vodka from the sugar in potatoes, beets or other
plants.

Alcohol is classed as a ‘sedative hypnotic’ drug, which means it acts to depress the central
nervous system at high doses. At lower doses, alcohol can act as a stimulant, inducing feelings of
euphoria and talkativeness, but drinking too much alcohol at one session can lead to drowsiness,
respiratory depression (where breathing becomes slow, shallow or stops entirely), coma or even
death.

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Alcohol as a beverage is as old as the human beings themselves, and the history of wine is as
old as the mankind. Figure 1 shows the ancient God of wine Bacchus by the Italian baroque
painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.
Figure 1. Ancient God of wine Bacchus by Italian baroque painter Michelangelo Merisi da
Caravaggio, c. 1597.

Prehistorical man knew exactly how to make wine, and the paleontologists have found fossils
that most probably are residues of wine or pressed grapes . Chemical analyses of 9000-year-old
utensils have confirmed that they contained fermented mixtures of rice, fruits (grapes or
hawthorn berries), and honey. Analysis of utensils from the Neolithic period (7000-6600 B.C.) in
China, in the province of Jiahu and Henan, has revealed the residues of rice wine ingredients.
Figure 2 shows a black-figured wine amphora (wine jar) from Greece by Exekias about 540-530
B.C.

Figure 2. Black-figured amphora (wine jar) signed by Exekias, made in Athens, Greece, about
540530 B.C.

Neolithic tribes drank wine made of broad beans in 6400 B.C. Wine production started in
China in 3000 B.C. One of the best known wines of the pharaonic age was Kankomet, drank at
the times of Ramses III (1998-1167 B.C. Archaeologists argue that hop beer was produced in
the Middle East in 7000 B.C. Grain had been fermented and used for production of beer 2000
years before it was used for making bread. Babylonians were producing beer from barley and
wheat malt as early as 7000 B.C. In the old times, beer was called hqt, and the Greeks called it
zythus. It was seen as an important Egyptian drink for the rich and the poor, so it was often
placed in the tombs.

Alcohol production of wine and beer is obtained from fermentation of grapes, fruits, grain,
hop, honey, and other herbal substances that could be found in all parts of the world. The
discovery of the distillation process in the 12 th century opened the way to the production of
drinks with a high concentration of alcohol, i.e. the spirits. The concentration of alcohol,
especially of ethyl alcohol, varies, e.g., beer usually contains around 5%, wine 12%-15% and
spirits usually around 45% of alcohol.
Classification of Alcohol/Alcoholic Beverages

BEER– Beer is defined as a fermented, alcoholic beverage made from barley, wheat, rice etc. &
flavoured with hops.

SAKE– Sake is an ancient fermented beverage known to have been made since about the third
century A.D in china. But it was not until about 600 years ago that sake, as we know it today
was produced. Sake is produced in Japan, part of Chine other Asian countries & Hawaii,
California.

GIN– Gin is a flavoured alcoholic beverage, which produced by re-distilling high proof spirit with
Juniper berries and other flavouring agent.

VODKA– Vodka is a neutral spirit made from the fermentation and distillation grain mash than
rectified. It has no flavour, aroma, colour etc.

TEQUILA– Tequila is fermented & distilled alcoholic beverage made from the blue agave plant
and produced in specific geographic area of Mexico known as Tequila, which is within the state
of Jalisco (about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara) and parts of the states of Michoacan and
Nayarit. If produced outside these geographical limits, it is called mescal (By government
decree 9dec, 1974). Tequila has become synonymous with the culture and heritage of Mexico.
RUM– Rum is an alcoholic beverage distilled from the fermented by-products of sugar cane i.e.
molasses.

BRANDY– Brandy is a spirit made by fermenting and distillation fruits juice. When made from
fruits other than grapes the word brandy is linked with the name of the fruit. When the label
reads brandy alone without any qualifying description it should be understood that it is made
from grapes. Brandy in fact has been characterized as the soul of wine. The word brandy has
originated from the Dutch word “BRANDWIJN” meaning burnt wine which eventually got
shortened to brandy.

COGNAC- Cognac is defined as the brandy produced from the Charante and Charante Maritime
department of the West Central France comprising roughly an area of 2,50,000 acres enclosing
the city of Cognac squarely in between which lends its name to the brandy produced in this
region. So from the above-mentioned definition, it can very well be understood that all Cognacs
are brandy but not all the brandies are Cognac. It war delimited by law in the year 1909.

EAUX DE VIE– An eaux de vie is a clear, colourless fruit brandy that is produced by means of
fermentation and double distillation. The fruit flavour is typically very light.

CALVADOS– it is an apple brandy. Calvados is produced in the region of Calvados in Normandy,

France. The apples grown in the region are carefully picked, ripened and crushed to extract the
juice is fermented then distilled twice to become calvados. Calvados is aged in oak casks for
years, before being bottled and sold.

WHISKEY- Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented
grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and
wheat.

CURAÇAO– It is a liqueur flavoured with the dried peel of the Laraha citrus fruit, grown on the
island of Curaçao.

CIDER– Cider, hard apple cider, or hard cider in the US, is an alcoholic beverage made from the
fermented juice of apples. Cider is popular in the United Kingdom, especially in the West
Country, and widely available. The juice of any variety of apple can be used to make cider, but
cider apples are best.

TIA MARIA– Tia Maria is a dark liqueur made originally in Jamaica using Jamaican coffee beans.
The main flavour ingredients are coffee beans, Jamaican rum, vanilla, and sugar, blended to an
alcoholic content of 20%.

PERRY– Perry is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, similar to the way cider is
made from apples. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in the Three
 Counties (Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire); it is also made in parts of South
Wales and France, especially Normandy and Anjou.

APPLEJACK– Applejack is a strong apple-flavoured alcoholic drink produced from apples,

popular in the American colonial period. The name derives from “jacking”, a term for
“increasing” (alcohol content) and specifically for “freeze distilling”, the traditional method of
producing the drink.

WINE– Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from grapes, generally Vitis vinifera, fermented
without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, water, or other nutrients. Yeast consumes the
sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Effects of alcohol
Alcohol affects everyone. How it affects you depends on how much you drink, your health, your age
and other factors. Drinking too much can lead to harmful short-term and long-term effects. It can
affect your physical and mental health, your job, your finances, your family and your community.

Body effects

Alcohol affects your body in a number of ways and can impact on your short and long term
health. Watch the videos about alcohol and its impact on the heart, liver, weight gain, erectile
dysfunction and mental health below for more information.

The more you drink, the greater the chance of developing alcohol-related problems. You can keep your
risk low by drinking within the UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) low risk drinking guidelines by not
regularly drinking more than 14 units a week. Drinking above the guidelines increases your risk of a wide
range of serious health conditions including, heart and liver disease and seven types of cancer. 

Effects on Blood

Alcohol can thin your blood, because it prevents blood cells from sticking together and
forming clots. This may lower your risk for the type of strokes caused by blockages in
blood vessels. Yet because of this effect, drinking alcohol could potentially increase
your risk for the bleeding type of strokes — especially when you drink it in large
quantities Trusted Source. For men, this means more than two drinks a day. For
women, this is more than one drink a day. Alcohol use — especially in excess — can
also pose other risks to your health.

Bones and muscles

Alcohol use causes many different types of injuries, including injuries from road traffic
accidents, assaults and falls. This is usually because high levels of blood alcohol impair the
brain’s thought processes and the coordination of muscles, causing clumsiness and difficulty
walking. Common injuries seen at the emergency department include cuts, bruises, sprains and
broken bones. The risk of injury in the six hours after drinking doubles with four standard drinks
and increases rapidly the more alcohol is drunk on a single occasion.

chronic heavy alcohol use interferes with the absorption of calcium and bone formation and
can actually lead to osteoporosis. Chronic heavy use is also associated with a painful condition
where bone tissue dies , gout (a type of arthritis or inflammation of the joints, often affecting
the joint of the big toe), and muscle wasting and weakness.

Brain and nervous system

Being drunk impairs judgment, inhibitions and concentration and in increasing amounts leads
to drowsiness and coma.4 The loss of memory for a period of drunkenness (alcoholic blackout)
can occur in occasional as well as regular heavy drinkers and is due to alcohol interfering with
the laying down of memories.

Chronic heavy alcohol use can damage the brain and nerves in a variety of ways. Some damage
to the brain, from mild to severe, occurs in around half of chronic heavy alcohol drinkers. This
may be a result of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency (secondary to alcohol use, either because of
poor diet or because alcohol reduces the absorption of thiamine from the gut and interferes
with how thiamine is used in the body).

Breast-women
Long-term alcohol use increases the risk of breast cancer, with higher use resulting in a higher
risk of cancer. A significantly elevated risk is seen from having even one or two drinks of alcohol
a day. The risk increases on average by about 10% for every one standard drink of alcohol per
day.

Heart and Blood Pressure

The evidence for the affect of alcohol on the heart is mixed.
There is an opinion that light to moderate alcohol use (up to one standard drink per day for women and
up to two standard drinks per day for men) can, in older age groups, reduce the risk of developing and
dying from coronary artery disease (narrowing and blockage of the arteries supplying blood to the heart
resulting from the build up of fatty deposits inside the walls of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which can
cause angina and heart attacks). This appears to be because small quantities of alcohol alter the lipids
and clotting factors in the blood to make them protective against heart disease.
Heavy chronic alcohol use is also linked to high blood pressure, particularly in men Blood
pressure increases with drinking more than two or three drinks a day on average and
restriction of alcohol lowers the blood pressure.

Mental health
Many people use low doses of alcohol for relaxation and to relieve tension, nervousness and
stress. However, in some people alcohol creates rather than reduces stress through stimulating
stress hormones. Alcohol affects mood in a variety of ways and can make people feel happy,
sad or aggressive and can also cause mood swings. However, there is a risk of becoming
dependent on alcohol if it is used as a primary means to relieve stress and anxiety without
addressing the underlying causes. Because it removes inhibitions and increases aggression and
recklessness, alcohol is often found in the blood of people who self-harm, or attempt or
complete suicide.
Alcohol is addictive and can lead to dependency. This is where the body requires more alcohol
to achieve the desired effect (e.g., altered mood), where use of alcohol interferes with a
person’s life (causing legal, work/study, relationship or social problems), where a person
continues to use alcohol despite it causing physical or mental problems and where, if alcohol is
not taken, withdrawal symptoms occur.

Liver
Chronic heavy alcohol use can damage the liver, causing alcoholic liver disease. This occurs
across a spectrum from fatty liver, to acute alcoholic hepatitis, to cirrhosis.

Fatty liver, where fat builds up in the liver cells, is very common in heavy drinkers and is
reversible if drinking is reduced. However, a small percentage of people with fatty liver will
develop alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Effects of alcohol on people

Unborn Child
Drinking alcohol at any stage during pregnancy can affect the development of the unborn
baby (the fetus) as alcohol passes through the placenta from the blood of the mother to the
fetus. The most extreme consequence of alcohol affecting the fetus is a miscarriage or
stillbirth. In other cases, the baby can be born with significant permanent effects. The range
of effects on a child caused by alcohol is called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). These
effects include premature birth, restricted growth, birth defects, brain damage,
developmental delay and social, emotional, behavioural and mental deficits. In an older child,
this can manifest as low IQ, poor social skills, inattention and problems with aggressive and
impulsive behaviour.
As there is no known safe level for using alcohol during any stage of pregnancy, it is advised
that any woman who is pregnant or wishing to get pregnant should not drink alcohol. Alcohol is
also best avoided while breastfeeding, as alcohol can pass through the milk to the baby and
affect development.

Children and families

Children in families where an adult abuses alcohol or drinks heavily are known to be vulnerable
to a variety of negative effects. As well as the risk of being affected by FASD, these children,
compared with children in families without a parent or caregiver who drinks heavily, are at
higher risk of injury, poisoning and hospitalisation, eating disorders (for females), depression
and anxiety, conduct disorders, aggression, attention deficit/hyperactivity, lower educational
achievement and heavy alcohol use in adolescence. Some of the reasons for these negative
effects include higher rates of conflict between parents, greater absence of parents, violence
against children, higher stress and economic deprivation and less parental supervision.

Alcohol, especially when drunk in large amounts, can also contribute to domestic violence. It
seems to do this by increasing aggressiveness, particularly in people already feeling hostile
towards their partners, although whether alcohol leads to violence depends on personality,
cultural and situational factors. Alcohol abuse has featured in a significant number of homicides
involving couples and children in Nepal.

Women
Women have higher blood alcohol levels after drinking the same amount of alcohol as men,
so can get drunk faster and can suffer the toxic and lethal effects of alcohol poisoning at a
lower dose. This is because women on average:

• are smaller than men so have less fluid in their bodies to distribute alcohol around (having a
higher fat to water ratio)
• probably have less of the enzyme needed to break down alcohol in the liver.

Women who drink alcohol are at increased risk of developing breast cancer and drinking while
pregnant increases the risk of harm to the unborn baby.

Men

Patterns of alcohol use differ between men and women in Nepal, with men still being more
likely to drink compared with women. Among drinkers, men are more likely to drink daily or
several times a week, drink heavily on a single occasion and drink heavily more often. Men are
at higher risk of experiencing harm from their own drinking and physical assault related to
alcohol and experience more deaths from alcohol-related causes.
Young people
Children and young adults are more vulnerable to negative impacts of alcohol on memory and
learning, as the brain is still developing up until the 20s.

Young people up to the age of 25 years are at a higher risk of harm from alcohol use than older
adults. This is because young adults have the greatest risk of injury and accidents related to
alcohol use, an increased risk of alcohol dependence and a lower tolerance to alcohol than
older adults. Other harms that affect young people more than adults include unprotected and
unwanted sex, assault, arrests and harmful effects on social life, finances or work/study.

Alcohol and Benefits

Moderate drinking can be healthy—but not for everyone. You must weigh the risks and
benefits.

Throughout the 10,000 or so years that humans have been drinking fermented beverages,
they’ve also been arguing about their merits and demerits. The debate still simmers today, with
a lively back-and-forth over whether alcohol is good for you or bad for you. It’s safe to say that
alcohol is both a tonic and a poison. The difference lies mostly in the dose. Moderate drinking
seems to be good for the heart and circulatory system, and probably protects against type 2
diabetes and gallstones. Heavy drinking is a major cause of preventable death in most
countries.

More than 100 prospective studies show an inverse association between light to moderate
drinking and risk of heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, sudden cardiac death, and
death from all cardiovascular causes. The effect is fairly consistent, corresponding to a 25-40%
reduction in risk. However, increasing alcohol intake to more than 4 drinks a day can increase
the risk of hypertension, abnormal heart rhythms, stroke, heart attack, and death.
Healthy drinking

Many people who value a healthy lifestyle will tend to ‘drink smart’ during part season.

All too often though, cosy evenings in are accompanied by a ‘relaxing’ glass of wine and social
nights out wouldn’t be complete without indulging in cocktails, wine with the meal and perhaps
a nightcap to finish.

Some healthy drinks

Wine

Although originating from fruit, much of the sugar has been converted to alcohol during the
fermentation process. With less sugar than beer and far less sugar than flavoured ready-made
alcoholic bottled drinks, wine is a much better choice.

Red wine, with its dark red colour contains the antioxidant resveratrol. However, whilst
this often justifies the consumption of red wine, bear in mind that you would need to consume
a very significant amount to provide the antioxidant benefit associated with improved heart
health.

Champagne

Champagne is a sparkling white wine and can have fewer calories than a glass of white wine (or
beer). Although it does contain antioxidants, these are limited and of little nutritive value.

A Champagne cocktail, by combining a more dry Champagne with orange or grapefruit

juice will provide a little vitamin C and will also allow you to drink less alcohol for the same size
drink.

Guinness

This traditional Irish drink has gained a reputation as a healthy choice. Indeed it does have
some nutritional benefit, containing antioxidants, B vitamins and soluble fibre. Despite its
thickness, it is lower in calories than you would imagine, in comparison to some other choices,
including lagers.

However, along with these limited nutritional benefits, you will also be consuming alcohol.
Bloody Mary

Containing vodka and tomato juice combined with Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and salt, this
is a low calorie drink that even has some nutritive value. A good quality tomato juice will
provide some antioxidants, mainly lycopene as well as vitamin C and potassium.

Adding in more vegetables will provide even more nutrients and fibre. Be careful to ensure you
are opting for a fresh tomato juice rather than a pre-made mix.

Low risk Alcohol drinking advice.

Low risk is not, however, no risk. Even when drinking within the low-risk limits, a range of
factors can affect your level of risk, including rate of drinking, your body type or genetic
makeup, your gender, existing health problems and your age.

Advice for adults

Reduce your long-term health risks by drinking no more than:

 two standard drinks a day for women and no more than 10 standard drinks a week
 three standard drinks a day for men and no more than 15 standard drinks a week.

 AND at least two alcohol-free days every week.

 Reduce your risk of injury on a single occasion of drinking by drinking no more
than:

 four standard drinks for women on any single occasion

 five standard drinks for men on any single occasion.

Stop drinking alcohol if you could be pregnant, are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

There is no known safe level of alcohol use at any stage of pregnancy.

When not to drink

It’s advisable not to drink if you:
 are pregnant or planning to get pregnant
 are on medication that interacts with alcohol
 have a condition that could be made worse by drinking alcohol
 feel unwell, depressed, tired or cold, as alcohol could make things worse
 are about to operate machinery or a vehicle or do anything that is risky or requires
skill.
 If you are not sure or are concerned, check with your doctor.
  Advice for parents of children and young people under 18 years
 For children and young people under 18 years, not drinking alcohol is the
safest option.
 Those under 15 years of age are at the greatest risk of harm from drinking alcohol
and not drinking in this age group is especially important.
 For young people aged 15 to 17 years, the safest option is to delay drinking for as
long as possible.

If 15 to 17 year olds do drink alcohol, they should be supervised, drink infrequently and drink at
levels usually below and never exceeding the adult daily limits.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Alcohol prevention is one of the most effective ways to reduce alcohol-related costs and
harm. Alcohol abuse is responsible for claiming the lives of tens of thousands of lives every
year and causing painful health risks like liver damage, threats to one’s wellbeing,
withdrawal symptoms, and dysfunctional relationships. For younger individuals, alcohol
prevention can reduce the likelihood of developing substance use disorders as they age.

Currently, alcohol abuse is responsible for costing Americans hundreds of billions of dollars
annually. Although alcohol use cannot be completely stopped, there are several ways to
temper alcohol use. For example, increased taxes are preset to discourage excessive alcohol
use.

Alcohol prevention can function to prevent generational alcoholism, prevent developmental

problems in newborn babies, and save billions of dollars annually. Perhaps most
importantly, it could save lives of family members.

Alcohol prevention has many other benefits. For example, alcohol prevention:

 Reduces risk of personal and societal harm.

 Reduces risk of premature death and disability.
 Reduces lost or reduced productivity in the workforce.
 Reduces risk of individuals abusing alcohol or developing an alcohol use disorder.
 Reduces the risk of a number of diseases, mental and behavioral disorders, and a
range of injuries that are contributed to heavy alcohol use.
 Reduces the overall amount of costs of alcohol related problems by the United
States government.

There are interventions used for alcohol prevention, especially in the school systems.
Engaging communities to prevent underage drinking is also key in alcohol prevention. It is
suggested to research the many evidence-based approaches for preventing harmful alcohol
use. Prevention efforts are especially important for young people, a group at particular high
risk for the consequences of alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

At the end of the day, the effects of alcohol range from a positive impact on your wellbeing to a
health catastrophe.

Drinking small amounts — especially of red wine — is linked to various health benefits.

On the other hand, alcohol abuse and alcohol addiction are linked to severe negative effects on
both physical and mental health.

If you enjoy alcohol and don’t binge, there is no compelling reason to avoid it. Just keep in mind
that your cancer risk may increase — regardless of how much you are drinking. However, if you
tend to drink excessively or notice that alcohol causes problems in your life, you should avoid it
as much as POSSIBLE. Because alcohol impact depends entirely on the individual, it’s good for
some and disastrous for others.
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