Little Known Facts About Alcohol 

Alcohol Absorption 

Following drinking, alcohol gets absorbed into the blood stream and makes its way through the body. How quickly this happens may be dependent upon several factors.

Women tend to absorb alcohol more quickly than men.

Interestingly, a person that is muscular may feel the effects of alcohol less than a person with more body fat. This is because muscles tend to absorb the alcohol more effectively, which hinders it from getting to the brain.

Some people think that the body absorbs mixed drinks faster than straight shots of liqueur, however, this may not be true. A drink is a drink no matter what’s in it, and if alcohol is consumed the Breathalyzer test doesn’t discriminate. 

Underage Drinking 

Sorry mom and dad, but chances are that your teenager has been intoxicated at least once. High schoolers don’t know how to drink in moderation. In fact, while teens may drink less frequently than adults, they more frequently binge drink. Binge drinking is done when the person consumes 5 or more drinks in a short period of time.

It is estimated that nearly 35 percent of teens binge drink. By the time they are seniors 80 percent of all high schoolers have been drunk. What’s even scarier is that teens that drink often put themselves in risky situations such as drunk driving, promiscuous behavior, unprotected sex and other substance use. 

Alcohol Is Not a Stimulant 

Alcohol is a depressant. People think that alcohol is a stimulant because it may promote uninhibited behaviors, but this is because of its depressant effects. Alcohol depresses your ability to use judgment, impairs your response time and decreases your ability to use self-control. The first area of the body that alcohol affects is the parts of the brain that are responsible for these functions. It is the lack of control of these functions that causes a person to feel stimulated and uninhibited. 

Hangover Cures 

Anyone who has been drinking has heard any number of crazy tricks to get rid of a hangover. Many of them strange; for example the ancient romans ate deep fried canaries!  You’ve been told to eat, to get some air, to sleep, to stay awake, to drink coffee, to drink again; the truth is that nothing seems to work to get rid of that awful feeling. The only surefire cure for a hangover is time. Only time can sober you up and make you feel like yourself again. Alcohol needs to be oxidized by the body, then and only then will its effects be gone. There is no way to speed up this process. 

Just For Fun 

There is no doubt that the effects of alcohol are real and scary and for some, can cause death. But there are also some fun facts about alcohol that may surprise you.

One ounce of alcohol has the same calorie count as a glass of milk.

Americans drink an average of 15 million gallons of beer every day. Beer contains nutrients that are rich in B vitamins.

Vodka is the world’s most used alcoholic beverage. Vodka is a good cure for a jellyfish sting.

There are over 500 varieties of single malt whiskey.

Just one acre of grapevines can produce up to 800 gallons of wine. 

Sure, there are many fun and interesting facts about alcohol, but the sobering truth is that alcohol is a potentially deadly substance when not used responsibly. It’s fine to enjoy some drinks in moderation, but if you find yourself drinking frequently, binge drinking or if you find that alcohol is interfering with your everyday life, seek treatment.