Eric Hrycko Ethan Longstreet

Biological Mechanism Behind

Alcohol Processing
How is alcohol processed in the body?

 When alcohol is consumed, it goes to

the stomach and intestines and is
processed into the blood.
 Alcohol is then is then broken down
into other chemicals by enzymes.
 Through a process known as
oxidation, alcohol is detoxified and
removed from your blood. This
prevents alcohol from building up and
destroying cells and organs.
How is alcohol processed in the body?
Cont…
 Until all the consumed alcohol
has been metabolized through
oxidation, it is cycled throughout
the body affecting the brain and
other organs.

 The enzyme known as

cytochrome metabolizes alcohol
in the liver also.
Time it Takes to Process Alcohol

 The liver can only metabolize a

specific amount of alcohol an
hour.

 Alcohol is metabolized a lot

more slowly then it is
absorbed.

 Factors that can affect

absorption are food in the
stomach, gender, heredity.
 What causes a Hangover?
 When alcohol enters the bloodstream it
causes the pituitary gland to block the
creation of Vasopressin.
 With this chemical absent the kidneys send
water directly to the bladder instead of
cycling it through the body.
 When a person wakes up they have a
headache. This is caused by dehydration of
the brain because organs try to make up for
water loss by stealing water from the brain.
 This causes the brain to decrease in size
and pulls on the membranes resulting in
pain.
 References
 "Alcohol Metabolism: An Update." NIAAA Publications. July
2007. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
<http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa72/aa72.htm>.
 "Alcohol Metabolism." Alcohol Metabolism Effects. Web. 17
Feb. 2011.
<http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/642alcoholme
t.html>.
 "What Causes Hangover?" HAMS--Alcohol Harm Reduction
Support. Web. 17 Feb. 2011.
<http://hamsnetwork.org/hangover/>.