Author: Alex Thompson

Alcohol poisoning Symptoms and causes

Your liver detoxifies and removes alcohol from your blood through a process known as oxidation. When your liver finishes that process, alcohol gets turned into water and carbon dioxide. Dr. Sengupta shares some of the not-so-obvious effects that alcohol has on your body. It can be hard to decide if you think someone is drunk enough to need medical help. But it’s best to take action right away rather than be sorry later.

Research indicates that heavy alcohol use can also increase the risk of suicide. This condition can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the number of symptoms you have. Your risk of long-term health effects and death increases considerably as you move through the stages. Overdosing on alcohol is just as dangerous as overdosing on other drugs. How much alcohol can kill you depends on your tolerance to alcohol as well as your gender, age, weight, and any medical conditions you have, such as diabetes or hepatitis. Using certain medications while drinking alcohol can also produce harmful effects.

According to the American Dietary Guidelines, moderate alcohol intake includes two drinks or less in a day for men or one drink or less in a day for women. For women, binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks in the span of 2 hours. Most alcohol poisoning deaths happen between ages 35 and 64. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of 80-proof alcohol constitute one drink. In people assigned female at birth, consuming more than four drinks in one sitting is considered binge drinking. For people assigned male at birth, it’s five or more drinks.

One potential danger of alcohol overdose is choking on one’s own vomit. Alcohol at very high levels can hinder signals in the brain that control automatic responses, such as the gag reflex. With no gag reflex, a person who drinks to the point of passing out is in danger of choking on their vomit and dying from a lack of oxygen (i.e., asphyxiation). Even if the person survives, an alcohol overdose like this can lead to long-lasting brain damage. Teenagers and young adults who drink may be at particular risk for alcohol overdose. Research shows that teens and college-age young adults often engage in binge drinking and high-intensity drinking.

Risk factors

Certain types of alcohol can kill you, by consuming too much of it in a short amount of time, or by continued long term alcohol abuse. Before you drink, you should know how dangerous these beverages are, and how alcohol can potentially be very damaging to your health. People who binge drink or drink heavily may notice more health effects sooner, but alcohol also poses some risks for people who drink in moderation. In Stage 3, the frequent or excessive alcohol user has begun to experience, social, financial, emotional, physical, or workplace consequences of their drinking.

1. This chemical also interferes with the liver’s ability to break down and metabolize fats.
2. A comprehensive 2015 review found that alcohol use is one of the leading contributors to pancreatitis because it causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances.
3. Sunshine Behavioral Health strives to help people who are facing substance abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, or a combination of these conditions.
4. Certain types of alcohol can kill you, by consuming too much of it in a short amount of time, or by continued long term alcohol abuse.
5. Over time, alcohol can cause damage to your central nervous system.

Alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate throughout the body. What tips the balance from drinking that produces impairment to drinking that puts one’s life in jeopardy varies among individuals. Age, sensitivity to alcohol (tolerance), gender, speed of drinking, medications you are taking, and amount of food eaten can all be factors. Celebrating at parties, cheering a favorite sports team, and enjoying get-togethers after work are common ways to relax or be with friends. For some people, these occasions may also include drinking—even binge or high-intensity drinking.

What Parts of the Body Does Alcohol Affect?

For example, you might have more than 12 fluid ounces of beer in your glass, and it might be stronger than 5 percent, in which case it’d take fewer drinks to get you more drunk. With all these factors at play, it’s almost impossible to work out how much alcohol will kill you. Licensed medical professionals review material we publish on our site. The material is not a substitute for qualified medical diagnoses, treatment, or advice. It should not be used to replace the suggestions of your personal physician or other health care professionals.

They crave alcohol, and may even turn to other drugs at this stage. Drinking becomes a compulsion and happens despite the consequences. At this stage, even if someone is told that their drinking is killing them, they are unable to stop on their own.

You may worry about what will happen to you or a friend or family member, especially if underage. But the results of not getting help in time can be far more serious. Every state in the U.S. has a legal limit (or a point at which it is legally unsafe to operate a motor vehicle) of 0.08%. It’s important to note that any amount of alcohol in your system can interfere with your ability to think and function without impairment.

Alcohol-induced mental health conditions

Even small increases in BAC can decrease motor coordination, make a person feel sick, and cloud judgment. This can increase an individual’s risk of being injured from falls or car crashes, experiencing acts of violence, and engaging in unprotected or unintended sex. When BAC reaches high levels, blackouts (gaps in memory), loss of consciousness (passing out), and death can occur. Chronic drinking can affect your heart and lungs, raising your risk of developing heart-related health issues.

But more recent research suggests there’s really no “safe” amount of alcohol since even moderate drinking can negatively impact brain health. The average person would have to consume 25 standard drinks to reach 0.40 percent BAC. Bear in mind that the drink you’re holding might be larger than a standard drink. Generally, once your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is 0.40 percent or over, it’s dangerous territory. He or she might not feel the same effects with their usual amount of alcohol, requiring increased drinks to feel buzzed. As a result, they may feel withdrawal symptoms, such as tremors, sweating, racing heart, irritability, or insomnia, as the alcohol wears off.

Each and every one of these deaths is preventable by not using alcohol. If you are concerned about your alcohol consumption and are thinking “alcohol is killing me,” there is hope. At this stage, drinking is no longer a social activity and instead might be done in isolation.

If necessary, they can refer you to a rehabilitation center to get the drinking under control. Alcohol use and taking opioids or sedative hypnotics, such as sleep and anti-anxiety medications, can increase your risk of an overdose. Examples of these medications include sleep aids, such as zolpidem and eszopiclone, and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and alprazolam. Even drinking alcohol while taking over-the-counter antihistamines can be dangerous. Excessive drinking includes binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21.

If drinking alcohol is taking a toll on your mental health, let your doctor know or talk to a licensed mental health specialist such as a counselor or therapist. Wine—specifically red wine—contains high levels of antioxidants. In low to moderate alcohol consumption, antioxidants may provide some cardiovascular benefits.