/Video/How Alcohol Makes You Drunk

How Alcohol Makes You Drunk

Often referred to as alcohol, ethanol is the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages. Its simple structure allows it to penetrate cell membranes and hide in various parts of the body, creating more effects than more complex molecules. So, why exactly do we get drunk, and why does alcohol affect people differently?

The Journey of Alcohol Inside the Body and How It Makes You Drunk

Once alcohol enters the stomach, it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive system, particularly the small intestine. The contents in the stomach affect how quickly alcohol enters the bloodstream. After eating, the pyloric sphincter, which separates the stomach from the small intestine, closes. Therefore, the amount of alcohol absorbed after a meal can be as little as one-quarter compared to drinking on an empty stomach.

From the bloodstream, alcohol travels to various organs, especially those with high blood flow, such as the liver and brain. It first reaches the liver, where enzymes break down alcohol in two steps. First, the enzyme ADH converts alcohol into a toxic compound called acetaldehyde. Then, another enzyme, ALDH, turns acetaldehyde into non-toxic acetate.

As blood circulates, the liver continuously eliminates alcohol. The first pass through the liver determines how much alcohol will reach the brain and other organs. The brain’s sensitivity determines alcohol’s impact on emotions, cognition, and behavior – commonly known as intoxication.

Alcohol enhances the effects of inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA and reduces excitatory neurotransmitters such as glutamate, impairing communication between neurons.

Moderate alcohol consumption relaxes the body, higher amounts induce drowsiness, and excessive intake can disrupt essential brain functions needed for survival. Alcohol also stimulates a small group of neurons extending from the midbrain to the nucleus accumbens, a key region for motivation.

Like other addictive substances, alcohol increases dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens, generating feelings of euphoria. Additionally, alcohol prompts some neurons to synthesize and release endorphins. These endorphins help us stay calm during stress or danger. Elevated endorphins enhance relaxation and euphoria during drinking.

Ultimately, intoxication fades as the liver removes more alcohol than the brain can absorb.

Why Alcohol Affects People Differently?

Differences in this journey influence how intoxicated each person becomes. For instance, a man and a woman of the same weight, consuming the same amount of alcohol with identical meals, can still have different blood alcohol concentrations (BAC).

Women typically have less blood volume and more body fat than men, meaning their muscles require less blood. As a result, the same amount of alcohol leads to a higher concentration in women’s bodies.

Genetic variations in liver enzymes also affect how alcohol is processed. Regular drinking can increase the production of these enzymes, boosting alcohol tolerance.

On the other hand, alcohol addiction can damage the liver, impairing its ability to process alcohol. Genetic differences in dopamine, GABA, and endorphin neurotransmission can also increase the risk of alcohol use disorders.

Individuals with naturally low levels of endorphins or dopamine may self-medicate with alcohol. Some people are more vulnerable to alcohol’s euphoric effects due to endorphin sensitivity, while others have GABA variations that make them especially sensitive to alcohol’s sedative effects, reducing their risk of addiction.

Over time, the brain adapts to frequent drinking by decreasing GABA, dopamine, and endorphins while increasing glutamate activity.

As a result, regular drinkers often experience anxiety, insomnia, and dissatisfaction.

Structural and functional changes in the brain can lead to alcohol dependence, where drinking feels normal but not drinking causes discomfort, creating a vicious cycle.

Both genetics and life experiences shape how the body reacts to alcohol, meaning some people become intoxicated more easily than others. Drinking habits also alter the nervous system and behavior over time.

 

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