Alcohol, Ethanol, and all that Stuff

In my last blog I described that wine is a fermented fruit juice, usually with an alcohol volume less than fifteen percent. I also briefly explained the fermentation process—yeast enzymes transforming sugar into carbon dioxide and alcohol in the absence of air.  

Have you ever wondered why alcohol makes you relaxed, jolly, buzzed, and—if you continue drinking too far—drunk, moan and groan, suffer a hangover, etc? Or what alcohol really is? Intriguing questions, huh? Well, let’s see what we can find out.  

Well, alcohol itself is a big, vast, massive subject (think rhinoceros size), simply because there are many different types of alcohol. You know: rubbing alcohol, drinking alcohol, fuel alcohol, fatty alcohol, etc. We’ll just be covering drinking alcohol here. And another name for drinking alcohol is ethanol, or ethyl alcohol. Yes, the very same ethanol that many cars are running on these days. Go figure.  

Ethanol, by itself, is clear as spring water. However, it is a potent drug. And indeed it is a potentially deadly drug. If only 0.5% is in your bloodstream, you will be more than likely dead. Don’t worry; it takes a lot of conscious effort to get 0.5% ethanol into your bloodstream. One guy did it by downing 17 martinis in a half hour. And then he keeled over dead. Poor guy.  

When you ingest wine, the ethanol (alcohol) in it is not digested like food and most drinks. It goes directly into your bloodstream via the blood vessels connected to your stomach, small intestine, or large intestine. The amount of food you are eating, the amount of alcohol you are drinking, your personal metabolism, size, gender, and height all determine how much the ethanol affects you.

Nonetheless, it affects us all, one way or another.  

The liver does most of the metabolizing of the ethanol. But it usually can’t keep up with what the average person drinks at a social setting. It can only break down the alcohol at a rate of about half an average drink an hour. Thus, many of the body’s systems are affected by the increase in the blood alcohol concentration.  

Ethanol is a depressant. It slows down, relaxes, and eventually can impair the functions of bodily systems. And the nervous system isn’t the only victim. One of the other big effects is the increase in urine activity. Due to this, one’s body becomes dehydrated (which is why it is good reason to drink water with or after alcohol consumption). Also, the blood vessels will grow in size (dilate) causing a warm sensation and flushness on the skin (often the face).  

A number of drinks later, and a headache may be noticed, staggering, slurring of words, and anything else synonymous with the word “drunk.” Then enters a hangover. Still more, and one could be unconscious. And finally—the ultimate—death.  

The bottom line is this: alcohol can be a detrimental to good health, and even deadly. It is a poison if not respected. But, if taken in moderation, it does a soul good. It helps effectuate relaxation, increases forgetfulness (which can be handy if you want to leave the day’s activities in the closet), and influences you to act happier than you usually are, which in turn generates giddiness in those around you. So, here’s to wine—an ethyl alcoholic drink. Cheers.