Alcohol Facts

What is Alcohol?

The main active ingredient in alcohol is ethanol, which results from the fermentation of sugar by yeast.
The vast majority of alcohol for consumption is readily available in the form of beverages, and is easily accessible.

When you drink, alcohol quickly enters the bloodstream spreading all over the body. It affects the brain making you relax and lose your inhibitions.
Alcohol influences the central nervous system, which controls many of your body’s other functions – senses, speech and sense of pain.
Alcohol has a diuretic effect, your body gets rid of more liquid than it takes in, so you’ll become dehydrated.

High levels of alcohol consumption can damage organs of the body, as well as causing psychological harm. It has been linked to a wide range of illnesses, such as the increased risk of cancers, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal complications and liver disease.
Excessive alcohol consumption can also have detrimental social and psychological consequences. Alcohol is a mood altering substance which can lead to loss of control, aggressive behaviour and causes harm and distress to families and others.
Alcohol suppresses pain which is part of the problem, because it can suppress awkward feelings and also produce feelings of well-being and confidence.
One unit of alcohol is roughly equivalent to half a pint of normal strength beer, or a small glass of wine, or one pub measure of spirits.

The Office for National Statistics says the number of alcohol-related deaths each year in the UK more than doubled between 1991 and 2005
About 40 per cent of all A&E admissions are alcohol-related.

Regular consumption of 3 to 4 units a day by men of all ages equals a low level of risk to your health.
Consistently drinking more than 4 units a day is not advised.
Any health benefit from drinking applies only to men over 40. Drinking one or two units a day will offer some protection against heart disease.

Regular consumption of 2 to 3 units a day by women of all ages equals a low level of risk to your health.
Consistently drinking more than 3 units a day is not advised.
Any health benefit from drinking applies only to women who have been through the menopause. Drinking one or two units a day will offer some protection against heart disease.
Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should not drink more than 2 units of alcohol, once or twice a week.

In the UK it has been found there is an overall rate of alcohol dependence of 4.7% or 47 per 1000 people aged 16-64.
The cost of alcohol misuse to the health service to be £1.7bn per annum.
Annual expenditure of £95m on specialist alcohol treatment.
Over 30,000 hospital admissions annually for alcohol dependence syndrome.
Up to 22,000 premature deaths per annum.
Up to 70% of all admissions to accident and emergency (A&E).
A rising trend in deaths from chronic liver disease, with most cases most probably being caused by high levels of alcohol consumption.

Eight causes of death known or believed to be related to alcohol are:

Cirrhosis
Cancer of the Oral Cavity
Cancer of the Pharynx
Cancer of the Oesophogus
Cancer of the Liver
Cancer of the Larynx
Falls on stairs
Other “alcohol-related diseases”, a single category which includes alcohol dependence syndrome, nondependent use of alcohol, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, alcoholic liver damage and accidental poisoning by alcohol.

The human and emotional impact suffered by victims of alcohol-related crime is calculated to be £4.7bn per annum.
Between 780,000 and 1.3m children are affected by parental alcohol problems.
Marriages where there are alcohol problems are twice as likely to end in divorce.
In addition, up to half of rough sleepers have problems with alcohol.
Alcohol misuse can seriously damage families and communities, and its effects are also felt more widely across society.
As taxpayers, we pay for the costs of alcohol-related crime and health problems.
As citizens, we are affected by the visible effects of alcohol misuse on our streets.

Binge drinking can be defined as drinking twice (or more) the recommended daily intake of alcohol in one go.
Binge-drinkers are at increased risk of accidents and alcohol poisoning.
Men in particular are more likely both to be a victim of violence and to commit violent offences.
There can also be a greater risk of sexual assault.
The impacts on society are visible in, for example, high levels of attendance at A&E related to alcohol.
5.9 million people have drunk more than twice the daily guidelines in the past week.

Before or during driving
Before swimming
Generally, before or during active sport
Before using machinery, electrical equipment, ladders etc.
Before working or in the workplace
When taking medication where alcohol is contra-indicated – check with your doctor or pharmacist.