Ethyl alcohol is the intoxicant found in beer, wine and liquor. The fermentation of sugars, starches and yeast produces the alcoholic drinks many of us consume. Alcohol is metabolized in the liver in little amounts; the excess amounts circulate in the bloodstream throughout the entire body.
A standard drink is equivalent to 0.6 oz. of pure alcohol which translates to a 12 oz. beer, 5 oz. of wine, a 1.5 shot of 80-proof liquor or 8 oz. of malt liquor. There is no drink that is "better to drink" than the other as far as the alcohol equivalent.
Excessive drinking for men is defined as more than two drinks per day. Men have higher rates of hospitalizations and deaths due to alcohol . In fatal car accidents, they are are almost twice as likely to have been drinking. Men who consume alcohol are more likely to be at a higher risk for cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver and colon.
Excessive drinking for women is defined as having more than one drink per day. Women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol as several risks have been linked to drinking during pregnancy. Over a lifetime women, even those who moderately drink, have brain shrinkage that can contribute to impaired functioning. Women are also at a slightly higher risk for breast cancer.
The Center for Disease Control states that youth in the United States abuse alcohol more than tobacco or illegal drugs. Underage drinkers drink more drinks during one drinking occasion than adult drinkers. The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed that 45 percent of high school students had drunk some alcohol within the past 30 days and that almost a third reported they rode with a driver who had been drinking.
Surprisingly, the biggest economic losses in the United States due to alcohol abuse are not motor vehicle crashes or healthcare expenditures; productivity losses (absenteeism) have had the biggest impact on the economy. If you suspect that you or a friend may be alcohol dependent, there is help. The National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service is ready to help at 1-800-662-HELP. (1-800-662-4357) You can talk to someone and find treatment programs in your area.