A few days ago, we were treated to a video of a young lady gulping down some neat gin from a bottle. Some hours later, another video appeared which showed her passed out due to the consumption of a large amount of alcohol within a short time period.
I really don’t know the backstory of why she agreed to do it but i am guessing that it was part of a bet to see whether she could actually do it. A lot of us have friends or at least know someone who does such stuff so as to prove a point. What many do not know is that this is actually dangerous and could actually lead to death due to what is commonly referred to as binge drinking.
Binge drinking can be described as a pattern of drinking alcohol, typically within a 2-hour period, which brings a person’s Blood alcohol concentration to to 0.08% or higher. Our bodies absorb alcohol at different rates and how quickly a person’s body absorbs alcohol may depend on their sex, age, and body size. However, it typically takes four or more standard drinks for women and five or more standard drinks for men to reach a BAC of 0.08% during a 2-hour binge drinking period.
Here is how our bodies responds to alcohol:
- At 25mg/dL, you start feeling some warmth and happiness.
- 25-40-You become euphoric with a lapse of judgement.
- 50-100-staggering, loss of balance, slurred speech
- 250-alcoholic coma
- 450-death
NB: 0.01g/Litre = 1mg/dl
The liver contains three enzymes that convert alcohol to acetaldehyde at a rate of 20-25 mg/dl, producing water and CO2. When a person consumes 750mls of 40% alcohol (300mls of pure alcohol), the liver’s ability to break it down is overwhelmed.
Diabetes develops when the pancreas loses its ability to produce insulin. Because low blood sugar levels are one of the consequences of alcohol intoxication, clinicians resuscitate patients by administering large doses of glucose via IV. If this is not done quickly, the person will suffer permanent brain damage and die.
Short-term Effects of Binge Drinking
- headache
- nausea and vomiting
- upset stomach and diarrhea
- alcohol poisoning
- loss of coordination and perception
- impaired judgment, which may increase the chance of risky behaviors
- injuries
- violence
Long-term Effects of Binge Drinking
- weakened immune system
- liver diseases including cirrhosis and hepatitis
- cardiovascular problems including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke
- digestive problems
- certain cancers including mouth, throat, esophagus, breast, liver, and colon
- mental health problems, including depression and anxiety
- social problems, such as unemployment and family issues