Nutrition Chapter 7 Quiz

When alcohol consumption overwhelms the liver's capacity to metabolize the compound, all of the following occur except: A. Muscles metabolize the remaining alcohol. B. Loss of alcohol through the liver and lungs. C. Loss of consciousness. D. Reduced supply of oxygen to the brain.

A. Muscles metabolize the remaining alcohol.

Jeremy is partying with his friends on his 25th birthday. Marsha, Jeremy's girlfriend, is consuming alcohol for the first time. Which of the following should Marsha do to minimize the symptoms of a hangover? A. She should prolong the duration between drinks. B. She should consume medicines that contain acetaminophen. C. She should drink more alcohol when she wakes up. D. She should eat heavily after drinking.

A. She should prolong the duration between drinks.

Describe the process of alcohol absorption in the human body.

Alcohol absorption begins in the mouth and esophagus. Although alcohol absorption continues in the stomach, the small intestine efficiently absorbs most of the alcohol a person consumes. About 80 to 95 percent of alcohol is absorbed unchanged. However, some oxidation does take place in the digestive tract, mainly in the stomach, and the breakdown products join any remaining alcohol as it diffuses into the gut cells. These products travel by way of the portal vein directly to the liver, where most alcohol breakdown takes place. When all goes well, two goals are achieved: energy production and protection from the damaging effects of alcohol and its even more toxic breakdown product, acetaldehyde.

How does alcohol impact the brain and the nervous system?

Alcohol diffuses readily into the brain, and because a small amount is absorbed from the mouth directly into circulating blood, its effects can be almost immediate, reaching the brain in as little as one minute after consumption. Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment. Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout—that is, an interval of time for which the intoxicated person cannot recall key details of events, or even entire events.

How does alcohol alter digestion/absorption/breakdown of carbohydrate, fat, and protein?

Alcohol interferes with amino acid absorption, but its overall effect on protein balance appears minimal. It inhibits gluconeogenesis and lowers blood glucose levels, probably contributing to hangovers and, at the most extreme, causing acute, potentially lethal hypoglycemia if a person who drinks heavily neglects to eat. Alcohol's most dramatic effect is on fats. You have seen that alcohol causes fatty liver. On the one hand, excess alcohol has the undesirable effect of raising blood triglyceride levels, often significantly. Hyperlipidemia (high blood fats) is common among heavy drinkers. Abstinence and a balanced diet can usually return blood lipids to normal. On the other hand, moderate alcohol use increases protective high-density lipoproteins (HDL, or "good cholesterol"), an important factor in alcohol's relationship to the reduced risk for coronary artery disease.

Alcoholics are commonly deficient in which minerals and why? (Short Answer)

Alcoholics are commonly deficient in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Alcohol itself does not seem to affect their absorption. Rather, fluid losses and an inadequate diet are the primary culprits.

Alcohol consumption by a pregnant woman can cause: A. Ethanol syndrome. B. Fetal Alchohol Syndrome C. Pregnant alcohol syndrome. D. Down syndrome.

B. Fetal Alchohol Syndrome

The fermentation of ____ produces alcohol and carbon dioxide. A. Protein B. Sugar C. Vinegar D. Fat

B. Sugar

An 80-proof spirit (___ percent alcohol) that contains 25 grams of alcohol per serving has ____ alcohol kilocalories. A. 20; 100 B. 160; 250 C. 40; 175 D. 80; 225

C. 40; 175

Which of the following types of alcohol is considered safe to drink? A. Wood alcohol B. Methanol C. Ethanol D. Methyl alcohol

C. Ethanol

Most of the alcohol consumed by a person: A. Is converted into acetyl CoA by the liver. B. Is digested in the mouth and esophagus. C. Never reaches the small intestine. D. Is absorbed unchanged by the body.

D. Is absorbed unchanged by the body.

An increased risk of bleeding associated with heavy consumption of alcohol is attributed to a depletion of vitamin: A. A. B. E. C. C. D. K.

D. K.

True or False? Women usually have a higher percentage of water than men, resulting in lower ability to process alcohol.

False

_____ often develops when the stomach is exposed repeatedly to alcohol at high concentrations.

Gastritis

Which part of the body is a site for detoxifying alcohol? A. Mouth B. Small intestine C. Liver D. Stomach

Liver

Match the following terms with their definitions. A. heavy drinking B. alcohol abuse C. moderate drinking D. harmful use E. hazardous use Men: up to 2 drinks per day Women: up to 1 drink per day 5 or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days Maladaptive pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress Person at risk for adverse consequences Use resulting in physical or psychological harm

Men: up to 2 drinks per day Women: up to 1 drink per day C. moderate drinking 5 or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days A. heavy drinking Maladaptive pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress B. alcohol abuse Person at risk for adverse consequences E. hazardous use Use resulting in physical or psychological harm D. harmful use

Although low to moderate alcohol consumption could potentially be beneficial, what groups of individuals should not drink any alcohol? Provide at least three groups. (Short Answer)

People who cannot restrict their alcohol intake to moderate levels; (2) Children and adolescents; (3) People taking medications that can interact with alcohol; (4) People who have an alcohol-related illness or another illness that will be worsened by alcohol; (5) People who plan to drive, operate machinery, or take part in other activities that require attention, skill, or coordination; (6) Women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant; (7) Women who are breastfeeding; (8) People with a personal or strong family history of alcoholism.

In the later stages of liver disease, a restriction in the amount of _____ in the diet may slow the progression of the disease.

Protein

True or False? Alcohol dehydrogenase converts alcohol to acetaldehyde.

True

True or False? Alcohol has some properties of both a nutrient and a drug.

True

What are the mechanisms in metabolizing small and large amounts of alcohol?

With small amounts of alcohol, the body uses the alcohol dehydrogenase system (i.e., alcohol → acetaldehyde → acetate → acetyl CoA and fatty acids). When there is a large amount of alcohol, the body resorts to the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system, which is usually used to metabolize drugs and other substances.

Alcohol absorption begins in the mouth and _____.

esophagus