Christmas and New Year’s Eve are quickly approaching, and for many, that means navigating alcohol-fueled festivities and gatherings.
We are quickly learning that the effects of alcohol on the human body are not good, to say the least. There were 2.6 million deaths attributable to alcohol consumption worldwide in 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This count includes deaths from conditions caused by alcohol — such as heart disease, liver disease and various types of cancer — as well as deaths from consequences of alcohol-related events, such as falls, drownings, traffic accidents and suicide.
This statistic is from before Covid-19, when the stress and isolation of the pandemic resulted in an increase in alcohol use — which has remained high. Perhaps it’s no surprise that many people have become “sober curious,” expanding the popularity of alcohol-free bars, elaborate mocktails, and months dedicated to the pursuit, such as Dry January and Sobriety October.
Whether or not to drink is an individual decision. Personal history, family history, tolerance to short-term physical consequences (loss of control, drunkenness, blackouts, or hangovers), long-term health concerns, and even whether you like the taste of alcohol all play a role.
One reason some people may turn to alcohol is because it is seen as a social lubricant.
“They tell us, ‘I’m funnier,’ ‘I’m less shy,’ ‘I’m more confident,’ ‘I’m more outgoing,’ ‘I flirt more,’” said Jason Kilmer, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Washington, to the chief medical correspondent of CNN Sanjay Gupta, on his “Chasing Life” podcast recently.
But Kilmer, who has studied and worked on preventing alcohol and drug use disorders among college students for two decades, said a groundbreaking experiment, conducted at the University of Washington’s Alcohol Behavioral Research (BAR) Laboratory, showed that it is not It’s true that drinking improves your interactions.
“Alcohol does a lot of things: the impact on reaction time, the impact on motor coordination, the impact on judgment — these are all legitimate pharmacological effects of alcohol,” he said. “But the social or interpersonal things we get from drinking are much more due to our mindset, our expectations, our beliefs, where we are and who we are with, and much less to do with the contents of the glass in our hand.”
For the study experiment, students recruited to the BAR laboratory who were 21 years of age or older (and who signed a consent form) were divided into four groups. Members of one group were told they would receive alcoholic drinks, and they did; Participants in a second group were told they would receive non-alcoholic drinks, and they did.
So far, so good. The twist came with the remaining groups: students in the third group were told they would receive drinks with alcohol but received non-alcoholic drinks, and those in the last group were told they would receive non-alcoholic drinks but received drinks with alcohol.
Study participants given alcohol were given a specific amount of alcohol, based on gender and weight, that would bring them to a blood alcohol level of 0.06 percent, Kilmer said.
“That’s a big dose in one drink; that’s three-quarters of the legal limit,” he said. “It’s enough to keep someone with a positive blood alcohol level for almost four hours after they hit that peak.”
The researchers observed them interacting in the BAR lab for an hour. The results were surprising.
The reaction of participants in the two groups whose beliefs matched what was served was as expected. In the first group, “it looks like a bunch of college students drinking: the volume of the group increases, people interact a lot more,” Kilmer said.
The second group, without alcohol, was more restrained. “It’s a much quieter group, with much less interaction. At best, it looks like a group of students who don’t know each other and have been invited to spend an hour together drinking water,” he explained.
The “groundbreaking discoveries,” Kilmer said, were with the next two groups.
For those who thought they were drinking alcohol and weren’t, the group dynamic seemed quite active, according to Kilmer. “Group volume has increased, people are interacting a lot more, bringing tables together and playing water drinking games,” he said. “Some people report feeling physical effects.”
The fourth group, with people who thought they were drinking non-alcoholic drinks, did not have these social interactions. “They got the alcohol, but none of that cool social stuff happened,” he said. “At 20 minutes: Everyone is sitting around thinking, ‘When is this stupid study going to end?’”
Kilmer said that at 40 minutes, when the physical effects of alcohol begin to appear — alcohol depresses, or slows down, the central nervous system — participants in the fourth group attributed what they were feeling not to drunkenness but to other things, like a bad sleep, being in a very hot room or being clumsy.
As for all the social benefits, “that doesn’t come from alcohol to begin with,” Kilmer said. “It’s probably a lot of fun to be with the people you’re hanging out with, away from work, school or stress.”
Some people may still be reluctant to let go of that giant party glass, beer bottle or wine glass.
See five tips to reduce the harm caused by alcohol
Reduce or refuse alcohol
Drink less, or don’t drink at all.
“Certainly, if someone is trying to avoid any unwanted effects, choosing an alcohol-free option may be the route they choose,” Kilmer said in an email.
If you do decide to drink, he suggests lessening the impact of alcohol by alternating each alcoholic drink with a glass of water. “This will help with both pacing and rehydration,” he noted.
Rehydrating will also decrease your chances of a hangover the next day.
Don’t drink on an empty stomach
The conventional wisdom of eating before or while drinking is correct.
“When we drink on an empty stomach, alcohol is absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream (and can result in a higher blood alcohol concentration),” Kilmer said. “Food will slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.”
So go ahead and order those nachos — in which case, they’re actually good for you!
Count portions, not cups
Keep track of the number of “standard” drinks you consume, not just the number of empty glasses on the table, Kilmer advised.
“A mixed drink with two measured shots of spirits may come in a glass, but it is treated by the body as two standard shots,” he said. “Same with a large glass of wine — this will probably be more than one (standard) pour.”
Bubbles are synonymous with problems
Be aware of the role of effervescence, Kilmer said.
“The bubblier the drink, the quicker it absorbs,” he said. “That’s why people say they feel champagne so quickly.” The same goes for carbonated mixes, he noted. A vodka tonic will take effect faster than a vodka with cranberry juice.
This information may be relevant if you are drinking champagne or another sparkling or carbonated beverage at a holiday event or office party.
Keep your eyes on your drink
Be aware of the role of effervescence, Kilmer said.
“If you’re really trying to reduce risk or harm, don’t accept a drink if you don’t know what’s in it,” Kilmer said, noting that a drink “can represent a much more potent drink” if it contains more than the standard dose of alcohol.
It’s also important not to leave your drink unattended, he said.
“Unfortunately, it is possible for someone to try to put something in someone’s unattended drink,” he said.
Bonus Tips
Kilmer has two other tips worth mentioning.
The first is a reminder about drinking and driving. “Take steps to have a safe transportation plan,” he said, if you plan to drink.
“It is important not to use alcohol and cannabis in such a way that the effects overlap,” he advised. “This causes a drug interaction called ‘potentization’ in which, from the perspective of drug effects, 1 plus 1 is greater than 2.”
This content was originally published in See tips for staying safe if you’re drinking during the holidays on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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