Alcohol is among the most widely and heavily used drugs. Used moderately, it enhances the quality of life, marking special events and bringing pleasure and sociable relaxation to lives. However, there are also so much untruth associated with alcohol and alcohol use. Some of these fallacious beliefs are cited below.
Myth: Distilled spirits such as vodka, rum, tequila etc. are more harmful than beer and wine.
Truth: The damage caused by alcohol depends on the amount consumed. While wine and beer have lower alcohol content, many people drink them in larger quantities than hard liqour which are imbibed in smaller amounts. In 2007, Stats Canada reported that although Canadians continue to drink more beer than any other alcoholic beverages, beer sales dropped 47%, spirits fell by 25%, while wine consumption increased by 28%.
Myth: Drinking alcohol with raw seafood reduces the risk of hepatitis.
Truth: Although some people have consumed raw contaminated oysters and have not gotten sick as those who were not drinking, people should not rely on alcohol for protection. A study conducted by Liu et al on the bactericidal effect of alcohol shows that the beverage inactivates Vibrio parahaemolyticus - a bacteria found in oysters. They also found that chewing raw oysters, rather than swallowing them whole results in greater inactivation of the bacterium if wine is simultaneously consumed. Their study was published in the 2006 issue of the Journal of Food Protection.
Myth: Alcohol stimulates appetite.
Truth: Non-heavy drinkers find that alcohol stimulates their appetite. However, alcohol has an opposite effect on those who drink excessively. In moderate amounts, alcohol is efficiently metabolized. In heavy drinking, it is poorly metabolized. Heavy drinkers tend to substitute alcohol for food, so they tend to eat poorly and suffer malnutrition.
Myth: Alcohol reduces the risk of heart disease.
Truth: Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower risk for heart disease. However, higher intakes incease the risk for high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, certain types of cancersDrinking Alcohol in Excess Increases Cancer Risk ,accidents, violence, suicide, birth defects, and death. Binge drinking damages the liver, pancreas, brain, and heart. Doctors and health professionals do not recommend alcohol intake to reduce heart disease risk. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (degeneration of the heart muscle) is the result of chronic alcohol consumption. Alcohol has a negative impact on the heart's cellular membrane metabolic function.
Myth: Wine enhances the body's absorption of minerals.
Truth: Wine does increase the body's absorption of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc but ethanol also induces the body to loose these minerals, so no benefit is gained.
Myth: Alcohol is legal and therefore is not a drug.
Truth: Alcohol is a drug - a substance that alters one of more bodily functions. Its use is legal for adults and persons over 21 years of age.
Myth: Alcohol "warms" you up.
Truth: Alcohol diverts blood flow to the skin making you feel warmer, but it actually "cools" the body.
Myth: Beer and wine does not contain much alcohol so they don't contribute to alcoholism.
Truth: Alcoholism is not related to the type of beverage; but the amount and frequency of consumption.
Myth: Mixing different types of drinks will give you a hangover.
Truth: Too much alcohol in any form will give you a hangover.
Myth: Alcohol is a stimulant.
Truth: People believe alcohol is a stimulant because it relieves inhibition, but it actually "depresses" brain activity. It is a depressant-drug.
Myth: Beer is an excellent source of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fluids.
Truth: Beer does contain some carbohydrates, but most of the energy comes from alcohol (7 calories per gram). Whole fresh unprocessed foods contain higher amounts of vitamins and minerals than the meagre amounts in beer, and alcohol is a diuretic. It actually causes the body to lose more fluids.
References
Agarwal DP & Seitz HK Alcohol in Health and Disease , Informa Health Care July 2001
Cornwell V "Socially Acceptable Drugs" and "Biology of Alcohol" Drugs, Alcohol, and Mental Health, Second Edition Cambridge University Press 1993, Chapter 2 p.18, and Chapter 6 pp: 46-49 respectively.
Lock S, Last JM, & Dunea G "Alcohol" The Oxford Illustrated Companion to Medicine" Oxford University Press
2001 pp: 26-29
Heatherington MM et al. "Stimulation of appetite by alcohol" Physiological Behaviour October 2001;74(3):283-289
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