Alcohol Basics
This is the organ that metabolizes alcohol.
Liver
According to the CDC, binge drinking for men is defined as consuming this number of drinks in about 2 hours.
5
This organ is often damaged by long-term heavy drinking.
Liver
True or False: Drinking coffee can sober you up quickly after drinking.
False
Federal law prevents people under this age from purchasing alcohol.
21 years old
This is the blood alcohol concentration of the body when a person has not had any alcohol.
0%
According to the CDC, heavy drinking for a woman is defined as having this many or more drinks in a week.
8
This social consequence of binge drinking happens when a person is behind the wheel.
Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
This is the most important factor in determining how drunk someone feels.
Amount of ethanol consumed
This term is a person who intentionally avoids drinking alcohol to ensure safe transportation for a group.
Designated Driver
This is the primary type of alcohol found in beverages.
Ethanol
This short-term effect of binge-drinking happens when the brain doesn't form long-term memories.
Memory loss (blackouts)
Binge drinking during adolescence can permanently affect the development of this region of the brain, responsible for decision-making.
Prefrontal cortex
True or false: throwing up after drinking reduces blood alcohol concentration.
False, since most alcohol is already absorbed into the bloodstream before vomiting begins.
This is the average amount of time you should wait to drive for each drink you have had.
1 hour (so if you've had 5 drinks, you should wait 5 hours before driving)
This term represents the percentage of alcohol in a beverage, abbreviated as ABV.
Alcohol by Volume
This condition, often triggered by binge drinking, happens when blood alcohol concentration reaches levels that cause depression of breathing and heart rate.
Alcohol Poisoning
This chronic condition, linked to excessive alcohol use, involves inflammation of the pancreas.
Pancreatitis
This condition is when a person's body has become more resistant to the effects of alcohol, so they don't feel it as strongly—but their judgment and reflexes are still impaired.
Functional tolerance
This is the blood alcohol concentration (a percentage) most US states consider above the legal limit to drive.
0.08%
This enzyme converts ethanol into a toxic compound before further breakdown.
Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Binge-drinking is commonly associated with an increased risk of this acute injury, often seen in emergency rooms due to alcohol-related fights or incidents.
Traumatic Brain Injury (Head Injury)
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, a long-term effect of binge drinking involving memory loss and confusion, is caused by a deficiency in this vitamin.
Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
Contrary to popular belief, this compound in red wine, not alcohol itself, is often responsible for headaches in sensitive individuals.
Histamines (or Sulfites)
The use of this strategy before drinking can slow alcohol absorption and delay intoxication, but does not prevent it.
Eating Food