133 lines
5.5 KiB
Plaintext
133 lines
5.5 KiB
Plaintext
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(word processor parameters LM=8, RM=78, TM=2, BM=2)
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Taken from KeelyNet BBS (214) 324-3501
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Sponsored by Vangard Sciences
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PO BOX 1031
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Mesquite, TX 75150
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August 17, 1990
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Alcohol and its Effect on Women
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courtesy of the Double Helix BBS at 212-865-7043
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The following is an abstract from the N.E.J.M. 1/11/90 which might
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be of general help and is of definite interest in defining social
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behavior and in defining the limits of ourselves.
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The article concerns the effects of alcohol and sex factors.
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The abstract is as follows:
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After consuming a comparable amount of ethanol (alcohol), women
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were found to have higher blood ethanol concentrations than men
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even with allowances for differences in size and were found to
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be more susceptible to alcohol induced liver disease.
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Recently we documented significant "first-pass metabolism" of
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ethanol due to its oxidation by gastric tissue.
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We report a study of the possible contribution of this
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metabolism to the sex related difference in blood alcohol
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concentrations in 20 men and 23 women. Six in each group were
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alcoholics.
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Comments:
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What is being noted here (after first being noted in rats) is
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that women do not metabolize alcohol via enzymes which are
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present in their stomachs, or more specifically their stomach
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walls (gastric mucosa) while men do.
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In both men and women this ability decreases with excessive
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consumption, however women have less ability to metabolize
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alcohol in this manner than men, even if they are not regular
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consumers.
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This sex difference is not reported for rats, but the ability
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to significantly metabolize alcohol via the stomach mucosa was
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first noticed in this species.
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In women who are alcoholics stomach metabolism of alcohol was
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virtually abolished.
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The significance of this is that women who consume alcohol
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excessively are more likely to suffer damage, usually to the
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liver, than are men.
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Furthermore, in regard to women who are pregnant, the existence
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of the fetal alcohol syndrome, even in women who consume small
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amounts of alcohol i<> explained.
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It has previously been documented that women who consume
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alcohol during their pregnancy have smaller, less healthw and
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possibly less intelligent babies than does who do not.
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Of course this highlights the fact that without question
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alcohol is the most dangerous drug problem this nation has.
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Other studies on this subject have shown that while cigarette
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smokers pay the public and private health cost of smoking via
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the taxes placed on the product, alcohol consumers do not.
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That is to say that the amount of taxes paid for alcohol does
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not cover the medical cost alcoholic drinkers bring on
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themselves because of their consumption.
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This is despite the fact that one gallon of alcohol, untaxed,
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is costs about $2 while the same gallon, when taxed, costs
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about $20.
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Interestingly, while it has for a long time been common medical
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knowledge that the substance abuse laws are antiquated in
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regard to our documented knowledge of harm caused by the
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substances so listed (marijuana in particular) the list can not
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only be considered stupid but sexist as well.
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I do not mean to encourage the use of anything but women who
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are pregnant must avoid the use of all legal drugs and should
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not be mislead into thinking the legality of a substance has
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anything to do with its potential harm.
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This point is stressed since surveys of drug and alcohol have
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shown a decline of one with the increase of the other.
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During the 60's and 70's when drug consumption of other
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substances increased the rate of alcohol consumption declined.
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More recently the opposite trend has manifested.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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If you have comments or other information relating to such topics as
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this paper covers, please upload to KeelyNet or send to the Vangard
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Sciences address as listed on the first page. Thank you for your
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consideration, interest and support.
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Jerry W. Decker.........Ron Barker...........Chuck Henderson
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Vangard Sciences/KeelyNet
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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If we can be of service, you may contact
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Jerry at (214) 324-8741 or Ron at (214) 484-3189
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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