Alcohol

Drinking alcohol is an age-old practise--in fact, archaeological evidence of it's consumption has been discovered from as early as nine thousand years ago. The uses of alcohol can be medicinal and ritual, although mostly it is consumed in social environments as a depressant to lower inhibitions.

The majority of the population are aware of alcohol in its different forms (beers, wines and spirits) that contain varying concentrations of ethanol, which is the active ingredient. But how does it impact our fitness? And how can we minimize the ill-effects and still enjoy our favourite tipple?

We know that the most immediate consequence of over-indulgence in alcohol is the dreaded hangover. A combination of hypoglycemia, dehydration and vitamin deficiency can cause a separate combination of headaches, diaorrhea, fatigue, over-sensitivity to sounds, weakness and elevated body-temperature. Luckily, this is the shortest-term effect of alcohol and can be made shorter by regular water consumption, carbohydrates and rest.

The second concern to drinkers is the calorie content of their drinks. Alcopops have the highest calorie content (pint for pint), followed by wine and liquers, cider, beer, and finally spirits. Strangely enough, spirits also contain the highest concentration of ethanol meaning that smaller amounts need to be consumed to achieve intoxication. Therefore, logic suggests that spirits are a wiser choice for anyone who wishes to drink whilst avoiding weight gain.

The final, and most worrying problem involved with the nation's drug of choice is also the longest lasting. Disease of the liver and addiction are very real possibilities for anyone who over-indulges or begins drinking at a very early age. Some components of alcohol have also been shown to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing). The only advice I can offer to reduce this risk is to curb your intake and do whatever you can not to exceed government guidelines too often. Also, it may prove helpful to opt for more expensive, repeat-filtered spirits that are less likely to contain high doses of impurity.