Alcohol

When alcohol is consumed it takes about 5 to 10 minutes to take effect. The length of ‘drunkenness’ is dependent on a number of things, including the amount of alcohol consumed, the speed of consumption, a person’s weight, individual tolerance and mood. It affects the body by depressing the nervous system and is often mistaken for being a stimulant. In moderation alcohol can make people feel relaxed, however drinking too much can lead to feelings of loss of control, short term memory loss, impaired judgement, and in some cases aggression.

It is possible to become physically dependant on alcohol but a user can suffer from withdrawal symptoms if they try to stop drinking. These would include trembling, sweating, anxiety and delirium. Long term chronic alcohol use can cause a number of health problems including liver and heart disease, stomach cancer, raised blood pressure and mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

The recommended daily unit intake for men are 3-4 units and for women 2-3 per day, however a survey by DrinkAware showed that less than a third of adults surveyed knew what the recommended daily guidelines for alcohol were for their own gender. Alcohol is mostly found in a liquid form but has many appearances, uses, strengths and readiness to consume.

Alcohol is the most popular drug in the UK. An NHS survey for England in 2008 found that 71% of men and 56% of women had consumed alcohol at least one day of the week leading up to the interview and 11% of men and 4% of women had drunk everyday in that period. Within the UK several million people consume alcohol excessively.

Consuming alcohol in combination with other depressant drugs such as barbiturates, heroin or methadone for example can be very dangerous.

Concateno can offer a test for alcohol in oral fluid, hair, breath and blood.

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