Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: neilep on 27/12/2007 16:13:27

Title: Why Does Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Post by: neilep on 27/12/2007 16:13:27
Dearest Alcohol Imbibers !!


See this concoction of alcohol ?

 [ Invalid Attachment ]


Nice eh ?....well..I wouldn;t know as I'm strictly tea total !!

But, i want to know this ...alcohol is a liquid yes?...so why does it dehydrate ewe  ?

I just don't know !...it does not seem to correlate !!


*le sigh*..I realise I'm just a sheep but this answer evades me !!
Can ewe help ?





Title: Re: Why Does Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Post by: Karen W. on 27/12/2007 16:28:26
Alcohol evaporates quickly eh?? So really you are drinking but also what you are drinking is really not hydrating because the majority is alcohol and evaporates quickly along with the fact that it makes you urinate a lot depleting more of your liquid! It actually dehydrating you instead..as you said. Its almost as if it speeds up the speed at which you redeposit your water and alcohol back into the loo. But you don't just lose alcohol you loose any water or liquid from your water reserves so to speak.. along with potassium and other valuable nutrients.

Hey all your labels are turned backwards!! LOL No Fair Frank....hee hee hee!
Title: Re: Why Does Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Post by: that mad man on 27/12/2007 17:19:07
I think Karen W may be right about the frequent urinating thing.

I was told that as well and that is one of the main reasons you should not consume alcohol while taking medicines. Its not the alcohol mixing with the medicine that's the main problem but the frequent urinating it causes. Antibiotics etc will have less effect as they will be washed out of the system quicker.




Title: Re: Why Does Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Post by: iko on 27/12/2007 17:25:54
Hi friendos!

It's a neuro-hormonal mechanism, if my memory is right...
Inhibition of Vasopressin production to be more precise:

...
Biology of a Hangover: Vasopressin Inhibition
When alcohol is consumed, it enters the bloodstream and causes the pituitary gland in the brain to block the creation of vasopressin (also known as the antidiuretic hormone). Without this chemical, the kidneys send water directly to the bladder instead of reabsorbing it into the body. This is why drinkers have to make frequent trips to the bathroom after urinating for the first time after drinking.
According to studies, drinking about 250 milliliters of an alcoholic beverage causes the body to expel 800 to 1,000 milliliters of water; that's four times as much liquid lost as gained. This diuretic effect decreases as the alcohol in the bloodstream decreases, but the aftereffects help create a hangover.
...
more from:    http://health.howstuffworks.com/hangover2.htm


(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.dallasobserver.com%2Funfairpark%2Fhangover.gif&hash=22a817122cd5060f3b3ba0745ba721d7)  (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fopenwetware.org%2Fimages%2Fb%2Fbc%2FPituitary_brain.jpg&hash=f2a51a402e336bd6351c7991c731a367)
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/hangover.gif
http://openwetware.org/images/b/bc/Pituitary_brain.jpg

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2007/10/wherein_i_become_a_shill_for_a.php
Title: Re: Why Does Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Post by: neilep on 27/12/2007 17:44:34
Quote from: Karen W. on 27/12/2007 16:28:26
Alcohol evaporates quickly eh?? So really you are drinking but also what you are drinking is really not hydrating because the majority is alcohol and evaporates quickly along with the fact that it makes you urinate a lot depleting more of your liquid! It actually dehydrating you instead..as you said. Its almost as if it speeds up the speed at which you redeposit your water and alcohol back into the loo. But you don't just lose alcohol you loose any water or liquid from your water reserves so to speak.. along with potassium and other valuable nutrients.

Hey all your labels are turned backwards!! LOL No Fair Frank....hee hee hee!

THANK EWE KAREN.

Yes, I am sure ewe are right....yes...this all seems right about many visits to the loo and the evaporation..

EXCELLENT !!

THANKS for your kind response. Yes...sorry that the labels are reversed !!..
Title: Re: Why Does Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Post by: neilep on 27/12/2007 17:48:14
Quote from: iko on 27/12/2007 17:25:54
Hi friendos!

It's a neuro-hormonal mechanism, if my memory is right...
Inhibition of Vasopressin production to be more precise:

...
Biology of a Hangover: Vasopressin Inhibition
When alcohol is consumed, it enters the bloodstream and causes the pituitary gland in the brain to block the creation of vasopressin (also known as the antidiuretic hormone). Without this chemical, the kidneys send water directly to the bladder instead of reabsorbing it into the body. This is why drinkers have to make frequent trips to the bathroom after urinating for the first time after drinking.
According to studies, drinking about 250 milliliters of an alcoholic beverage causes the body to expel 800 to 1,000 milliliters of water; that's four times as much liquid lost as gained. This diuretic effect decreases as the alcohol in the bloodstream decreases, but the aftereffects help create a hangover.
...
more from:    http://health.howstuffworks.com/hangover2.htm


(https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.dallasobserver.com%2Funfairpark%2Fhangover.gif&hash=22a817122cd5060f3b3ba0745ba721d7)  (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fweb.lemoyne.edu%2F%7Ehevern%2Fpsy340%2Fgraphics%2Fhypopituitary.jpg&hash=0b9418a455b6655c1c71053b3f542701)
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/hangover.gif
http://web.lemoyne.edu/~hevern/psy340/graphics/hypopituitary.jpg

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2007/10/wherein_i_become_a_shill_for_a.php

My Amico,

THANK EWE ALSO for this wonderful response which back ups and corroborates what Karen said.

So. alcohol is a diuretic also !!..I see !!

This is a wonderful response and I remain humbled by it's content !

THANK EWE IKO.

   
Buon Natale e un felice anno nuovo !!

Title: Re: Why Does Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Post by: iko on 27/12/2007 17:56:55
Thanks Neilepus friendus mirabilis!

Best wishes to you and family!
Hope we'll go on with NKSforum
in 2008, 2009, 2010 and so on!
Cheers,

ikod  [^]