Table of Contents

1: Alcohol and its effects on health
1.1 Alcohol has a long history
1.2 Problems in estimating alcohol consumption
1.3 Variations in alcohol consumption around the world
1.4 Alcohol, youth and gender - Rachel's story
1.5 Alcohol and the world's health
1.6 Economic costs of alcohol-related harm
2: The chemistry of alcohol
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The alcohol molecule
2.3 The properties of ethanol
2.4 The metabolism of ethanol in the body
2.5 The chemical reactions of ethanol
2.6 Does drinking alcohol make you fat?
3: Where does alcohol go in the body?
3.1 Absorption of alcohol from the gut
3.2 Transport of absorbed ethanol in the body
3.3 Ethanol from the gut first passes through the liver
3.4 The effect of ethanol on the kidneys
4: Alcohol - link to brain, behaviour and mind
4.1 How to understand why people drink alcohol
4.2 Psychological perspectives on drinking alcohol
4.3 Alcohol and the brain
4.4 Associations between alcohol, smoking and sex
4.5 Addiction to alcohol
5: How alcohol causes short- and long-term harmful effects
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Hangovers
5.3 Long-term problems for chronic alcoholism
5.4 Nervous system damage
5.5 Fetal alcohol syndrome
5.6 Treatment
6: Balancing harms with possible benefits
6.1 Is there a 'safe' level of alcohol intake?
6.2 Can moderate drinking bring any health benefits?
6.3 Final Comments

About the Author

Dr Lesley Smart joined the academic staff of the Open University in 1977 and, since that time, has contributed to many undergraduate chemistry courses, most recently chairing the production of a new level two course bringing together the teaching of organic, physical, and inorganic chemistry for the first time. The third edition of her co-authored book, Solid State Chemistry: an introduction (CRC Press) was published in 2005. Lesley's research interests
include solid state chemistry and catalysis, and in particular preparing and characterizing new materials and catalysts. Lesley became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2005, and is on the editorial
board of Education in Chemistry.

Reviews

I found this a fascinating read and it will be of interest to anybody who wants to know more about alcohol and its effects, or who works with people who are using alcohol. Education in Chemistry, 2008