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Is alcohol a drug?

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OP: next time, please post this in Basic Drug Discussion.

I think, though, that the discussion of pharmacokinetics that follows warrants that this thread be left open.
 
3rd_I_blind said:
If you are talking about the day after consumption, you'll just feel crappy because your body is still recovering from being poisoned.
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yeah I mean after the depressant effects have worn off

After digging through a couple of textbooks I can account for how ethanol metabolism may directly deplete energy:

Most of the energy the body produces involves acetyl-CoA, which is usually generated from the conversion of glucose to 2 pyruvates to 2 acetyl-CoAs.

The conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA
acetylCoAProd.GIF

produces 3 ATPs (6 ATPs per molecule of glucose).

But the acetyl-CoA that is produced from ethanol (via acetate) doesn't involve pyruvate, so the energy gained from pyruvate's decarboxylation is absent
 
I still don't understand why you have the idea that ethanol metabolism extracts energy?
At the end of the road, the Acetyl-CoA is still metabolized, which yields energy.
Acetyl-CoA is metabolized to CO2 and H2O in the citric acid cycle, producing the equivalent of about 12 ATP.
 
alcohol is not a drug its a drink- everyone knows that

as for categorisation and a poor understanding of mutual exclusivity this thread is full of fail
 
At the end of the road, the Acetyl-CoA is still metabolized, which yields energy.
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17% of the energy generated by cellular respiration comes from pyruvate decarboxylation is all I'm saying.
 
oliphill said:
Hi,

I am having a debate on a recovery forum and I have always understood that alcohol is a drug.

This guy is saying, however, that is not a drug. That it is a food and that is metabolised by the body as a food, not as a drug like coke, heroin, etc.

I wouldn't mind coming back at him with some well backed up statement that alcohol is a drug if you guys could help me out. But if I am wrong I would prefer to hear it from you guys as I know you know what your talking about!

Cheers, Oli
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He probably wants to make a distinction between drugs that are 'ok', and drugs that are 'forbidden'. Either that or he is ignorant.

Alcohol is just as much a drug as caffeine (coffee) and tobacco.
I suppose the road to recovery is easier when you don't take drugs that are *illegal*.
 
Thanks, knew I could rely on you guys!

The person I am talking about is an recovering alcoholic that believes that in no way could a drug addict help an alcoholic with experience in stopping using etc as alcohol is different from all other drugs.
 
thats definetly not true but withdrawal from alcohol can kill you, withdrawal from any sedative can actually. "Hard" drug users can definetly help alcoholics stay clean and vice versa
 
Then he's just a closeminded fool, even if alcoholism is, according to rehab statistics, one of the hardest habbits to quit, well not really quit but most past alcoholics have a greater tendency in starting to drink again.

One way or another, he simply seems to not wanna listen to others.
Who knows maybe AA with their 12 step program about accepting jesus could help him out.
Or maybe even Narconon foundation from our humble and friendly Scientologists. LOL XD

BTW, If i may as, what drug are you currently addicted on? You seem to much of a cultured, smart and fun person to be a serious addict. (and by addict i don't mean experimental user).

Anyway, just popped a double malt beer. Cheers!
 
oliphill said:
Thanks, knew I could rely on you guys!

The person I am talking about is an recovering alcoholic that believes that in no way could a drug addict help an alcoholic with experience in stopping using etc as alcohol is different from all other drugs.
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it just hits more buttons than most, its still a hard drug

really the only way to quit a drug is to WANT to quit it, relying on other people is nice but deep down you need to rely on your own ability to avoid something that is bad for your long term health, and this must stem from a WANT to be healthy.
 
Uh, yeah... So is aspirin, tobacco etc. Alcohol is ethanol. It's like calling chloral hydrate 'micky finn' & asking if micky is a drug.
 
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