ELI5: alcohols
// explanation
What are alcohols?
Alcohols are liquids made from special ingredients like grains or fruits that have something called an OH group [4], which makes them special chemicals. The most famous alcohol is ethanol, which is what people drink in beer and wine, but there are many other types like methanol that are poisonous [4].
Why do people use them?
People drink alcoholic beverages because ethanol affects your brain and makes you feel relaxed or sleepy [2][5]. Doctors also use alcohol-based hand rubs to kill germs in hospitals and keep people from getting sick [3].
What happens when you drink alcohol?
When you drink alcohol, it travels through your whole body and affects your brain, stomach, liver, and lots of other parts [5]. It makes your brain work differently so you feel dizzy or silly, kind of like when you spin around really fast [2].
Is alcohol dangerous?
Alcohol can be helpful in small amounts for cleaning, but drinking too much can hurt your body [2][5]. Some alcohols like methanol are super poisonous and can make you very sick [4][1].
// sources
These poisonings have traditionally been treated with ethanol since it competes for the active site of alcohol dehydrogenase and decreases the formation of ...
Science-based information on alcohol from NIAAA, including alcohol's effects on the brain and body, drinking levels, alcohol use disorder, and when to get ...
Alcohol-based disinfectants and particularly hand rubs are a key way to control hospital infections worldwide. Such disinfectants restrict transmission of ...
Alcohols range from the simple, like methanol and ethanol, to complex, like sugar alcohols and cholesterol. The presence of an OH group strongly modifies the ...
The whole body is affected by alcohol use--not just the liver, but also the brain, gut, pancreas, lungs, cardiovascular system, immune system, and more.
Video by Huberman Lab Clips
Video by Andrew Huberman
Video by TED-Ed
