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Reply	Michael Marshall says: The ethanol in alcoholic drinks is metabolised almost exclusively by the liver. The liver enzymes responsible are alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), catalase and an enzyme complex known as the microsomal ethanol-oxidising system (MEOS). Repeated administration of alcohol will increase the amount of these liver enzymes, and subsequently improve its ability to metabolise alcohol.However, such enzyme induction does not fully account for improved alcohol tolerance. There is also a mechanism of behavioural tolerance whereby an individual learns to function under the influence of alcohol.Finally, you are probably larger now than when you were in your late teens. This means that your total blood volume is also likely to be increased, so although two pints of beer will contain the same mass of alcohol, it will be at a lower concentration in your blood.Benjamin Hunt, Leicester, UK  (no votes) Tags: domestic science, human body.
	posted on 2009-06-10 15:09:34 | Report abuse

Reply	Michael Marshall says: One explanation for the development of tolerance stems from a 2004 study at the University of Texas into fruit flies#39; response to benzyl alcohol. As the fruit flies developed tolerance to the alcohol, researchers noted an increased activity in their slo gene. Slo modulates a cell-surface protein, helping to increase signalling between nerve cells in the brain. Under sedation from alcohol, the activity of the fruit flies#39; slo gene doubled.The protein acts almost as a thermostat would. For example, if a drug other than alcohol excites the nervous system and increases signalling, slo gene activity decreases, which suppresses the effects of the drug. Conversely, alcohol suppresses the nervous system and slo activity increases, serving to counteract the sedative effects of alcohol by stimulating signalling.Previous exposure to a drug enhanced the future performance of slo in the fruit flies, meaning it becomes more responsive and better able to suppress the effects of a drug.The slo gene found in fruit flies is very similar to the human version. The performance of the questioner#39;s genetic thermostat will have improved after 30 years of practice, and therefore more pints are required.Jeremy Fancher, University City, Missouri, US  (no votes) Tags: domestic science, human body.
	posted on 2009-06-10 15:10:44 | Report abuse

Reply	Ken W says: I have been reading many of the above, okay all of the above comments, and I do not understand why anyone, that is anyone with any common sense would want to get drunk, Dum Fucks. Ken w Sinclair  (no votes) Tags: domestic science, human body.
	posted on 2009-06-11 01:06:52 | Report abuse

Reply	Casey says: Pulling a couple of the comments together for fun:Phil Manning said in his second comment on October 23, 2008 6:47 PM: quot;if your cytochrome p450 enzymes are busy doing something else when alcohol arrives, they will be torn between the two jobs and alcohol metabolism will be greatly reduced.quot;Dan Stotland said on October 23, 2008 10:34 PM: quot;[Alcoholic dehydrogenase] converts alcohols to ketones and aldehydes. it works on many alcohols, including wood alcohol, [the poison methanol]. Ethanol is converted to ethyl aldehyde and that chemical is metabolised further. The more we drink; the more we can drink.quot;In particular, methanol is converted into methylaldehyde, otherwise known as quot;formaldehydequot; -- the well known toxic preservative of laboratory tissue specimens. Hence, the poisonous nature of methanol.And back to Phill Manning#39;s comment, when methanol poisoning is suspected, the treatment is to have the patient drink large amounts of ethanol in order to create a competitive environment where the alcohol dehydrogenase will end up processing the enthanol (producing ethylaldehyde) instead of the methanol (resulting in the poisonous methylaldehyde == formaldehyde). This gives the patient#39;s kidneys time to eliminate the methanol without it being precessed by the liver.  (no votes) Tags: domestic science, human body.
	posted on 2009-06-11 20:46:45 | Report abuse

Reply	Anonymous says: Whilst it is true that the Liver contains inducible enzymes this alone does not and cannot account for the tolerance to the early effects of alcohol consumption, such as feeling drunk. In the seasoned drinker not only is the alcohol metabolised more quickly by the liver, the brain is less affected by the drug. The mechanisms i#39;m sure are known to Physicians expert in addictions. In summary, the drug (be it alcohol, opiates, cannabis) has a much lower impact on the brain in experienced users than in those that are new to the drug. This is known as toleranceIn addition over a longer period of time there is enhanced ability to clear the drug via the liver  (no votes) Tags: domestic science, human body.
	posted on 2009-06-14 01:57:29 | Report abuse

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