Alcohol is also a chemical solvent, a local anesthetic, and an irritant. Many of alcohol's side effects are due to these actions rather than to the sedative effect of the agent. Alcohol is found in many different beverages and also in many prescription and nonprescription medications. Alcohol in low doses causes suppression of inhibitory centers and produces apparent stimulation while impairment of abstract thinking lessens anxiety. At moderate doses, alcohol can cause drowsiness, slowed reflexes and uncoordination.
Alcohol is absorbed from all parts of the gastrointestinal tract.
Most of the alcohol enters the bloodstream from the stomach and small intestine. It readily passes from the blood into nearly every tissue in the body, including the brain. The presence of food in the stomach slows the rate of absorption. Interestingly men are more active stomach metabolizers than women. While no one would get drunk from the alcohol in one or two teaspoons of cough syrup, liver and stomach enzymes cannot deactivate large amounts of alcohol consumed at one time.