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Alcohol interacts with three key neurotransmitters to produce its actions.

People who consume low to moderate amounts of alcohol often report other healthy habits.

The formation of acetate and aldehydes cause many of the negative effects of alcohol.

The brain will frequently induce you to consume things that your body will not like.

The dose makes the poison. —Paracelsus, 1538

The dose makes the poison. —Paracelsus, 1538

There are only a few molecules that humans consume that are both a nutrient and a drug. Coffee and alcohol are two excellent examples. The antioxidants in coffee offer many health benefits, while the caffeine, in sufficiently high doses, can be lethal. Obviously, dose matters. The same is true for alcohol.

How Alcohol Affects the Body and Brain

To start, let’s look at what alcohol does in the brain—particularly, how it interacts with three different neurotransmitters.

First, at low doses, it enhances the action of the neurotransmitter GABA. Why does this matter? GABA is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Whenever and wherever it acts, it effectively turns off that part of the brain.

When we start drinking, the first effects we notice occur because GABA is inhibiting activity in our cortex. The initial consequence is a relief from anxiety; alterations in our personality and judgement follow with additional doses.

With higher doses, the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination are affected. Finally, at very high doses—the exact amount can vary for different people—the parts of our brain that control breathing and heart rate are inhibited and we are at risk of dying.

Second, alcohol also stimulates the release of dopamine. This action may underlie our feelings of pleasure.

Finally, at higher doses, alcohol also inhibits the neurotransmitter glutamate. This neurotransmitter is essential for producing memories. This is why we might not remember what happened when we were drunk.

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