Calories from alcohol?

***Pheedno*** · 11-15-2002, 12:05 PM

What in the blue f*ck are they classified as whats the effect on metabolism?

For instance. This new low carb beer has 2.4g of carbs, 1g protein and its 98 cals.

Now 2.4g of carbs= 9.6 calories
1g protein= 4 calories

Leaving 84.4 calories from alcohol.

Now could alcohol be considered a carb or is it classified totaly diff. with a completely diff. effect on metabolism?

**FmRommel** · 11-15-2002, 12:52 PM

i guess it is different, but i have heard it can still raise insulin levels if too much is consumed...
Good Luck
Peace

**seniormateus** · 11-15-2002, 02:01 PM

Bump..I'd like to know this too.

**FmRommel** · 11-15-2002, 02:29 PM

Hey bro-
Found this...Hope it helps..
Let me know..

Metabolism of Alcohol
Alcohol cannot be used by the body as a source of energy directly. It is also not digested or broken down in the digestive track. It enters the body quickly and is distributed to all tissues. It can be used for energy only after it is converted to acetate and then to ketone bodies in the liver.

When alcohol is consumed, it passes from the stomach and intestines into the blood, a process referred to as absorption. Alcohol is then metabolized by enzymes, which are body chemicals that break down other chemicals. In the liver, an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) mediates the conversion of alcohol to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is rapidly converted to acetate by other enzymes and is eventually converted to ketone bodies. These may be metabolized for energy or converted to fat for storage in the body.

Alcohol also is metabolized in the liver by the enzyme cytochrome P450IIE1 (CYP2E1), which may be increased after chronic drinking. Most of the alcohol consumed is metabolized in the liver, but the small quantity that remains unmetabolized permits alcohol concentration to be measured in breath and urine.

The liver can metabolize only a certain amount of alcohol per hour, regardless of the amount that has been consumed. The rate of alcohol metabolism depends, in part, on the amount of metabolizing enzymes in the liver, which varies among individuals and appears to have genetic determinants. In general, after the consumption of one standard drink, the amount of alcohol in the drinker's blood (blood alcohol concentration, or BAC) peaks within 30 to 45 minutes. (A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits, all of which contain the same amount of alcohol.) The BAC curve, shown below, provides an estimate of the time needed to absorb and metabolize different amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is metabolized more slowly than it is absorbed. Since the metabolism of alcohol is slow, consumption needs to be controlled to prevent accumulation in the body and intoxication.

The bottom line is that alcohol does not contain and is not converted to carbs or sugar. It is, however, used for energy at the rate of 7 cal/gram and hence may stall a diet if consumed in excess

***Pheedno*** · 11-15-2002, 02:32 PM

Thats exactly what I was looking for bro.

Excellent find and post

**Steele** · 11-15-2002, 11:46 PM

don't know if anyone will read this after that great posting from fmrommel, but i just read franco columbo (the training partner of arnold and an olympian himself) and even up to competition he drank two dark beers every night. he just counted them in his daily calories. only two though. just my two cents. sometimes i wish i never would have read that part of the book. i love my night caps!!!