营养学酒精与营养

酒精、营养与健康*1949年白酒10.8万吨;1978年143.7万吨;1996年801.3万吨;2006年411.1万吨2007年白酒制造行业工业总产值1千多个亿;葡萄酒消费总量世界排名第九.**ThemeninthispicturewasDuKang,inChineselegend,hewasthefirstmantoproducealcoholbeverages.HereisDuKang’shometown,ifyouvisittheHenanprovince,youaresupposedtohavethewine,who’snameisalsoDuKang,withthebiggestwineglassoftheworld.从家庭聚会、朋友小酌到正式晚宴，很多社交场合都有酒精性饮料，人们必须在是否饮酒之间做出选择**酒精既是补药又是毒药区别主要在于其饮用量许多成年人滴酒不沾有些人只在进餐时喝一杯葡萄酒有些人的饮酒量取决于社交场合有些人则终日沉醉其中**Drinkinghabitsspanawidespectrumbecauseofalife-shatteringaddiction.Mostpeoplewhodrinkmanagetheirrelationshipwithalcoholrelativelysafely.Unfortunately,somepeopleintheworld,abusedalcoholtothepointthattheirpersonalintherelationships,work,andhealthbecomeimpaired.**Ifalldrinkerslimitedthemselvestoasingledrinkaday,weprobablywouldn'tneedasmanycardio-logists,liverspecialists,mentalhealthprofessionals,andsubstanceabusecounselors.Butnoteveryonewholikestodrinkalcoholstopsatjustone.Whilemostpeopledrinkinmoderation,somedon't.Problemdrinkingaffectsnotjustthedrinkersthemselves,butmaytouchtheirfamilies,friends,andcommunities.什么是酒精？**对化学家而言，酒精是一类含羟基基团的有机化合物**Glycerolisthealcoholusedtomaketriglyceridesethylalcoholisthealcoholinbeer,wine,anddistilledspirits化学家将饮料中的酒精命名为乙醇对多数人而言，酒精只不过是啤酒、葡萄酒和蒸馏酒（烈酒）中的使人兴奋成分**酒精可轻而易举的通过细胞膜进入细胞内，导致蛋白质变性并最终杀死细胞由于能够杀死微生物，因而酒精成了有效的消毒剂和灭菌剂**Alcoholsaffectlivingthingprofoundly,partlybecausetheyactaslipidsolvents.酒精不仅是一种能源物质，也是一种具有影响精神活动的药物和对身体有害的毒物。影响胃、大脑、心脏、胆囊以及肝脏可影响血液中类脂（胆固醇及甘油三酯）及胰岛素的水平，可导致炎症和凝血。改变情绪、注意力，以及身体各部分的协调性。酒精对机体的影响非常广泛**Alcoholisrichinenergy(7kcaloriespergram)乙醇的毒性小于其他醇类物质饮用酒精度数很低或少量饮酒可产生一种不少人喜欢的欣快感觉。少量酒精对脑组织的伤害在可耐受程度。**Alcoholicbeveragescontainagreatdealwaterandsomeothersubstance,aswellasthealcoholethanol.Usedinthisway,alcoholisadrug—thatis,asubstancethatmodifiesbodyfunctions.啤酒、葡萄酒和烈酒的酒精含量不同啤酒、葡萄酒的酒精含量较低“二锅头”酒精含量可达65%威士忌、伏特加、罗姆和白兰地的酒精含量为50%**Thepercentageofalcoholisstatedasproof.适量饮酒可能对心血管系统有益并能预防II型糖尿病和胆结石；过量饮酒是许多国家导致可预防性死亡的重要原因。如果饮酒的话，应该严格控制在适量的范围内**StudiesshowThesurest可靠的waytoescapetheharmfuleffectsofalcoholis,ofcourse,torefusealcoholaltogether.何谓适量**Takeninmoderation,alcoholcanbecompatiblewithgoodhealth.Thetermmoderationisimportantindescribingalcoholuse.Howmanydrinksconstitutemoderateuse,andhowmuchis“adrink”？First,描述含酒饮料中酒精百分含量的指标，1度相当于一罐饮料中含2个百分比的酒精酒精度：100度相当于含50%酒精90度相当于含45%酒精**一份酒：指可提供1/2盎司纯酒精，不同剂量的类含酒精饮料5盎司葡萄酒.10盎司winecooler.12盎司啤酒.1½盎司烈酒(例如杜松子酒、威士忌、伏特加、罗姆和白兰地）**人对酒精的耐受能力不同适度饮酒对男性而言是每天饮酒量少于2份酒，女性为1份酒个体的饮酒量安全限值差异较大，取决于遗传、性别、体成分、年龄、家族史、健康状况等.**Second,becausepeoplehavedifferenttolerancetoalcohol,itisimpossibletonameanexactdailyamountofalcoholthatisappropriateforeveryone.Authoritieshaveattemptabletosetlimitsthatareacceptabletomosthealthypeople.(Pregnantwomenareadvisedtoabstainfromalcohol.)Noticethatthisadviceisstatasamaximum,notasanaverage;sevendrinksonenightaweekwouldnotbeconsideredmoderate.eventhoughoneadaywouldbe1.缓慢地，偶尔地喝酒2.喝酒前或喝酒时吃其它食物3.不酗酒，知道何时该停止4.尊重不饮酒的人5.遇到问或需要对某事做出决定时避免喝酒6.不羡慕也不鼓励醉酒行为7.喝酒时保持温和、冷静、稳定的心态8.不因酗酒而给自己或别人造成麻烦适度饮酒者的典型行为**Thistab.Showsthetypicalbehaviorsofmoderatedrinkers1.大口大口地往嘴巴里倒酒；2.空腹喝酒；3.酗酒，一直喝到大醉才肯罢休；4.强迫他人喝酒；5.在遇到问题或需要做决定时就找喝酒；6.把酗酒当成是有意思和值得尊敬的事；7.喝酒时吵闹、愤怒、暴力或沉默不语。8.喝酒时在躯体上或心理上伤害自己、家庭成员或其他人。问题饮酒者的典型行为**Thistab.Showsthetypicalbehaviorsofproblemdrinkers酒精是如何进入体内的?**Fromthemomentanalcoholicbeverageisswallowed,thebodypaysspecialattentiontoit.Unlikefoods,whichrequiretimefordigestion,alcoholneedsnodigestionandisquicklyabsorbed.酒精在胃内的吸收率为20%当酒精随胃内容物排空进入小肠时，其吸收率迅速升高且与食物存在与否无关**酒精在充满食物的胃中接触胃壁的机会和扩散的能力都降低。食物还可以在胃内保持大量的酒精，减缓酒精进入到具有高吸收能力的小肠内。实用提示:饮酒时应吃点零食**Carbohydratesnacksslowalcoholandhigh-fatsnacksslowperistalsis,keepingthealcoholinthestomachlonger.Othertipsincludeaddingiceofwatertodrinkstodilutethemandchoosingnonalcoholicbeveragesfirstandtheneveryotherroundtoquenchthirst.酒精在1分钟内到达达到脑部，使人迅速产生欣快感乙醇作为毒素如果饮用过量就能触发机体的防御机制---呕吐酒精逐渐进入脑内，此时呕吐反射还未启动，酒精继续被吸收**胃可产生一定量的乙醇脱氢酶（ADH）分解乙醇，可减少20%的乙醇吸收入血女性胃内产生的ADH明显少于男性，因此，进入小肠并被吸收入血的酒精量更多这是为什么即使女性和男性有着相同的身材，喝相同量的酒，女性比男性容易醉酒的原因。**如果在不空腹的情况下缓慢地喝酒，酒精分子缓慢地进入肝脏,经过酶降解可不影响其它脏器.超过酶处理能力则可影响包括脑在内身体其它部位**酒精到达肝脏**消化道周围的毛细血管汇聚成静脉将含酒精的血液输送至肝脏，这些静脉在肝脏内重新分支成毛细血管,以保证肝细胞与血液充分接触肝细胞是人体酒精代谢的主要场所，流经肝脏的血液系统使细胞能充分对酒精进行处理**Thelivercellsmakenearlyallofthebody’salcohol-processingmachinery,andtheroutingofbloodthroughtheliverallowsthecellstogorighttoworkonthealcohol.Theliver’slocationatthispointalongthecirculatorysystemenablesittoremovetoxicsubstancesbeforetheyreachotherbodyorganssuchastheheartandbrain.处理约80%左右的酒精处理约10%的酒精其余10%通过呼吸和尿液排泄辅酶A乙酰辅酶ACO2H2O脑及其他组织内高浓度的乙醛堆积是酒精滥用造成的不良后果之一“十字路”复合物**Thelivermakesandmaintainstwosetsofequipmentformetabolizingalcohol.Oneisalcoholdehydrogenaseenzymethatremoveshydrogensfromalcoholtobreakitdown.Theothersetofalcohol-metabolizingequipmentisachainofenzymesknownastheMEOS,microsomalethanoloxidizingsystemHighconcentrationsofacetaldehydeinthebrainandothertissuesareresponsibleformanyofthepunishingeffectsofalcoholabuse.Aldehyde-dehydrogenaseenzymeremovehydrogensfromacetaldehydetobreakitdown.AcetateconvertstoacetylCoA—the“crossroads”compoundthatcanentertheTCAcycletogenerateenergy.呼吸气中酒精含量与血中酒精含量成正比，呼吸气分析对鉴别酒后驾驶者具有重要作用**代谢“一份酒”大约需要一个半小时，并受身材、过去饮酒量、最近进食状况和当前健康状况等因素的影响。人体在一定时间范围内处理酒精量的多少主要取决于肝脏ADH酶的量。酒精的摄入量超过了肝脏酶的代谢能力，过多的酒精通过血液被运送到包括脑在内的全身各个器官，循环往复，直到肝内的酶将其完全降解长时间维持血中高浓度的酒精含量能使大脑被彻底麻醉**Ifmorealcoholarrivesatthe1iverthantheenzymescanhandle,theextraalcoholtravelstoallpartsofthebody,circulatingagainandagainthroughthebrain,live,andotherorgansuntilenzymesareavailabletodegradeit.Bymaintaininghigherbloodalcoholconcentrationsforlongertimes,alcoholcananesthetizedthebrainmorecompletely.实用提示:缓慢地喝酒，以保证酒精分子缓慢的进入肝脏并且数量在酶处理能力范围之内（1份酒/小时）ADH酶达量的多少与人是否进食也有关系。即使只禁食一天也可导致人体蛋白合成减少，包括ADH酶，因此可减低酒精代谢的速率近一半。**Thisexplainswhyonlytimewillrestore恢复sobriety清醒.散步喝茶喝咖啡是否能解酒?走路不能解酒的原因是因为肌肉不具有代谢酒精的功能。喝一杯咖啡也不能解酒，咖啡因是一种觉醒剂但不能加速酒精的代谢。正如警察所说：一杯咖啡只能使一个睡着的酒鬼变成一个醒着的酒鬼。肝脏是唯一可以代谢进入体内大部分酒精的器官，但它清除酒精的最高效率是不能被进一步提高的。**Thepolicesay,ruefully,thatacupofcoffeeonlymakesasleepydrunkintoawide-awakedrunk.三羧酸循环脂肪酸脂肪酸碱**Forone,theaccumulationofhydrogenionsduringalcoholmetabolismshiftsthebody’sacid–basebalancetowardacid.Foranother,theaccumulationofNADHslowstheTCAcycle,sopyruvateandacetylCoAbuildup.ExcessacetylCoAthentakestheroutetofattyacidsynthesis,andfatclogstheliver.*酒精暴露脂肪肝纤维化肝硬化肝内脂肪酸合成加快纤维疤痕组织侵蚀肝脏肝脏硬化、肝细胞死亡，肝功能不可逆性丧失通过节酒和营养干预可逆转肝纤维化**Fataccumulatecanbeseenintheliversofyoungmenafterasinglenightofheavydrinking.Thefirststageofliverdeteriorationseeninheavydrinkersisthereforeknownasfattyliver;itinterfereswiththedistributionofnutrientsandoxygentothelivercells.Iftheconditionlastslongenough,fibrousscartissueinvadesthe1iver.Thisisthesecondstageof1iverdeterioration,calledfibrosis.Fibrosisisreversiblewithgoodnutritionandabstinencefromalcohol,butintheadvancedstage,cirrhosis,damageistheleastreversible.酒精可干扰肝细胞氨基酸代谢，使免疫功能相关蛋白质合成减慢，免疫力下降。饮酒导致营养素摄入不足也是蛋白缺乏原因之一。**过量的NADH也能促进丙酮酸转化成乳酸，体内过量的乳酸，可以还原部分NADH，但乳酸干扰尿酸的排泄，致使后者形成尿酸结晶，引起关节炎症（痛风）.**酒精到达大脑**酒曾经作为麻醉剂用以缓解手术的疼痛。由于无法确定药物剂量与致死剂量的界限，现已被多种效果确切，副作用小的麻醉药所取代酒仍被当作一种社会麻醉剂，用以帮助放松或减轻紧张和焦虑**最终，酒精会抑制所有神经细胞,产生镇静作用酒精可以使精神压抑得到短时缓减，人们以为酒精是一种刺激剂酒精通过镇静抑制神经，使兴奋神经暂时占优势而使人产生欣快感觉。**酒精进入大脑，首先影响负责推理思维的额叶。一旦酒精分子弥散进入额叶细胞中，即可干扰推理和判断能力；继续饮酒，大脑的语言和视觉中枢被抑制，同时额叶功能进一步丧失；为数不多的过度饮酒者由于大量酒精影响了大脑中负责控制大肌肉群的神经细胞，因此步履变的蹒跚和摇摆。**过度饮酒可使大脑神经细胞被彻底抑制，导致知觉丧失在失去知觉前，饮酒者喝的太快而摄入了大量的酒精，即使睡着了，胃肠道依然在吸收已经摄入腹中的酒精这是幸运的，因为更多剂量的酒精可以抑制控制呼吸和心跳的大脑中枢，进而导致死亡**血液中酒精水平与大脑反应灵敏度 血酒精浓度(%) 大脑反应 0.050.100.150.200.300.40-0.60 判断力下降、压抑释放、情绪改变、心律加快大肌群协调能力下降、反应时间延迟、视力模糊、动手能力下降语言含糊、视力模糊、步履蹒跚、大肌群协调能力判断能力严重下降复视、不能行走无意识行动、昏睡、思维混乱意识丧失、昏迷、休克、死亡（心脏或呼吸衰竭）**过度暴露于酒精可导致脑细胞死亡。神经细胞对酒精更为敏感并且无法再生。酗酒可导致脑组织永久性损伤大脑萎缩甚至可发生在某些只适度饮酒的人身上，萎缩程度与饮酒的量通常成正比如果摄入的酒精量不多,时间不长适当的营养可以逆转酒精对脑组织的损伤长期超过个体恢复能力的饮酒对视觉、记忆学习能力以及其他功能产生不可逆的严重损害。**酒精抑制大脑生成抗利尿激素，增加尿排出量，导致口渴。唯一能减轻口渴的液体是水。但是，大多数饮酒者选择以酒解渴，结果口渴进一步加重。实用提示:饮酒前先饮水.睡觉前再喝1-2杯水水分丢失可带走镁、钾、钙和锌等矿物质。上述矿物质对于液体平衡以及神经和肌肉协调都有非常重要的作用。对酗酒者的治疗也包括尽快补充丢失的矿物质。**酒精对营养的影响**酗酒可通过营养不良造成机体健康损伤。喝酒多的人常常吃的很少。酒精只能提供纯热量(1g乙醇=7Kcal），麦芽酒中的卡路里用掉了丰富的原料，但是饮酒者却从其中得不到任何营养物质**对于大多数中等程度饮酒者，酒精可以刺激食欲，增加食物摄入量，酒精本身也促使体内脂肪合成，1盎司酒精可增加半盎司脂肪,因此中等程度饮酒和进食脂肪一样可导致肥胖.过量饮酒造成中心型肥胖俗称“啤酒肚”**酒精对叶酸的影响较大:酒精使肝脏丧失了储存叶酸盐的能力，同时促使肾脏增加叶酸盐的排泄量酒精饮料消耗与血浆总高半胱氨酸(tHcy)之间有联系，而tHcy是心血管疾病的危险因子。**Asaresult,alcoholinterfereswiththeactionoffolateinconvertinghomocysteinetothenonessentialaminoacidmethionine.长期饮酒导致的硫胺素缺乏症候群称为Werninke-Korsakoff综合征,包括咽部肌肉麻痹，肌肉失调，记忆力减退和神经损伤.食物摄入量的减少以及营养素吸收障碍还能导致硫胺素的缺乏**Alcohol’sLong-TermEffects酒精的长期效应**Themostdevastatinglong-termeffectofalcoholisthedamagedonetoachildwhosemotherabusedalcoholduringpregnancy.酒精使氧气传输受到限制,减慢细胞分裂，减少脏器产生的细胞数胎儿酒精综合症不可逆的脑损伤,生长迟滞,智力低下,脸部异常,视力异常,低阿布哥尔指数……当一个怀孕的母亲喝酒时，她的胎儿在很短时间内也喝了酒，然而胎儿对酒精是没有抵抗能力的**Whenapregnantwomantakesadrink,herfetustakesthesamedrinkwithinminutes,anditsbodyisdefenselessagainsttheeffects.Asuddendoseofalcoholcanhaltthedeliveryofoxygenthroughtheumbilicalcord.Alcoholalsoslowcelldivision,reducingthenumberofcellsproducedandinflictingabnormalitiesonthosethatproducedalcoholalsointerfereswithplacentaltransportofnutrientstothefetusandcancausemalnutritioninthemother.Apregnantwomanharmsherunbornchildnotonlybyconsumingalcoholbutalsobenotconsumingfood.Thiscombinationenhancesthelikelihoodofmalnutritionandapoorlydevelopedinfant.Itisimportanttorealize,however,thatmalnutritionisnotthecauseofFAS.ItistruethatmothersofFASchildrenoftenhaveunbalanceddietsandnutrientdeficiencies.Itisalsotruethatmalnutritionmayaugmenttheclinicalsignsseeninthesechildren,butitisthealcoholthatisthedamagingfactor.AnadequatediealonewillnotpreventFASifalcoholabusecontinuesthroughoutthepregnancy小头面部畸形关节及肢体异常协调性差学习障碍记忆力差TypicalfacialcharacteristicofFAS包括:**Alcoholcrossestheplacentafreelyanddeprivesthedevelopingfetalbrainofbothnutrientsandoxygentheresultmaybefetalalcoholsyndrome,aclusterofsyndromesthatincludes:FAS患儿预防胎儿酒精综合症，戒酒是唯一途径**Eachyear,morethan5000infantsarebornwithFASinUS;inaddition,anestimates50000infantsarebornwiththelessserious,yetstillsignificant,damagesomecliniciansdescribeasfetalalcoholeffects.somechildrenwithFAEnooutwardsigns;othersmaybeshortorhaveonlyminorfacialabnormalities.oftenchildrenwithFAEgoundiagnosedevenwhenproblemsdevelopintheearlyschoolyears.Learningdisabilities,behavioralabnormalities,andmotorimpairmentsarecommonsymptomsofFAE.***ThemeninthispicturewasDuKang,inChineselegend,hewasthefirstmantoproducealcoholbeverages.HereisDuKang’shometown,ifyouvisittheHenanprovince,youaresupposedtohavethewine,who’snameisalsoDuKang,withthebiggestwineglassoftheworld.****Drinkinghabitsspanawidespectrumbecauseofalife-shatteringaddiction.Mostpeoplewhodrinkmanagetheirrelationshipwithalcoholrelativelysafely.Unfortunately,somepeopleintheworld,abusedalcoholtothepointthattheirpersonalintherelationships,work,andhealthbecomeimpaired.**Ifalldrinkerslimitedthemselvestoasingledrinkaday,weprobablywouldn'tneedasmanycardio-logists,liverspecialists,mentalhealthprofessionals,andsubstanceabusecounselors.Butnoteveryonewholikestodrinkalcoholstopsatjustone.Whilemostpeopledrinkinmoderation,somedon't.Problemdrinkingaffectsnotjustthedrinkersthemselves,butmaytouchtheirfamilies,friends,andcommunities.****Glycerolisthealcoholusedtomaketriglyceridesethylalcoholisthealcoholinbeer,wine,anddistilledspirits****Alcoholsaffectlivingthingprofoundly,partlybecausetheyactaslipidsolvents.**Alcoholisrichinenergy(7kcaloriespergram)**Alcoholicbeveragescontainagreatdealwaterandsomeothersubstance,aswellasthealcoholethanol.Usedinthisway,alcoholisadrug—thatis,asubstancethatmodifiesbodyfunctions.**Thepercentageofalcoholisstatedasproof.**StudiesshowThesurest可靠的waytoescapetheharmfuleffectsofalcoholis,ofcourse,torefusealcoholaltogether.**Takeninmoderation,alcoholcanbecompatiblewithgoodhealth.Thetermmoderationisimportantindescribingalcoholuse.Howmanydrinksconstitutemoderateuse,andhowmuchis“adrink”？First,******Second,becausepeoplehavedifferenttolerancetoalcohol,itisimpossibletonameanexactdailyamountofalcoholthatisappropriateforeveryone.Authoritieshaveattemptabletosetlimitsthatareacceptabletomosthealthypeople.(Pregnantwomenareadvisedtoabstainfromalcohol.)Noticethatthisadviceisstatasamaximum,notasanaverage;sevendrinksonenightaweekwouldnotbeconsideredmoderate.eventhoughoneadaywouldbe**Thistab.Showsthetypicalbehaviorsofmoderatedrinkers**Thistab.Showsthetypicalbehaviorsofproblemdrinkers**Fromthemomentanalcoholicbeverageisswallowed,thebodypaysspecialattentiontoit.Unlikefoods,whichrequiretimefordigestion,alcoholneedsnodigestionandisquicklyabsorbed.****Carbohydratesnacksslowalcoholandhigh-fatsnacksslowperistalsis,keepingthealcoholinthestomachlonger.Othertipsincludeaddingiceofwatertodrinkstodilutethemandchoosingnonalcoholicbeveragesfirstandtheneveryotherroundtoquenchthirst.**********Thelivercellsmakenearlyallofthebody’salcohol-processingmachinery,andtheroutingofbloodthroughtheliverallowsthecellstogorighttoworkonthealcohol.Theliver’slocationatthispointalongthecirculatorysystemenablesittoremovetoxicsubstancesbeforetheyreachotherbodyorganssuchastheheartandbrain.**Thelivermakesandmaintainstwosetsofequipmentformetabolizingalcohol.Oneisalcoholdehydrogenaseenzymethatremoveshydrogensfromalcoholtobreakitdown.Theothersetofalcohol-metabolizingequipmentisachainofenzymesknownastheMEOS,microsomalethanoloxidizingsystemHighconcentrationsofacetaldehydeinthebrainandothertissuesareresponsibleformanyofthepunishingeffectsofalcoholabuse.Aldehyde-dehydrogenaseenzymeremovehydrogensfromacetaldehydetobreakitdown.AcetateconvertstoacetylCoA—the“crossroads”compoundthatcanentertheTCAcycletogenerateenergy.****Ifmorealcoholarrivesatthe1iverthantheenzymescanhandle,theextraalcoholtravelstoallpartsofthebody,circulatingagainandagainthroughthebrain,live,andotherorgansuntilenzymesareavailabletodegradeit.Bymaintaininghigherbloodalcoholconcentrationsforlongertimes,alcoholcananesthetizedthebrainmorecompletely.**Thisexplainswhyonlytimewillrestore恢复sobriety清醒.**Thepolicesay,ruefully,thatacupofcoffeeonlymakesasleepydrunkintoawide-awakedrunk.**Forone,theaccumulationofhydrogenionsduringalcoholmetabolismshiftsthebody’sacid–basebalancetowardacid.Foranother,theaccumulationofNADHslowstheTCAcycle,sopyruvateandacetylCoAbuildup.ExcessacetylCoAthentakestheroutetofattyacidsynthesis,andfatclogstheliver.***Fataccumulatecanbeseenintheliversofyoungmenafterasinglenightofheavydrinking.Thefirststageofliverdeteriorationseeninheavydrinkersisthereforeknownasfattyliver;itinterfereswiththedistributionofnutrientsandoxygentothelivercells.Iftheconditionlastslongenough,fibrousscartissueinvadesthe1iver.Thisisthesecondstageof1iverdeterioration,calledfibrosis.Fibrosisisreversiblewithgoodnutritionandabstinencefromalcohol,butintheadvancedstage,cirrhosis,damageistheleastreversible.****************************Asaresult,alcoholinterfereswiththeactionoffolateinconvertinghomocysteinetothenonessentialaminoacidmethionine.****Themostdevastatinglong-termeffectofalcoholisthedamagedonetoachildwhosemotherabusedalcoholduringpregnancy.**Whenapregnantwomantakesadrink,herfetustakesthesamedrinkwithinminutes,anditsbodyisdefenselessagainsttheeffects.Asuddendoseofalcoholcanhaltthedeliveryofoxygenthroughtheumbilicalcord.Alcoholalsoslowcelldivision,reducingthenumberofcellsproducedandinflictingabnormalitiesonthosethatproducedalcoholalsointerfereswithplacentaltransportofnutrientstothefetusandcancausemalnutritioninthemother.Apregnantwomanharmsherunbornchildnotonlybyconsumingalcoholbutalsobenotconsumingfood.Thiscombinationenhancesthelikelihoodofmalnutritionandapoorlydevelopedinfant.Itisimportanttorealize,however,thatmalnutritionisnotthecauseofFAS.ItistruethatmothersofFASchildrenoftenhaveunbalanceddietsandnutrientdeficiencies.Itisalsotruethatmalnutritionmayaugmenttheclinicalsignsseeninthesechildren,butitisthealcoholthatisthedamagingfactor.AnadequatediealonewillnotpreventFASifalcoholabusecontinuesthroughoutthepregnancy**Alcoholcrossestheplacentafreelyanddeprivesthedevelopingfetalbrainofbothnutrientsandoxygentheresultmaybefetalalcoholsyndrome,aclusterofsyndromesthatincludes:**Eachyear,morethan5000infantsarebornwithFASinUS;inaddition,anestimates50000infantsarebornwiththelessserious,yetstillsignificant,damagesomecliniciansdescribeasfetalalcoholeffects.somechildrenwithFAEnooutwardsigns;othersmaybeshortorhaveonlyminorfacialabnormalities.oftenchildrenwithFAEgoundiagnosedevenwhenproblemsdevelopintheearlyschoolyears.Learningdisabilities,behavioralabnormalities,andmotorimpairmentsarecommonsymptomsofFAE.