"Beer before liquor makes you sicker, but liquor before beer, you're in the clear."
Although they may lack a scientific basis, myths such as this one surround alcohol consumption - and can especially be heard circulating among college students - while an equal number of unusual truths about alcohol are not well-known.
The brains of adolescents and young adults respond differently than adults - defined as at least 25 years old, some researchers have said - do to alcohol, according to the National Institute of Health. For example, adolescents are more likely to black out than they are to pass out. This leads to more drinking and the quicker progression of alcoholism in adolescents.
"Alcohol may lead to lifelong impairments in brain functioning," said Susie Bruce director of the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education. "For students, this means that they may find it harder to grasp more conceptual material and theories in class."
To help mitigate the effects of continuously imbibing alcohol, one can alternate between drinking alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks. Contrary to popular belief, however, water isn't necessarily the best option.
"Orange juice is actually better than water because it has food content," Bruce said.
In fact, it is dangerous for a severely intoxicated person to drink water, she said. One risk factor is choking, because the body cannot respond well to sensory input when drunk.
Another risk is that the stomach responds autonomously.
"Your body has a protective function," Bruce said. "The pyloric valve closes when there is a high concentration of alcohol in the stomach. Drinking water dilutes the fluid in the stomach and causes the valve to reopen, so more alcohol enters the small intestine and is absorbed."
Ultimately, it is safer to allow the person's body to reject the alcohol in its system by vomiting.
To prevent such situations from occurring in the first place, however, one may use the 0-1-2-3 Rule as a guideline for moderating alcohol consumption.
"Zero is the number of drinks recommended for someone who is pregnant, has a family history of alcoholism or simply wants to avoid the negative consequences of alcohol altogether," Bruce said. "One drink per hour is how drinkers should pace themselves. Two drinks a day is the limit for how many drinks one can imbibe without experiencing any negative health repercussions."
If properly consumed in moderation, alcohol could have some benefits, research shows.
"In fact," Bruce said, "those who drink two servings of alcohol a day statistically live longer than those who abstain or have three or more drinks a day."
One study, led by rheumatologist James Maxwell of Rotherham Hospital in the United Kingdom, discovered that alcohol could temporarily alleviate symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. This could be because of alcohol's immune-suppressing and painkilling effects, though researchers still recommend limiting alcohol consumption to a level of strict moderation.
This requirement to maintain a level of moderation applies even for those students who think they may benefit from increasing their tolerance to alcohol.
"The body likes equilibrium, not being intoxicated," Bruce said. As a result, drinking past the initial 'buzz' level increases alcohol tolerance but simultaneously raises the risk of alcoholism. "Everyone can develop alcoholism, regardless of family history. At the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education, we have students who have made amazing recoveries. They went into treatment as first semester, first-years."
To help students in similar positions, the group Hoos in Recovery is open to anyone and meets for the first time today at noon.
"We provide lunch and dinner once a month," Bruce continued. "Anyone can join, and you don't have to be identified as in recovery. Many of our members might just be concerned about their drinking habits."
The group includes undergraduates, graduate students and alumni who have noticed a severe disparity between their own drinking habits and those of their colleagues. Bruce emphasized that the group is not an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, but rather a suitable place for students who are concerned about their alcohol consumption.
In addition to myths about alcohol itself, some students may have misconceptions about the process concerning the immediate recovery.
For example, first-year students may feel unnecessarily reluctant to call the emergency room in response to an alcohol-related emergency, fourth-year College student Latasha Nadasdi.
"First-years always think they're going to get in trouble for calling 911 or asking for help when they're dangerously drunk," she said. "They don't want their parents to find out that they've been drinking, or they don't want the incident on their University record."
This perception, however, does not reflect what actually happens in such incidents, Bruce said.
"Parents or guardians are not notified without student permission unless a situation is deemed life-threatening or the student is under the age of 18," Bruce said. "Nor does the rescue squad charge for their response."
To determine when a 911 call is necessary for a heavily intoxicated individual, one can gauge the severity of the situation with the acronym PUBS, which stands for pulse, unresponsive, breathing, skin.
An irregular pulse, lack of response to a firm pinch, "especially on the earlobe, which is super sensitive," Bruce said, along with slow and shallow breathing, or cold, clammy or blue skin, can indicate an emergency situation. Alcohol poisoning can proceed very quickly, so it is crucial to monitor intoxicated friends.
"The brain stem goes to sleep and slows the respiration and heartbeat to the point that it stops," Bruce said.
With these dangers in mind, student may pay more attention to their health - as well as the "facts" heard across Grounds regarding alcohol consumption.
"My inclination is that it doesn't make a bit of difference," said Ed Gallaher, a research pharmacologist at the Veterans Administration and an assistant professor at Oregon Health Sciences University in an interview with Portland's Willamette Week Online. "People would like to come up with every alternative explanation or excuse for hangovers, but the active ingredient is alcohol"
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