Be it the pubs, corporate parties, personal parties, family get-togethers or wedding parties, you get to hear myths related to drinking everywhere you go. Here is a list of the most common drinking myths and the actual facts:
Myth 1: Beer before liquor makes you sicker
There are several ghastly stories of people speculating that someone suffered unexplained health problems because he or she had consumed beer before drinking liquor. This myth is so common that it is a kind of unsolicited warning reminded to people before drinking every time.
Truth: Despite all these irrational claims, there is no sound scientific evidence that consuming beer before enjoying vodka or jager can actually get you sick. While it is generally a smart call not to mix drinks, but even if you do, it does not cause any major side effect unless you are allergic or have some other medical condition.
Myth 2: Drinking can kill your brain cells
We all have heard this one time and again. But then, people also claim that having alcohol in bloodstream can make you catch fire and burn alive. Such myths are merely figments of imagination with no logical backing. These are good if used to scare people so that they give up drinking but there is no logic or truth in such claims.
Truth: As opposed to what this myth advocates, it is actually the other way around. Moderate consumption of alcohol rather improves cognitive functioning as well as heart functioning. However, moderation is the key. Excessive consumption of alcohol can be fatal.
Myth 3: Beer leads to potbelly
This myth is as old as the beer itself. Beer often is blamed to make drinkers fat, especially pot bellied. However, scientific reports have dismissed all such claims.
Truth: Several studies revealed that there is no link between beer drinking and weight gain whatsoever. Drinkers who gain weight are people who generally have a tendency to put on weight. A lot of factors contribute to their weight gain. Sure, beer contains extra calories but that alone cannot be isolated as the main culprit.
Myth 4: Men and women of equal height can drink the same amount.
With much talk about equality of sexes, it has been announced that men and women of same age group, height, etc. can drink the same amount of alcohol.
Truth: We are all for womenâs liberation but when it boils down to drinking, women cannot handle as much alcohol as men. Female body dynamics are different from their male counterparts. Females have less of dehydrogenase enzyme in their system that is largely responsible for breaking down alcohol in the bloodstream. Also hormonal changes that women go through affect alcohol absorption.
Myth 5: Drink often enough and you’ll get addicted.
It is often perceived that drinking excessively for a long period of time would invariably get you addicted. This is however ruled out by most scientists.
Truth: Studies reveal that everyone who drinks does not become addictive. It is actually the personality traits of the drinker that make him addictive. Drinking becomes an addiction for people with predominant traits like impulsive behavior, pent up frustrations, obsessive disorder, chronic stress levels, etc. These people are vulnerable and fall into the drinking trap to combat difficult times and situations.
Myth 6: Coffee will sober you up.
Coffee is commonly used to sober down or as a quick fix to overcome hangover. The basic idea behind this endorsement is that alcohol is a depressant while coffee is a stimulant, so the latter neutralizes the effects of former.
Truth: Even though this sounds quite logical, but unfortunately the trick does not work just as well. Coffee would surely wake you up but you would still be drunk.
Myth 7: Someone who passes out drunk just needs to sleep.
It obviously seems the best thing to do but this can actually be dangerous.
Truth: When you pass out drunk, general bodily discomforts would not stir you out of your sleep. There are chances that instead of throwing up, you may ingest the vomit while you are unconscious which can choke you to death. There is also a risk of alcohol poisoning.
Myth 8: Aspirin helps to prevent hangover
This is far from truth and scientists actually have called it ridiculous.
Truth: Scientists tell us that aspirin actually makes the alcohol absorption slower in your system, thereby prolonging the hangover.
Myth 9: Beer is less intoxicating
We all have heard some people boast that they drink only beer and that warrants them to exhibit âholier than thouâ attitude. That is probably because they think drinking beer does not mean they drink alcohol.
Truth: Beer is just as intoxicating as other drinks. A 12 ounce beer can and a 4 ounce glass of wine have same alcohol content.
Myth 10: Drinking increases your sex drive.
It is a common myth that drinking substantially increases your sex drive.
Truth: Drinking does not directly increase the sex drive but makes you to shed inhibitions which may be perceived as increased sex drive by some.
Myth 11: Alcohol warms you up
It is easy to believe this because of the obvious reason. You actually do feel warmer after having a few drinks.
Truth: This is indeed a revelation. The warmth that you feel is merely an illusion. Blood rises up to the skinâs surface upon drinking, which makes you feel warm. Actually your body temperature drops because surface heat is lost. Drinking outside in harsh winter weather would in fact causes frostbite instead of warming you up.
Myth 12: The darker a beer, the more alcohol it contains
Darker shade of beer gives a perception of concentrated alcohol.
Truth: The color of the beer has nothing to do with the alcohol content.
