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Last broadcast on Tue, 17 Nov 2009, 02:40 on BBC One (see all broadcasts).
Synopsis
Alcohol is by far the most widely used drug - and a dangerous one at that. So why are so many of us drinking over the recommended limits?
Why does alcohol have such a powerful grip on us? How much of our relationship with this drug is written in our genes? What are the real dangers of our children drinking too young?
Addiction expert John Marsden, who likes a drink, makes a professional and personal exploration of our relationship with alcohol. He undergoes physical and neurological examinations to determine its impact, and finds out why some people will find it much harder than others to resist alcohol. Even at the age of 14 there may be a way of determining which healthy children will turn into addicts.
John experiments with a designer drug being developed that hopes to replicate all the benefits of alcohol without the dangers. Could this drug replace alcohol in the future?
Photo: An infusion of alcohol
In an effort to understand the scientific effects of drinking, presenter John Marsden is given an infusion of alcohol.
Photo: Examining alcohol in the lab
Professor David Nutt, an expert in psychopharmacology, shows presenter John Marsden a sample of pure ethanol.
Chapters
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Do I Drink Too Much?
Psychologist and drinker John Marsden takes a personal and professional journey into the world of alcohol, exploring its effects, appeals and dangers.
1 00.00 -
What is in Alcohol?
Looking at the drug like ingredients and effects of alcohol, as well as its historical and natural origins.
2 01.48 -
The Different Types of Drinker
Humans aren't the only ones who enjoy alcohol; Dr Barr has been experimenting to see the relationship between monkeys and alcohol to determine if they have similar drinking habits with people.
3 10.15 -
Young Drinkers
People are experiencing alcohol earlier in life and experiments on young and old rats show how the two handle alcohol differently.
4 15.28 -
The Effects of Alcohol on the Body
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Alcohol on the Brain
John undergoes more testing to see how his brain reacts to alcohol when it's injected straight into the blood stream. These tests may also show a link to his father's alcoholism.
6 29.14 -
Predicting Alcohol Addiction
A study involving children as young as 14 is trying to find how young, healthy people can grow up to have alcohol dependencies.
7 41.54 -
An Alternative to Alcohol
A new experimental drug that has all the benefits of drinking without the dangers may be the future; John acts as a guinea pig to test it.
8 47.38 -
Final Summary
Taking a look back on how much you should drink and how the answer will probably differ for everyone.
9 55.18
Credits
- Presenter
- John Marsden
- Director
- Nicola Stockley
- Producer
- Nicola Stockley
- Executive Producer
- Andrew Cohen
Broadcasts
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Tue 13 Oct 200921:00
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Fri 16 Oct 200921:00
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Tue 17 Nov 200902:40
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