What is methanol and how does it affect the body?
getty imagesTravelers are being warned about the dangers of methanol poisoning after the deaths of six tourists in Laos.
Methanol is an industrial chemical found in antifreeze and windshield washer fluid.
It is not for human consumption and is highly toxic.
Drinking even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful. A few shots of the bootleg spirit contained in it could be fatal.
What does methanol do for you?
It looks and tastes like alcohol, and the first effect is similar – it can make you feel drunk and sick.
Initially, people may not realize that anything is wrong.
The damage occurs hours later as the body attempts to break it down in the liver and clear it from the body.
This metabolism creates toxic byproducts called formaldehyde, formate, and formic acid.
These aggregate and attack nerves and organs, causing blindness, coma, and death.
Dr Christopher Morris, a senior lecturer at Newcastle University, said: “Formate, which is the main toxin produced, acts similarly to cyanide and stops energy production in cells, and the brain appears to be very sensitive to it.
“This causes damage to certain parts of the brain. The eyes are also directly affected and can lead to blindness which is found in many people exposed to high levels of methanol.”
As yet, Of the six people who died, five were women,
Toxicity from methanol is related to the dose you receive and how your body handles it.
Like alcohol, the less you weigh, the more affected you may be by a certain amount.
Dr. Nat Eric Hovda of Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), who tracks methanol poisoning, says awareness varies greatly among tourists and health care workers in different parts of the world – and that can mean delays in diagnosing it. .
“Symptoms are often vague until you actually get sick,” he told the BBC.
How is methanol poisoning treated?
Poisoning is a medical emergency and should be treated in a hospital.
There are drug treatments that can be given, as well as dialysis to clean the blood.
Some cases can be treated by using alcohol (Ethanol) to overcome the methanol metabolism. But this work will have to be done quickly.
Professor Alastair Hay, an expert in environmental toxicology at the University of Leeds, explained: “Ethanol acts as a competitive inhibitor which largely prevents the breakdown of methanol, but slows it down, allowing the body to clear it from the lungs and some “Allows for the excretion of methanol through the kidneys.” And by sweating a little.”
Dr. Hovda said getting help immediately after ingesting methanol is critical to the chances of survival.
“If you get to the hospital quickly and the necessary treatment is available in that hospital, you can minimize all the effects,” he said.
“You can die from a very small proportion of methanol and you can survive from a significant amount of methanol if you get help.
“The most important antidote is regular drinking.”
Sixth foreign tourist dies of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos
Deaths from counterfeit liquor highlight Southeast Asia’s methanol problem
getty imagesHow can travelers avoid methanol poisoning?
MSF says most methanol poisonings occur in Asia, but some also occur in Africa and Latin America.
The advice for travelers is to know what you’re drinking and be aware of the risks.
Drink from reputable, licensed premises and avoid home-made drinks or illicit liquor.
Methanol is produced during the wine making process and concentrated by distillation.
Commercial manufacturers will reduce it to levels that are safe for human consumption. However, Unscrupulous backyard brewers or others in the supply chain may sometimes add industrially produced methanol.To take it forward and increase profits.
Dr. Hovda said that methanol was added to alcohol “mostly for profit reasons, because it is cheap and readily available”.
It is also possible for contaminating microorganisms to produce high levels of methanol during conventional ethanol fermentation.
The UK Foreign Office advises travellers: “Use caution when purchasing free, or spirit-based drinks, especially free ones. Do not drink if the label, smell or taste seems wrong.”
Which drinks may contain methanol?
Affected beverages may include:
- Local spirits, including local rice or palm wine
- spirit-based mixed drinks, such as cocktails
- Counterfeit brand-name bottled liquor in stores or behind the bar
To protect yourself from methanol poisoning:
- Buy alcoholic beverages only from licensed liquor stores
- Buy beverages only from licensed bars and hotels
- Avoid home-made alcoholic beverages
- Check that the bottle seal is intact
- Check labels for poor print quality or misspellings
Get immediate medical help if you or anyone you are traveling with shows symptoms of methanol poisoning.
