Consuming large amounts of flax seed can impair the effectiveness of certain oral medications, due to its fiber content.

Even small amounts can impair an individual's judgement and reactions, increasing the risk of an accident occurring.

Ingesting large amounts of fructose has been shown in animal studies to cause insulin resistance, impair glucose tolerance, increase insulin levels, raise triglycerides and contribute to high blood pressure.

Even small amounts of cocaine, the researchers found, impair the body's ability to detect an increase in temperature and reduce its ability to cool down through sweating and the dilation of blood vessels near the skin.

Even very small amounts of mercury can impair neurological development in fetuses and young children.

The warning from the Stop-DWI office of the County Department of Public Safety is that any amount of alcohol impairs driving, even though the body metabolizes about one drink an hour.

Larger amounts of blood alcohol can impair brain function and eventually cause unconsciousness.

Such a large amount of excess capacity must severely impair the effective functioning of the accelerator.

Excessive amounts of such fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs during ventilation.

Mr. Shanahan, who said he was familiar with the crash only through news accounts, said there had been recent studies showing that even a small amount of alcohol consumption could impair boat operators.