Factors affecting alcohol concentration after drinking alcohol

Meaning of alcohol concentration

Even a small amount of alcohol can affect your concentration, judgment, and performance. You may feel fine, but your reflexes will be slower than usual and your ability to concentrate will be impaired.

This makes it difficult to perform activities that require skill, concentration, or the safety of others. This includes driving, playing sports, or using complex machinery.

Blood alcohol concentration can be measured using a breathalyzer or by analyzing blood, saliva, or urine samples.

Factors affecting alcohol concentration

The body usually takes at least 1 hour to digest 1 unit of alcohol. According to the Ministry of Health's guidelines, one unit of alcohol is equivalent to: 3/4 bottle or 3/4 can of 330ml beer (5%); one 330ml glass of draft beer (4%); one 100ml glass of wine (13.5%); one small glass/cup of 40ml spirits (30%).

However, two people can drink the same amount of alcohol and have different blood alcohol levels. According to Alcohol and Drug Australia, there are many individual factors that affect how the body breaks down and absorbs alcohol:

Body size

Typically, the alcohol concentration in smaller people will be higher when drinking the same amount of alcohol.

hungry

Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach will cause the alcohol to penetrate your bloodstream more quickly, making you drunk sooner. However, eating before drinking does not mean you will not get drunk and can drive safely.

Body fat

Our fat cells hold much less water than our muscles. This means that alcohol is not absorbed and stays in your blood until it is broken down by your liver. People with more body fat will have a higher alcohol concentration.

Liver health

The liver does most of the breaking down of alcohol. People with liver disease or liver damage will not be able to process alcohol as quickly as people with healthier livers.

Age

As you get older, your body processes alcohol less quickly because your liver may get smaller. This means alcohol can stay in your blood longer and increase your alcohol concentration.

Sex

Women tend to have higher body fat, lower body water, and fewer enzymes that break down alcohol than men. As a result, alcohol is processed more slowly in women and stays in the blood longer.

Alcohol tolerance

If you haven't had much alcohol before, your tolerance will be lower. Your body isn't used to it and as a result, your blood alcohol level will be higher.

Medicine

Many medications need to be broken down by the liver, just like alcohol. If you drink alcohol while taking these medications (for example, birth control pills), your liver will process the alcohol more slowly, resulting in a higher blood alcohol level. If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether you can drink alcohol.

Alcohol concentration of wine

Not all drinks have the same amount of alcohol. The higher the alcohol content of a drink, the higher your blood alcohol level.