Blood Alcohol Content
Blood Alcohol Content is Personal
Sex and body weight determine how much a person’s Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) increases per drink. Everyone does not react the same to the same amount of alcohol. In general, a woman’s BAC rises faster than that of a man, even if the two people weigh the same and have consumed the same amount of alcohol.
Why talk about “standard” drinks?
Blood Alcohol Content rises with each standard drink of alcohol. All drinks are not the same, so it is important to know how to measure a standard drink. Even “light” beer and regular beer are not counted the same when measuring standard drinks. Drinks with more than one shot of alcohol count as more than one standard drink.
A standard drink is one that contains 14g of pure alcohol, about .06 of a fluid ounce. Examples include one 12-ounce beer, one five-ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5-ounce serving of an 80-proof "hard liquor," such as vodka, gin, whiskey, etc. Stronger versions of alcohol beverages, such as malt liquors, fortified wines and 100-proof liquors count higher. A single Long Island Iced Tea may contain more than three standard drinks!
Other drugs matter
Many prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs can affect the impact of alcohol on a person. Birth control pills and other medications containing estrogen can cause a person to feel the negative affects of alcohol more intensely and/or the negative effects may begin at lower BAC levels. See the e-chug drinking quiz on this website for information on interactions with other drugs.
Food can make a difference
The amount of food in a person’s stomach can also have an impact on BAC. Depending on other factors, drinking on a full stomach may slow the rise in a person’s BAC. Drinking on an empty stomach is dangerous.
Blood alcohol content is related to signs of overconsumption
It can be easy to recognize symptoms of drinking too much. Loss of coordination, slurred speech and difficulty hearing are among the first signs of overconsumption. Later signs of overdose are nausea and vomiting. However, someone who drinks too much too fast will drink past the urge to vomit.
If you drink alcohol, pay attention to your body’s reactions and understand that your body is trying to warn you or to mitigate the effects of overconsumption.
It is possible to match up physical signs and blood alcohol content
The effects many people describe as a warm, happy “buzz” occur at lower levels of consumption – before Blood Alcohol Content reaches .07. In Wisconsin, a person with a BAC level of .08 is legally intoxicated. Most people experience impaired coordination before they reach the BAC of legal intoxication.
After it feels good, it feels bad
At BAC levels beyond the range of .14 to .17, feelings of euphoria shift to less pleasant feelings. Judgment and perception are impaired. People at this level can fail to notice cues in the environment and so can be in a dangerous situation without realizing it. If you observe a person at this level of BAC, you may notice changes in their behavior. They may become more aggressive, more openly sexual than usual or very sad. They may begin vomiting at or well before a BAC of .20. They may lose control over their bodily functions and become incontinent.
Extremely high blood alcohol content
Most people’s health will be severely compromised if they reach BACs of .30 to .40. College students who have died from alcohol overconsumption have had BACs in the .30 to .40 range. Although it is unusual, some people develop extremely high tolerance for alcohol and can function at BAC levels of .30 and higher. These people need ongoing help in relation to alcohol and their drinking.
An educated person should know more...
Other resources you can access through this website include the e-chug drinking quiz and information about Alcohol Smart classes. Also watch for the Party Test Midterm and personalized alcohol safety information cards – coming soon.
Learn more!
What causes the bed spins? Why do drunk people talk so loudly? What is the link between sleep and memory?
In this video, Dr. Kevin Strang from Physiology describes the effects of alcohol on the brain.
