Alcohol affects each of us differently. While someone could consume a few alcoholic beverages and still be coherent and able to function, another could consume the same amount and be completely inebriated.
However, even if someone doesn’t feel drunk after several drinks, their blood alcohol content (BAC) could tell another story. Understanding your limits can be the difference between spending the night in your own home or in jail because of a DUI arrest.
The following are several factors that affect a person’s BAC levels:
- Body weight – The more you weight, the more water your body can hold. Water essentially dilutes the alcohol a person consumes, hence reducing their BAC. That is why those on the heavier side will have a lower BAC compared to thinner individuals, even if they consume the same amount of alcohol.
- Age – The older you become; the more pronounced alcohol’s intoxicating effects will become as well. Younger adults have better tolerance.
- Gender – Since women typically have a lower water content in their bodies compared to their male counterparts, they generally obtain a higher BAC if they drink alcohol at the same rate as men because alcohol is highly water-soluble. In addition, men have more enzymes in their stomach that break down alcohol faster than women.
- Drink strength – The higher the alcohol content of a drink, the more amount will enter your bloodstream.
- Consumption rate – The faster a person drinks alcohol, the quicker their BAC will increase.
- Metabolism – The rate a person processes alcohol in the body may differ from another.
- Food – Consuming alcohol on an empty stomach will result in a higher BAC compared to someone who has eaten prior to drinking. Food slows down the absorption of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream by keeping it in their stomach for a longer period of time.
- Stress – Being stressed out can slow down a person’s alcohol absorption rate. But when they relax and their blood flow rate returns to normal, individuals who were once stressed may experience a significant increase in their BAC.
- Medication – Whether it’s prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicines, medication can significantly increase alcohol’s effects and even cause health damage. There are often warnings on medicines that states individuals shouldn’t consume alcohol while under medication.
- Carbonated drinks – From sparkling champagne to mixed drinks with sodas, carbonation may hasten the rate alcohol passes through your body, leading to a higher BAC.
- Alcohol intolerance – Whether you experience skin flushing or an elevated heart rate every time you drink alcohol, you have a genetic condition that renders your body unable to effectively break down alcohol.
- Diabetes – If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, alcohol can impact your glucose levels and result in hypoglycemia.
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Connecticut, contact The Sills Law Firm today at (860) 524-8118 and request a free consultation with our legal team. Get nearly 65 years of collective legal experience on your side!
