How Much is Too Much?

The level of impairment a person experiences from drinking alcohol relates to the quantity of alcohol consumed in what time period. The body is able to metabolize approximately one drink (1/2 ounce of pure alcohol) per hour. One 12 ounce beer, five ounces of wine and one ounce of distilled spirits all equal one half ounce of pure alcohol or one "drink". If a person drinks more than one drink per hour her or his body's metabolism cannot keep up, the level of alcohol in her or his blood will increase and she or he will feel more intoxicated. The metabolism proceeds at a steady pace, oblivious to the amount of alcohol consumed. The more a person drinks, the longer it takes him or her to become sober and the higher her or his blood alcohol level.

Alcohol Concentration

To estimate your alcohol concentration, match the number of drinks consumed to your body weight. Estimated weight should not include excess body fat, so subtract any "extra" pounds before figuring. Also subtract .015 for each hour since drinking began.

Biological response to alcohol varies from person to person and from time to time in the same person. A person who chooses to drink may wish to consider several biological and interaction factors when deciding how much or it to drink on a given day:

1. Food. A person who drinks on an empty stomach will experience greater impairment from alcohol than if his or her stomach were full. The presence of food in the stomach slows absorption. Foods high in protein tend to stay in the stomach longest, thus it is best to eat food such as meats, fish, eggs or cheese before and during drinking.
   
   
2. Medication. Drinking alcohol together with sleeping pills, other medications (such as aspirin, antihistamines, prescription drugs), or illicit drugs can have unintended and dangerous consequences. Certain combinations can be fatal.. At best, alcohol can block the curative action of medication, rendering the drug ineffective. If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications it is best to call the Health Center to check with a doctor or nurse before drinking.
   
   
3. Sleep or Illness. If you are sick or just getting well, you are likely to experience greater impairment from alcohol. This increased impairment is also a risk for people who are tired. In certain cases of chronic illness any use of alcohol is high risk.
   
   
4. Age. In general, adolescents and elderly people experience greater impairment from alcohol than young adults and middle-aged people.
   
   
5. Body Size. Body size refers to lean mass, not fat. (Alcohol is water, not fat, soluble.) A smaller person generally will experience greater impairment from alcohol than a large person would from the same amount of alcohol. This seems to be true for two reasons: larger people may metabolize alcohol more quickly (they may have a larger liver capacity) and larger people have more body fluid to dilute the alcohol.
   
   
6. Gender. Women typically become more impaired from the same amount of alcohol than men of the same size. This may be because women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat than men. In addition, 1-3 days before menstruation, a woman may become more intoxicated and stay intoxicated longer than usual. This may be due to hormonal changes occurring at that time.

Note: to get a paper copy of the above blood alcohol chart, visit the Peer Health Room, Baxter B08, during call-in / walk-in hours, 6:30 to 8:30 on weekday evenings.