Many different factors come together to affect the rate of alcohol absorption, how quickly it is distributed into your blood stream and how quickly it is eliminated from your body.
Alcohol absorption is affected by the food you have ingested and the type of drink. When food is eaten along with alcohol, the alcohol absorption is a lot slower and the blood alcohol concentration peak (the point of greatest intoxication) is generally achieved anywhere between an hour to six. For people who haven’t had as much to eat, and are not eating along with their alcohol, the blood alcohol concentration peak is reached faster, generally in half an hour to two. The type of food ingested; fat, proteins or carbohydrates may have an effect on the quickness of absorption, but there is no concrete evidence. There is proof however, that the bigger the meal, and the closer in time to drinking that it is eaten, there is a slowing effect on alcohol absorption.
The stronger a drink is, the faster it will be absorbed by the body. Drinks that are generally between 10% and 30% of alcohol concentration will be most rapidly absorbed. Drinks that are less than 10% will take longer to be absorbed by the body.
The rate at which the alcohol is distributed into a person’s blood stream depends on their body fat, type and weight. Persons with lower body fat percentages will have a lower blood alcohol content. For people who are the same weight, the person with the higher fat will have the higher BAC. Similarly, the less a person weighs, the more they will be affected by alcohol.
The liver is the organ responsible for eliminating alcohol from the body. Studies show that women eliminate alcohol from their systems 10% on average faster than men. Additionally, if a person is consuming alcohol at a higher rate than elimination, the BAC will be higher.
These are all things to take into account when a person is charged with a DUI. Consult a Los Angeles DUI Attorney to discuss the contents of an arrest report and the reading of the sobriety test. Oftentimes, there may be errors and the BAC may not be as high as it is documented. A knowledgeable attorney can expose the errors to the court, leading to a potential reduction or dismissal of the charge!