

How can you tell what a person’s BAC is? You can’t unless you have special equipment like a Breathalyzer. 30 percent may lapse into a coma, and a BAC of. 08 percent is the equivalent of 1/8 of a drop of alcohol to 1000 drops of blood. The amount of alcohol in the body is measured as blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The pyloric valve, which separates the stomach from the small intestine, closes when food is present in the stomach (especially protein and fatty foods). The other 80 percent passes into the small intestine, where absorption is faster. About 20 percent is absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach.

Time is the only thing that will remove alcohol from the system (about an hour per standard drink).Īlcohol does not require digestion. A cold shower, fresh air, exercise, or black coffee will not help sober a person up. This is intoxication – when there is a buildup of alcohol in the system.Īllowing the liver enough time to metabolize the alcohol is the only way to remove alcohol from the body. The unmetabolized alcohol just continues to circulate in the bloodstream. If there is excessive alcohol in the blood, the liver cannot speed up the detoxification process. The liver metabolizes alcohol at a very constant rate, approximately one drink per hour. Most of the alcohol must be broken down (metabolized) by the liver to remove it from the system. About five percent of the alcohol consumed leaves the body through urine, sweat glands, and breathing.
