Alcohol’s Effect on the Blood  

It is from the bloodstream that alcohol reaches all parts of the body.  First it enters the stomach, then travels into the small intestines, at which time it is absorbed into the blood stream and begins to affect the central nervous system. In fact, the concentration of alcohol in the blood, measured by Blood Alcohol Concentration, is the means by which the stages of inebriation can be determined. 

Keeping the BAC low, when drinking alcohol, can control the manner in which the alcoholic beverages effect the body.  Controlling the amount of alcohol that gets into the bloodstream is the key.  A person who eats food while imbibing, drinks water intermittently, who drinks one drink per hour, keeps away from “shots”,  does not mix medications with alcohol, and who keeps active while drinking will control his BAC and avoid the dangers of a high blood alcohol level. 

At first, blood alcohol levels were used to access the amount of alcohol that had been consumed by an individual.  At .05%, blood alcohol level, most people begin to show the first signs of impairment.  At .10%, motor impairment becomes obvious.  At .15%, slurred speech begins, and at .18%, coordination is effected and a person becomes disoriented.  At .40%, vomiting, and unconsciousness occurs, and at .50%, breathing and heart beat can be halted, leading to death.  Breath testing of alcohol levels, using deep lung breath, were found to equate to levels of alcohol in the blood, and are now used to test BAC. 

Different bodily tissues absorb alcohol at very different rates.  For example, muscle tissue absorbs alcohol more quickly than does fat tissue.  Because women generally have less muscle mass, instead of being absorbed into muscle, thus containing the alcohol rather than distributing it, the alcohol has a more intense effect on the bodies of women than it does on men.  Metabolic rate and body size can also influence the ways in which alcohol is absorbed into the body.  Other factors which influence how rapidly alcohol is absorbed are: carbonated mixers, the use of aspirin, the rate of consumption, empty stomach, the age of the drinker, and the mood of the drinker. 

The short-term consequences of abusing alcohol can range from hangover, decreased sexual performance, to aggressiveness.  The long-term consequences can be addiction, changes in vital organs of the body, and fetal alcohol syndrome.  Is excessive alcohol really something you want to put in your bloodstream?