Very few people carry a Breathalyzer around in their cars with them for those evenings out with friends. So how do you know when you’ve had one too many? How can you make an educated guess as to when you need to stop drinking in order to be safe and legal while driving home?

The truth is, we can’t answer those questions exactly, because everyone’s body is different, and responds differently to alcohol. But we can provide you with a few clues as to specific factors that will influence your blood alcohol level, so that you can make more informed choices when you are drinking.

Age:

The older you get, the more alcohol will affect your ability to function. This is likely why some people in their early twenties seem much less affected by a few drinks that someone in their sixties. So as you age, keep an eye on how your body seems to react. Just because you seemed fine after five drinks in college, doesn’t mean that the same applies thirty years later.

Alcohol Tolerance:

This one is rather obvious, but it plays a big role in how you react to alcohol intake. People who drink with regularity are going to be less affected than people who hardly ever drink alcohol. So if you are a rare, social drinker, we advise that you keep your alcohol intake to a minimum when you intend to drive, so as to avoid possible DUIs.

Body Type:

Believe it or not, the type of body you have will affect your blood alcohol content. The more you weigh, the more water is contained in your cells, which can act as a diluent to the alcohol. As a result, people with smaller statures are often more readily affected by their drinks than their heavier counterparts.

Carbonation:

Carbonation increases pressure on the lining of your stomach, which forces whatever fluid is in your stomach into your bloodstream faster. In the case of alcohol, this means that a carbonated alcoholic drink will raise your blood alcohol content and “get you drunk faster”. Please note, however, that this doesn’t only refer to drinks that are created with carbon dioxide infused in them, like champagne or beer. This also applies to any alcoholic drink mixed with a carbonated beverage, like rum and coke.

Join us next time when we will be looking at the next four items on the list that affect your blood alcohol content. Namely diabetes, the strength of the drinks you’re consuming, your emotional state at the time, and your fat to muscle ratio.