We are not averse to drinking. Since ancient times, alcohol has been considered by different peoples as a means of communication, helping to establish connections and find common ground between people. Alcohol-containing drinks also help to relax and create the illusion of avoiding problems.
The average person prepares to drink alcohol and tries to use it only for important events and on holidays. But it is not always possible to calculate the amount and drink as much as was planned. In this case, information on the breakdown of alcohol in the blood will be useful.
Signs of intoxication
The body of each person is individual. But there are several signs that are characteristic of an organism that has been exposed to alcohol. Symptoms are always accompanied by symptoms such as:
- Lack of coordination of movements.
- Decrease in intelligence and ability to think logically.
- Decreased sense of balance or its complete loss.
- Complete disorientation in space.
- Speech disorders, partial loss of voice, hearing.
- Deterioration of memory and attention.
Stages of alcohol breakdown
Ethyl alcohol is very easily absorbed into the blood. The process begins in the oral mucosa. About 20% is absorbed in the stomach, the rest of the alcohol takes itself into the small intestine. The lower the degree of alcohol, the faster it is processed by the body. In the stomach, a small portion of alcohol is broken down by enzymes and does not enter the bloodstream at all.
After the alcohol enters the bloodstream, the liver takes over most of the work to neutralize it. It transforms ethyl alcohol into acetaldehyde, which is then converted to acetate (acetic acid), and then the new substance is decomposed there into carbon dioxide and water. Then the resulting inorganic substances are excreted from the body.
What determines the rate of alcohol breakdown in the body
The breakdown period of alcohol depends not only on the strength, quantity of drink and quality of the snack, but also on the physical characteristics of the individual. Factors such as gender, age, height to weight ratio, percentage of muscle and fat tissue in the body significantly affect the rate of ethanol excretion.
Also, when calculating the rate of decay of alcohol in the blood, it is important to take into account the mental state of a person at the time of drinking, the metabolic rate, general health, type of nervous system.
Body mass
The greater the weight of the drinker, the faster the absorption of alcohol and, accordingly, its removal from the body. This is due to the fact that adipose tissue, the percentage of which is higher in more obese people, cannot retain ethanol for a long time and it quickly leaves the body.
Also, if the body has a high percentage of muscle mass, moreover, a person regularly goes to the gym, frequent use of alcohol can adversely affect muscle growth by slowing down. It is important to remember and not abuse the drink.
The effect of gender on the rate of breakdown of alcohol
It is proved that the breakdown of alcohol in the blood in women occurs 20% slower than in men. For example, if 100 ml of cognac is removed from the body of a representative of the strong half of humanity on average after 4 hours, in the weaker sex the same amount of this drink is processed only after 10 hours.
One of the reasons for this difference is a faster metabolism in the male body compared to the female and, as a rule, a higher body weight in the former, as well as the habit of drinking more and choosing stronger drinks. But if the breakdown time of alcohol in the blood of men is less, this does not mean that the stronger sex can be drunk without knowing the measures.
Estimated alcohol withdrawal time
Half a liter of beer is removed from the male body in 2 hours, from the female - in 6 hours.
A glass of wine (200 ml) in the strong half breaks up in 3 hours, in the weak - in 7.
The breakdown of alcohol in the blood from a portion of brandy (50 ml) lasts 2 hours in men and 5 hours in women.
Champagne, thanks to the enrichment of carbon dioxide, is absorbed and excreted by the body much faster. Intoxication from two glasses (400 ml) of this drink passes in men in 3 hours, and in women in only 8.
Half a glass of vodka (100 ml) is processed by the body of the stronger sex in 4 hours, and the weak - in 10.
How to speed up the elimination of alcohol from the body
If you need to quickly sober up and reduce the effect of ethanol on the organs and nervous system, several proven methods will come in handy that always help in this case. But just because you exceeded the measure of alcohol consumption on the eve does not mean that you can abuse traditional medicine, no matter how safe it may seem. Let's consider further in more detail.
More fluid.
It is not necessary to drink a can of cucumber pickle in the morning. In order for the breakdown of alcohol in the blood to go faster, you need to drink as much healthy and natural liquid as possible. Water (preferably mineral), juices and drinks with a high content of vitamin C will help cope with a hangover. It is better if it is grapefruit, orange juice or tea with lemon.
Honey and Dairy Products
These natural products contain a huge amount of vitamins and minerals, which will not only help to quickly remove alcohol from the blood, but also try to remove the effects of alcohol poisoning.
It is better to mix honey with warm tea, water or milk to increase the tonic effect. Kefir and other dairy products are also useful for the body recovering from alcohol.
Fatty food
If no chewing gum can drown out the persistent smell of fumes, natural fat will come to the rescue. Let us explain this point of view.
After alcohol, it is better not to eat heavy and solid foods such as fatty meats or salads with mayonnaise. To speed up the breakdown of alcohol in the blood and at the same time remove an unpleasant odor, meat broth is best. It will restore the balance of fluid in the body and at the same time cover the walls of the stomach with an oil film, due to which the smell of alcohol will not break out.
Metabolic acceleration
If you are young and healthy with the cardiovascular system, everything is in order to accelerate the removal of ethyl alcohol from the blood, you can visit a bathhouse, a sauna or arrange an unscheduled exercise. In the steam room you need to sweat well so that all the alcohol comes out. Exercise also helps to temporarily increase the metabolic rate, so that the breakdown of alcohol in the blood will occur much more intensively.
Do not use on an empty stomach
In order to initially reduce the harmful effects of ethanol poisoning, while consuming alcohol-containing drinks, you should abundantly eat nutritious and slowly digested food. Alcohol taken on an empty stomach is more quickly absorbed into the blood, but is slowly excreted from the body. If you drink full or have a bite as you take alcohol, intoxication will come later and will not be so obvious. Also, in a well-eaten person, the breakdown time of alcohol in the blood increases by 20%. In women, ethanol is still excreted more slowly, even if they will have a snack more than men.