Alcohol Absorption | DUI Lawyer in Orange County
Factors Affecting Alcohol Absorption
Upon drinking alcoholic beverages, your blood alcohol content (BAC) changes based on the absorption of the alcohol in your body. There are various external factors, in addition to your body genetics, which affect the rate of alcohol absorption. The biggest external factor that affects alcohol absorption is the consumption of food. But regardless of the amount of food that you eat, if you consume too much alcohol and get behind the wheel before it is out of your system, you may be arrested for a DUI. A DUI arrest mandates the assistance of experienced Orange County DUI specialists to prepare an aggressive defense on your behalf.
The type and quantity of food that are present in your digestive tract when you consume alcohol have the most important and direct effect on the rate of alcohol absorption. When you drink alcohol without having any food in your system, the alcohol will be absorbed in approximately fifteen minutes to two and a half hours. On the other hand, if consume alcohol after having a solid meal, the speed of alcohol absorption slows down to thirty minutes to three hours. Even more so, if you consume alcohol on a totally full stomach, absorption rate increases to three to six hours.
A major component of the time it takes alcohol to absorb in your body is the time it takes your stomach to empty. Generally, anything that is in your stomach will act like a sponge by soaking the alcohol and delaying its movement into your small intestine. This is where the majority of the absorption occurs. The more food you have in your stomach, the slower the emptying time for alcohol will be and thus the lower level of alcohol entering into your bloodstream. In other words, the more food you eat, the faster your body will eliminate the alcohol in your system.
If you need assistance with a DUI or require further information regarding BAC, please do not hesitate to contact a knowledgeable and dedicated DUI lawyer in Orange County, such as Mike Coffey today. The initial consultation is free of charge.
