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Once the
alcohol enters the body, it is passed into the
bloodstream through the small intestine walls (80
precent) and the stomach walls.
How
fast the alcohol enters the bloodstream depends
on (1) the drinking manner (slowly, fast or
swigged), (2) the type of alcoholic beverage
(alcohol's concentration, content of carbon
dioxide, sugar, temperature) and (3) the
condition of the stomach. Usually, the alcohol
enters the bloodstream fast when the person
drinks a warm, sweet and high carbonate alcoholic
beverage with a up to 6 percent concentration of
alcohol on an empty stomach.
When taking in consideration the
time criteria, usually the alcohol has entered
the blood flow after 10 to 15 minutes. After 20
minutes around 60 percent of the alcohol has
entered the blood flow and after 30 minutes
almost two thirds. In 60 up to 90 minutes the
entire amount of alcohol is in the blood.
The
alcohol concentration in the blood is indicated
in %o. An alcohol
concentration of 1%o
represents one milliliter of pure alcohol per one
litre of blood.
Blood alcohol
concentration formula is
C = A : G .
r
where
C = alcohol's concentration in the blood
A = quantity of alcohol in grams
G = body weight
r = a diffusion factor (0,7 for male; 0,6 for
female)
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we can see on the above formula, blood
alcohol concentration also depends on the
body weight and the amount of liquids in
which the alcoholic drink will mix within
the stomach. However, when we calculate
the blood alcohol concentration we have
to take in consideration several other
factors like: gender, personal tolerance,
and the lenght of alcohol consumption. If
the person drinks for a
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longer time, the blood alcohol
concentration value decreases because the body
will eliminate a certain amount of alcohol during
normal physiological functions. The amount of
alcohol eliminated by the body also depends on
the body weight, and is usually around 0,15%o per
hour.
Let's
take a closer look to this phenomenon.
Approximately 5-10 percent of the alcohol that
enters the blood flow is eliminated untainted by
the body mostly through the expired air, urine,
and sweat. Approximately, 90 to 95 percent of the
alcohol amount that enters the body is processed
by the liver. The alcohol is decomposed through
an oxidation process. Intially, it is transformed
into acetaldehyde by a hepatic enzyme called
alcoholdehydrogenesis (ADH). Acetaldehyde is also
transformed by aldehyddehydrogenesis (ALDH) into
acetic acid which becomes carbon dioxide and
water. Therefore, the body eliminates 7 to 10
grams of alcohol in one hour by decreasing the
blood alcohol concentration with 0,15%o per
hour.
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