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It’s commonly observed that some people find themselves under the influence of alcohol sooner than others. In other words, it does appear that some individuals can “hold their liquor” better than others. Why is it so? The answer lies in getting an understanding of how alcohol is metabolized. This part of the law can be confusing particularly if you have been charged with a DUI. Here are some of the facts of about the alcohol metabolism rate and the impact it could have on a DUI charge.
Number Of Drinks And Legal Limit
Under California law, it is illegal to operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and it is against the law to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration or BAC of 0.08 percent or higher. This number is often obtained by investigating law enforcement officials with a blood alcohol or breath test.
The question here is: How many drinks does a person have to consume before a person reaches the 0.08 percent legal limit? In fact, there is no magic number of drinks. Alcohol is typically absorbed into the system quickly and metabolized at a slower rate. The rate at which alcohol is metabolized could depend on a number of factors such as the person’s height and weight, their individual metabolism, and amount of food consumed.
What Affects Alcohol Absorption
Again, there are several factors that have an impact on an individual’s alcohol absorption rate including:
Food: When a person consumes alcohol on an empty stomach, they might become drunk at a much quicker rate. In other words, food helps slow down the rate of alcohol absorption. High protein foods in particular might help slow it down even more.
Type of alcohol: Not all drinks are equal when it comes to alcohol absorption. If you’re drinking hard liquor such as whiskey or vodka that have a higher alcohol concentration, you are likely to become more drunk compared to when you’re drinking wine or beer.
Gender: According to several studies, alcohol affects women more than men. This is typically true because women are smaller than men and men have more enzymes that are used to metabolize alcohol compared with women.
Body composition: Blood alcohol concentration is more in individuals who have more body fat as opposed to someone with more muscle mass. This is because fat tissue is low in water content and is unable to absorb alcohol faster. Also, the quicker you drink, the higher your BAC will be.
Contacting An Experienced DUI Lawyer
If you are facing a DUI charge in California, you are likely looking at a number of severe penalties including license suspension, job loss, or depending on the nature and circumstances of the crash, even jail time. DUI may be charged as a misdemeanor or as a felony. If you are facing a drunk driving charge, it is imperative that you contact an experienced California DUI defense attorney who will help protect your rights and come up with a solid defense strategy.
