Blood Alcohol Content Calculator To Measure Alcohol Intoxication

Medically reviewed by Dr. Benjamin Gibson, PAHM, PharmD, Certified Functional Specialist Dr. Benjamin Gibson Dr. Benjamin GibsonPAHM, PharmD, Certified Functional Specialist linkedin_icon
Written by , Senior Health & Wellness Writer Payal Karnik Senior Health & Wellness Writer Experience: 2.5 years
Edited by , Senior Editor Arshiya Syeda Senior Editor Experience: 7 years
Fact-checked by , Senior Health & Wellness Writer Sindhu Koganti Senior Health & Wellness Writer Experience: 6 years
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Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is used to measure the amount of alcohol intoxication. It is usually expressed as a percentage of alcohol in mg per 100 ml of blood. Wondering how to calculate BAC values before hitting the road? A BAC calculator is a smart tool that calculates your alcohol level with a click. An individual’s weight, gender, and amount of alcohol consumed can influence their BAC levels.

Gender

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What Is Blood Alcohol Concentration?

It is used to determine the level of a person’s intoxication 30 to 90 minutes after drinking (1). It is the percentage of ethanol in the blood. The degree of impairment caused by alcohol intoxication depends on several factors. Also, many countries impose legal restrictions on blood alcohol content (BAC) when driving or performing particular tasks.

Various factors influence BAC values. Learn more about them in the next section.

Factors That Affect Blood Alcohol Concentration

  • Younger people, especially teens, can reach a higher blood alcohol content (BAC) faster than older people because they typically have a lower tolerance to alcohol. As people age, their bodies often become less efficient at metabolizing alcohol.
  • In general, larger people can drink more alcohol without seeing a spike in blood alcohol content as fast as smaller people. This is because alcohol spreads more thinly in their body.
  • A person’s BAC results are closely correlated with the amount of alcohol they have ingested.
  • Women often have a higher BAC value than men after consuming the same amount of alcohol. This is because women often have lower water content and higher body fat percentages, which causes less alcohol to be diluted in their bodies.
  • Alcohol consumption on an empty stomach causes the BAC to rise more quickly. Eating before drinking can help lower your blood alcohol content (BAC) since food slows down the amount of alcohol entering your bloodstream.
  • Each person’s body metabolizes alcohol at a different rate. Alcohol’s duration in the bloodstream varies among individuals due to differences in their rate of metabolism.
  • Drinking alcohol rapidly leads to a higher BAC than consuming it slowly over time.
  • Certain medications like antidepressants and pain relievers and health conditions like digestive and liver diseases may interact with alcohol and affect how your body processes it.

These are some factors that affect BAC values. But how are these values calculated? Scroll down to know.

What Is Blood Alcohol Calculator?

It refers to the percentage of alcohol in the bloodstream, 30-70 minutes after drinking. It is the percentage of ethanol in the blood. Several factors influence blood alcohol levels, like volume and concentration of alcohol in a drink

How Is BAC Calculated?

  1. Check your weight in pounds or kilograms on a digital weighing machine.
  2. Estimate how much alcohol you have consumed in oz or ml.
  3. Estimate the % of alcohol in that particular drink by turning your bottle around to see the label.
  4. Estimate the hours you spent drinking alcohol.

Your BAC will be calculated based on these parameters.

What Are Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) Levels?

Effects Based On Blood Alcohol Content

The effects of alcohol at various Blood Alcohol Concentration levels are listed below :

BACEFFECTS
(Mental And Physical)
.01 – .03No apparent effects other than a slightly elevated mood.
.04 – .06May feel relaxed, and experience a sensation of warmth and minor impairment of reasoning and memory.
.07 – .09May cause a mild impairment of balance, vision, speech, and control.
.10 – .12May cause a significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of judgment, and lead to slurred speech.
.13 – .15May cause gross impairment of motor control, leading to blurred vision and loss of balance. May also cause dysphoria (anxiety and restlessness).
.16 – .20May cause dysphoria and nausea, and the person may appear like a “sloppy drunk.”
.25 – .30May lead to severe intoxication and the person may require assistance while walking. May also cause mental confusion, dysphoria, nausea, and vomiting.
.35 – .40May cause loss of consciousness, leading to coma.
.40 and upMay lead to coma and respiratory failure, leading to death.

These are some effects of alcohol at various BAC levels. But how long does alcohol take to get out of your system?

How Long Does It Take To Get Alcohol Out Of Your System?

Alcohol is generally metabolized at a constant level, and many people experience its effects for a long time. The rate at which alcohol can get out of your system depends on several factors. These include the individual’s metabolism, body weight, age, gender, and overall health. Although metabolic rates vary widely, a person weighing 70 kg has an ‘average’ metabolic capacity to remove 170 to 240 g of alcohol per day. This is equivalent to a metabolic rate (the rate at which your body processes alcohol) of roughly 7 g of alcohol per hour, or roughly one drink every hour (2).

  • The liver gets rid of almost 90% of alcohol, with only 2 to 5% ending up unchanged in the urine, sweat, or breath (3). The rest is broken down internally. The liver plays a role in detoxifying it. It takes 1 hour to expel half an ounce of alcohol.
  • If the rate of elimination is 0.015% every hour, it will take almost 5 hours to flush out the entire alcohol.

Not all drinks contain the same amount of alcohol. Let’s now find out the alcohol percentages in different drinks.

How Much Alcohol Is Present In These Drinks?

One “standard” drink (or its equivalent in an alcoholic beverage) in the US has about 14 grams of pure alcohol, which can be found in (4):

  • Regular beer: 5% alcohol by volume (ABV)
  • Distilled beers: 12% ABV (1.5 ounce)
  • Vodka alcohol content: 40-95%
  • Average alcohol content of wine: 16-24 % ABV ( Fortified wine)
  • Rum alcohol content : 36-50% ABV
  • Whiskey alcohol content : 36-50% ABV

Let’s now find out how to remove alcohol from your system.

How To Get Alcohol Out Of Your System

  • Drink water slowly and in small amounts. If you feel nauseous, stop drinking water. You may need to add electrolytes like salt. The more water you drink, the more toxins are eliminated from the urine.
  • Remember to eat food while sipping on your drink.
  • Get enough sleep after consuming alcohol to give rest to your body.
  • It is advisable to stay away from coffee and other caffeinated drinks, as caffeine might cause severe dehydration.

The BAC calculator is used to determine blood alcohol levels. This calculator helps users to quickly and accurately determine their blood alcohol content (BAC) and enables them to make well-informed decisions about alcohol consumption. In addition, it acts as an instructional tool that emphasizes the value of personal accountability.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a BAC of 0.4% high?

Yes. This level of blood alcohol content (BAC) may cause nausea, drowsiness,
total loss of consciousness, and difficulty walking and speaking (5).

What does a blood alcohol level of 50 mean?

In general, a blood alcohol level of 0.05–0.07% (50–70 mg/dL) represents euphoria and impaired motor skills.

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References

Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.

  1. Alcohol Drinking and Blood Alcohol Concentration Revisited, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5785465/
  2. ALCOHOL METABOLISM
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3484320/
  3. Alcohol in the body
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC543875/
  4. What Is A Standard Drink?
    https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/what-standard-drink
  5. Ethanol Toxicity
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557381/

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