The Basics of Alcohol

Alcohol affects every person differently, depending on a variety of factors, including:

• Body mass

• Tolerance, or how often and how much the person consumes alcohol

• Existing medical conditions

• Use of other drugs

In a healthy person, alcohol only takes a few minutes on average to reach the brain. The liver removes most of the alcohol in the body by breaking it down.

As someone drinks, the level of alcohol in their blood rises, known as blood alcohol concentration or "BAC."

In healthy individuals, each standard drink increases the BAC by about 0.02%. In the United States, the legal BAC limit for drivers 21 and older is 0.08%.

When a person stops drinking, their BAC will continue to rise as the alcohol in their stomach enters the bloodstream.

There are many myths about how to lower BAC, from vomiting to drinking coffee. In truth, the only thing that lowers someone’s BAC is time. The more someone has consumed, the more time it will take.

The amount of liquid in an alcoholic drink does not indicate how much alcohol it contains.

The intensity of alcohol is measured by the concentration of pure ethanol in every 100 ml. Referred to as alcohol by volume (ABV) or "proof," it typically ranges from 3-50%, depending on the style and fermentation method.

In the United States, the average ABV of beer ranges from 3.5%–7%, wine is 12%, and hard liquor between 40%–50%.

In the United States, one "standard" alcoholic serving contains about 14 grams of pure alcohol. Here are some examples of standard drinks:

To consume alcohol in moderation, the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans advises that adults of legal drinking age should limit daily intake to two drinks or less for men and one drink or less for women.