#  Alcohol & You 

 



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## Alcohol and You



 



###    Alcohol Facts  expand\_more  

- **Blood Alcohol Level (BAC) measures the percentage of alcohol in a person’s bloodstream:**
    - The amount you drink and the speed at which alcohol is consumed will have a huge impact on your BAC level
    - BAC = (alcohol consumed in grams) / (body weight in grams x R) x 100
        - Biological factors like a person’s sex or size change the impact of each drink on a person’s level of intoxication → R = 0.55 for females and 0.68 for males
- **Standard drink sizes:**
    - Wine: 5oz = 148ml; alcohol by volume: 11-16%
    - Beer: 12oz = 355ml; alcohol by volume: 3-5%
    - Liquor: 1.5oz = 44ml; alcohol by volume: 40% (80 proof)
- **Water content in muscles dilutes the distribution of alcohol → more distinguished muscle mass buffers a rapid rise in BAC.**
- **Drinking in an unfamiliar environment can increase your impairment (situational tolerance).**
    - In a typical environment that you drink in, your body receives a cue that it will receive alcohol → tolerance goes into effect when cued
    - In an unfamiliar environment, your body does not get the cue → might feel like you drank more than you actually did

 

 



###    Effects of Alcohol  expand\_more  

 ![Chart of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) and the typical effects associated with the percentiles. ](/sites/g/files/omnuum11661/files/2025-10/BAC-chart.png)

 

 

 



###    Risk Spectrum of Intoxication  expand\_more  

- Low-risk signs of intoxication:
    - More outgoing than usual
    - Extra talkative
    - Yelling
    - Reduced inhibitions
- Moderate-risk signs of intoxication:
    - Very emotional
    - Repeating stories (blackout)
    - Slurring speech
    - Stumbling
    - Vomiting
- High-risk signs of intoxication:
    - Nodding off at a party (extreme drowsiness)
    - Unable to walk on own
    - Glazed eyes (unable to focus)
    - Repeated vomiting

 

 



###    When to Call for Help  expand\_more  

 ![Seeking Help](/sites/g/files/omnuum11661/files/wellness/files/seeking_help_4.25_x_5.5_in_1.png)

 

 

 



###    Strategies to Reduce Risk  expand\_more  

- Eat a meal before drinking
    - Food in your stomach can slow the absorption of alcohol
- Pace yourself to 1 hr+ between drinks
- Alternate with water or non-alcoholic drinks
    - Alcohol is dehydrating. Drinking water can help rehydrate + pace your drinks
- Set a drink limit before you go out
- Set your optimal buzz as your target level of intoxication
- Group up – find friends who want to have a similar night as you

 

 



 

 

 

 

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##  Blood Alcohol Concentration Charts 

 ![Blood Alcohol Concentration charts for males and females.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11661/files/2025-10/BAC-charts-male-female.png)