Alcohol Facts by National Draeger
Many factors affect the height and shape of the BAC curve. Some of these are discussed below.
Body Weight vs. Drinks Consumed
In general, a heavier person can consume more alcoholic beverages than a lighter one to attain the same BAC level. A chart of BAC values for different body weights and drinks consumed is shown in Exhibit C-3.
The example in the exhibit uses an average elimination rate of 0.015% as a means of accounting for the factor of "time since first drink" in estimating BAC. It should be noted again that this rate of elimination is an average rate and, therefore, should be used with caution in making such estimates.
Blood alcohol chart of body weights vs. drinks consumed.
Showing estimated percent of alcohol in the blood by number of drinks in relation to body weight. This percent can be estimated by:
- Count your drinks (1 drink equals 1 ounce of 100-proof liquor or one 12-ounce bottle of beer).
- Use the chart below and under the number of "drinks" and opposite "body weight" find the percent o9f blood alcohol listed.
- Subtract from this number the percent of alcohol "burned up" during the time elapsed since your first drink. This figure is 0.15% per hour.
Example: 180 lb man - 8 drinks in 4 hours.
.167% minus (.015 x 4) = .10%
Exhibit C-3
DRINKS
Body
Weight 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
100 lb. .038 .075 .113 .150 .188 .225 .263 .300 .338 .375 .413 .450
110 lb. .034 .066 .103 .137 .172 .207 .241 .275 .309 .344 .379 .412
120 lb. .031 .063 .094 .125 .156 .188 .219 .250 .281 .313 .344 .375
130 lb. .029 .058 .087 .116 .145 .174 .203 .232 .261 .290 .320 .348
140 lb. .027 .054 .080 .107 .134 .161 .188 .214 .241 .268 .295 .321
150 lb. .025 .050 .075 .100 .125 .151 .176 .201 .226 .251 .276 .301
160 lb. .023 .047 .070 .094 .117 .141 .164 .188 .211 .234 .258 .281
170 lb. .022 .045 .066 .088 .110 .132 .155 .178 .200 .221 .244 .265
180 lb. .021 .042 .063 .083 .104 .125 .146 .167 .188 .208 .229 .250
190 lb. .020 .040 .059 .079 .099 .119 .138 .158 .179 .198 .217 .237
200 lb. .019 .038 .056 .075 .094 .113 .131 .150 .169 .188 .206 .225
210 lb. .018 .036 .053 .071 .090 .107 .125 .143 .161 .179 .197 .215
220 lb. .017 .034 .051 .068 .085 .102 .119 .136 .153 .170 .188 .205
230 lb. .016 .032 .049 .063 .081 .098 .115 .130 .147 .163 .180 .196
240 lb. .016 .031 .047 .063 .078 .094 .109 .125 .141 .156 .172 .188
For clarification, if the 180 lb. person had all the alcohol from 12 ounces of 100 proof whiskey or 12 twelve-ounce bottles of beer in his body at one time, he would have a blood alcohol reading of 0.25% blood alcohol by weight.
Empty Stomach vs. Full Stomach
Food in the stomach will delay absorption and result in a lower BAC than would be obtain4ed if the stomach were empty. Instead of decreasing immediately, a plateau at that BAC will be maintained for a longer period of time that if the stomach were empty. The amounts of 80-proof liquor required to reach various BAC's under conditions of both full and empty stomachs may be estimated from the charts in Exhibit C-4.
Rate of Drinking and Quantity Consumed
The BAC curve varies in height and shape depending on quantity of alcoholic beverages consumed and the rate of drinking. Variations in curve shape as a function of quantity consumed and time are shown in Exhibits C-5 and C-6.
In general, it may be commented that maximum BAC's are usually reached 20 to 30 minutes after consuming a single drink on an empty stomach. When drinks are consumed successively over time, the BAC rises with ach drink, reaches a maximum 15 to 20 minutes following ingestion of the last drink and starts to decline from this maximum. (See Exhibit C-5.) When several drinks are consumed in a very short period of time, peak BAC's may not appear until 45 minutes to 1-1/4 hours after ingestion of the last drink. (See Exhibit C-6.)
