Alcohol - Fact and Effects

What type of alcohol do we drink?

Alcohol that people drink is called ethyl or ethanol alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol or Rubbing alcohol is NOT for drinking.
Note: When you drink alcohol, it goes straight from your stomach or intestines into your bloodstream.

What is consider one drink?

One drink is a 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine or 1 ½ oz 80-proof liquor (distilled spirit).
Metric: One drink is a 360 ml beer, 150 ml wine or 45 ml 80-proof liquor (distilled spirit).
They all contain about 0.6 oz or 18 ml of alcohol. Don't believe me? Let's do the math:

Type of Drink	Avg. Alcohol	Calculation	Amount of
	Content		Pure Alcohol
12 oz Beer	5%	12 * .05	0.6 oz
5 oz Wine	12%	5 * .12	0.6 oz
1 ½ oz 80-proof Liquor	40%	1.5 * .40	0.6 oz
360 ml Beer	5%	360 * .05	18 ml
150 ml Wine	12%	150 * .12	18 ml
45 ml 80-proof Liquor	40%	45 * .40	18 ml
They all contain 0.6 oz or 18 ml of pure alcohol

Important: If you order one mixed drink that contains 3 oz of liquor, that is not consider one drink; it is consider two drinks because it has twice the amount of alcohol.

What exactly do they mean by "Proof"?

Alcohol proof is the amount of alcohol in the liquor or liqueur. It is twice the percentage of alcohol by volume. Example: 80-proof means 40 % alcohol by volume, 100-proof is 50 %, 151-proof is 75.5 %, etc.

How do I know how much alcohol is in my mixed drink?

The simple answer is ask your bartender.
It depends on what mixed drink you are ordering. Some drinks contain more liquor than others. It also depends on the bartender and the establishment where you are buying the drinks. In some places the bartenders are free pouring and in other places they use jiggers.
Note: Every establishment sets the measurement of the drinks. So, you may order the same drink at different bars and get different amounts of liquor.

Does mixing different kinds of drinks make a person get more drunk?

No, it doesn't. The alcohol in the drinks makes you drunk not the different kinds.
Personal Note: I heard many people say, "If I start drinking beer, I'll keep drinking beer all night. I don't mix." They think that drinking something other than beer, will make them more drunk. You may drink whatever you want. It doesn't matter if you mix, just drink in moderation.

Will some drinks get you drunk faster than others?

Mixed drinks that contain carbonated beverages will get you drunk faster than mixed drinks that don't have any carbonation. Example: A "Vodka And Tonic" will get you drunk faster than a "Cape Cod."
Note: Carbonation speeds up the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.

Will drinking a lot of coffee or taking a really cold shower help me sober up quickly?

No, they won't. The only thing that can help you sober up is "TIME." Coffee and a cold shower might help you stay awake, but they won't help you sober up.

Will eating a lot of food before drinking help keep me from getting drunk?

No, it won't. Eating before drinking slows down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. You will get drunk, but it will take a little bit longer.

How long does alcohol stay in your system?

It all depends on how much alcohol you consumed and how fast; it also depends on some other factors like weight and sex. To get an estimate of how long it will take, use the BAC Calculator.

Alcohol can be deathly

Alcohol is consider a poison. If you drink too much too fast, it can kill you. Please drink with moderation!

Things to keep in mind

1. Eat something before you start drinking.
2. One drink is a 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine or 1 ½ oz 80-proof liquor (distilled spirit).
3. Don't drink too much too fast.
4. Carbonated mixed drinks get you drunk faster than non-carbonated.
5. Mixing different kinds of drinks doesn't get you more drunk. The amount of alcohol does.
6. Coffee and a cold shower don't help you to sober up.
7. The only thing that can help you sober up is "TIME."
8. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE!

Unit of alcohol

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A large glass of red wine contains about three units of alcohol

In Britain a system of units of alcohol is employed for an approximate measure of the amount of alcohol in different drinks.

Formula

A unit of alcohol is equivalent to 10 millilitres (or approximately 8 grams) of pure ethanol, the active chemical ingredient in alcoholic beverages.
The number of units of alcohol in a drink can be determined by multiplying the volume of the drink (in millilitres) by its percentage ABV, and dividing by 1000 (or litres × % abv).
Thus a pint (568ml) of beer at 4% ABV contains
Also, in the metric system of measuring, there is 1 unit in 1 litre of a 1% ABV drink.

Quantities

It is often misleadingly stated that a unit is simply a small glass of wine, or half a pint of beer, or single measure of spirits. Such statements are misleading because they do not indicate that strengths and/or measures of wines, beers and spirits are generally greater.

• A small glass (125ml) of 8% abv wine contains one unit, or 8 g (0.25 oz) of alcohol. However, British pubs and restaurants usually supply larger quantities (medium: 175 ml or large: 250 ml), and few wines are as weak as 8%. A typical pub measure (medium glass - 175 ml) of white wine (at 12%) contains around 2 units (actually 2.1) and a large glass (250 ml) contains exactly 3 units. Red wine, which usually has a higher alcohol content (up to 16%), contains for an average 14% abv. an alcohol content of 3.5 units for a large (250 ml glass), approximately one-sixth higher than a typical white wine. Just two bottles of 14% abv. red wine a week will account for the recommended maximum intake of alcohol for a male person in the UK according to official health guidelines.

• A small glass (50ml) of sherry or fortified wine (approx. 20% abv) contains about one unit.

• A half pint (284ml) of ordinary strength (3.5-4% ABV) beer contains about one unit. However, some beers (especially lager) are stronger. In pubs, beers generally range from 4% to 5.5% ABV with continental lagers starting at around 5% ABV. A pint of such lager (568ml at 5.2% for example) is virtually 3 units of alcohol, a full 50% higher value than the 'traditionally held' view of 2 units per pint.

• A single pub measure (about 25ml) of a 40% ABV spirit contains one unit. However, a larger single measure of 35 ml is now often sold, resulting in the consumption of 1.4 units of alcohol.

• Strong pale lager may contain as much as two units per half pint.

• A 440ml can of 'super-strength' lager (9% ABV) contains almost 4 units of alcohol.

• A 750ml standard bottle of 12% wine contains 9 units. Many wines (especially New World red wines) actually start at around 14%, which is 10.5 units of alcohol per bottle.

• A 500ml can/bottle of standard lager (5%) generally contains around 2.5 units.

Limits

Since 1995 the UK government has advised that regular consumption of between three and four units a day for men and between two and three units a day for women would not pose significant health risks, but that consistently drinking four or more units a day (men) or three or more units a day (women) is not advisable. Previously (from 1992 till 1995) the advice was that men should drink no more than 21 units per week, and women no more than 14. This was changed because a government study showed that many people were in effect "saving" up their units and "using" them at the end of the week, a phenomenon referred to as binge drinking. The difference between sexes is given due to the (typically) lower weight and water-to-body-mass-ratio of women. A pregnant woman should only drink 1-2 units once or twice a week.
It was revealed in October 2007 that these limits had been "plucked out of the air" and have no scientific basis.
A international study (Kanis, 2005) of almost 6,000 men and 11,000 women found that persons who drank more than 2 units of alcohol a day had an increased risk of fractures compared to non-drinkers. For example, those who drank over 3 units a day had nearly twice the risk of a hip fracture. This could possibly be explained by the effects of intoxication rather than any inherent physiological effect caused by the alcohol.