How many drinks does it take to reach significantly impairing BACs?
The effects of alcoholic drinks vary greatly because the rate that alcohol is absorbed into the blood differs from person to person. Other factors, such as the amount of food in the stomach, also affect alcohol absorption. Nevertheless, various organizations have developed charts intended to help people estimate their BACs based on the number of drinks consumed. These tables can be used to estimate BACs, but they are subject to error. Even after controlling for differences such as age, sex, and weight that are known to affect BACs, an individual’s peak BAC may differ markedly from the average indicated on the charts.
