A neurosurgeon who lost his 18-year-old son in a drunken driving crash has shed light on how long it takes your body to break down alcohol. Dr. Brian Hoeflinger of the US lost his son Brian nine years ago when he drove drunk and died as a result.
On TikTok, the doctor posted an eye-opening video illustrating how quickly alcohol levels rise in the body. “You need to understand how alcohol works… This information regarding drinking may be life-saving, according to Dr. Hoeflinger.
In order to simulate a game of beer pong, the medical professional set up an imaginary party in his kitchen using shot glasses filled with water.
“Say you’re at a party and there’s a lot of drinks going down… So you have five shots in the first hour,” he explained as he sets the scene. “As you’re taking these shots, that alcohol is building up in your system fast. So alcohol goes to your brain within five minutes and it starts to affect you. “But maybe what you don’t know is your liver only metabolizes one ounce (29.5mL) of alcohol per hour.”
10 grams of alcohol are equal to 285 mL of full-strength beer, 100 mL of wine (red and white), or 30 mL of spirits in Australia. Yet, it can be challenging to determine how much alcohol is in cocktails and mixed beverages.
Your liver can metabolize one ounce (29.5mL) of alcohol each hour, according to Dr. Hoeflinger. He feigned to take five shots and said, “I just had five ounces (147.8mL) of alcohol in my system, at the end of an hour, I’m only going to burn off an ounce.”
‘Body can’t metabolize fast’
“So I’m going to have four ounces (118.2mL) of alcohol left in my bloodstream. “My liver can’t metabolize it that fast.” As the night goes on, Dr. Hoeflinger explained how easy it was for partygoers to knock back more shots.
“Party is rocking so we’re going to have three more ounces (88.7mL),” he said.
“I take three ounces (88.7mL) of alcohol in that next hour. Now I’m up to a total of eight ounces (236.5mL) of alcohol in two hours. I’ve burned off two, but I still have six ounces (177.4mL) left in my system. “So that six ounces (177.4mL) is going to take six hours to burn off.”
As his fictional party winds down, Dr. Hoeflinger takes another shot. “I don’t feel like drinking as much so maybe I’ll have one (more) ounce (29.5mL),” he said.
“Now I’m up to nine ounces (266.1mL) of alcohol in my bloodstream over three hours.” Of the nine ounces (266.1mL) of alcohol he consumed during the three-hour event, his liver could metabolize only three ounces (88.7mL).
“So I now have six ounces (177.4mL) of liquor left in my bloodstream that’s going to only burn off by the hour,” he said. “You’re going to be drunk in the wee hours of the morning. It doesn’t wear off.”
‘You can’t do that’
The doctor said some people assume they can stop drinking for an hour or two and then drive home. “You can’t do that. You’re still drunk five to six hours down the road,” he said. In Australia, the legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05 percent, meaning you’re breaking the law if you drive and your blood alcohol concentration is equal to or more than 0.05.
“I really want to tell people that’s how alcohol can stack up in your system very easily when you’re drunk,” Dr. Hoeflinger said. “You won’t know it, it won’t wear off for hours and hours down the road.”
He urged everyone not to get into a car or drink and drive, and instead get a ride-sharing service.
“The worst thing you can do is drink and drive or kill yourself, but more importantly kill somebody else, and it’s just not worth it,” Dr. Hoeflinger said.
‘My son was a drunk driver’
The neurosurgeon has been sharing educational videos on social media to remind everyone to be cautious on the roads after his son lost his life in a drunk driving car accident almost a decade ago. “He was 18 years old at the time and he was that drunk driver,” the dad said.
“Losing somebody you love is one of the worst experiences you can have in your life. It’s especially hard on the ones that are left behind.”
He added: “Please don’t drink and drive. Do not get into a car with someone who’s been drinking and driving. “You never want to feel the way our family feels. Please think before you drink.”
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