How long does it take for alcohol concentration to drop to 0 after drinking a glass of beer?

I have a habit of drinking a glass of beer every day, so how long does it take for the alcohol concentration to reach 0, so that I can participate in traffic? (Hung, 30 years old, Hanoi )

Reply:

In general, there is no exact answer to the question: "How long does it take for a glass of beer to reach 0 alcohol concentration?" because it depends on each person. Each individual will have a different time and many factors affect the speed at which the body eliminates alcohol.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines an alcohol unit as follows: One alcohol unit is equivalent to 10 grams of pure ethanol, equal to 200 ml of beer; 75 ml of wine (1 glass); 25 ml of spirits (1 cup). Depending on the amount of alcohol consumed, it will be converted to approximately how many units of alcohol.

An average healthy adult's liver will excrete one unit of alcohol every hour. Depending on the physical condition, this time period may increase or decrease. About 10-15% of alcohol will be excreted through the respiratory tract, skin, and sweat; about 85-90% will be processed through the liver.

A glass of beer is equivalent to about two units of alcohol, which on average takes about 2 hours to eliminate. However, after elimination, the body needs 2-3 hours for the alcohol in the blood to return to 0. Therefore, if you drink a glass of beer, it will take about 5 hours for the alcohol concentration to not increase.

Studies have shown that when the alcohol concentration in the body is high, meaning when drinking a lot of alcohol, the liver's rate of alcohol elimination is faster. Conversely, when the alcohol concentration in the body is low, this rate is slower.

With current regulations, when you are blown for alcohol concentration, if you detect alcohol in your breath even if it is less than 0.25 mg/L, you are in violation. Therefore, a glass of beer in a short time can still give you the possibility of being fined if participating in traffic.

Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang
Vietnam - Russia Hyperbaric Oxygen Center, Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center, Ministry of National Defense

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