There are many variables that affect alcohol absorption that are is complex and dependent upon the individual. The variables your Orange County DUI defense attorney will take into consideration include genetic factors, body composition, liver volume, gender, ethnicity, and food consumption. This last item, food, has perhaps the most direct and measurable effect on alcohol absorption.
When alcohol is consumed on an empty stomach, the rate of absorption ranges from 15 minutes to 2.5 hours. If you eat a moderate amount of food, this rate is changed to a half hour to three hours. If you eat a large meal, the rate may increase to as much as six hours.
The rate at which the stomach empties also affects this absorption rate. Food tends to act like a sponge, soaking up the alcohol and distributing it, thereby slowing its metabolization. The amount of alcohol that reaches the lower intestine and duodenum is therefore diminished and variable.
While alcohol tends to metabolize at a fairly constant rate, with the presence of food it is slowed, and BAC levels are lower. This result stems from a reduction in the concentration of alcohol. A person who has a lower peak alcohol level will take less time to clear it from his body. In fact, if you consume food with alcohol, the rate of clearance increases significantly – as much as two hours. The rate at which the alcohol metabolizes also increases, between 36% and 50%.
Your Orange County DUI defense attorney may use evidence of diminished alcohol absorption to argue your case. If you are not yet represented, contact the Law Offices of Chad Maddox for a free evaluation of your case.
