From the Research
The body metabolizes alcohol at a rate of approximately one standard drink per hour, with a standard drink containing about 14 grams of pure alcohol. This rate is relatively consistent but can vary based on several factors including body weight, sex, liver function, and genetics 1. Women typically metabolize alcohol more slowly than men due to having less of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. People with higher body weights may process alcohol slightly faster. Eating food before drinking can slow alcohol absorption but doesn't change the overall metabolism rate. The liver handles about 90-95% of alcohol processing through two main enzymes: alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. No method can truly speed up this process - coffee, cold showers, or exercise don't accelerate alcohol metabolism. Some studies have investigated the use of activated charcoal and fomepizole in the context of alcohol and other toxic ingestions, but these are not directly relevant to the normal metabolism of alcohol in the body 2, 3, 4, 5. For practical purposes, waiting one hour per standard drink consumed before driving or engaging in activities requiring coordination and judgment is a reasonable guideline, though it's always safer to wait longer or arrange alternative transportation after drinking. Key factors to consider include:
- Body weight: affects metabolism rate
- Sex: women metabolize alcohol more slowly than men
- Liver function: affects alcohol processing
- Genetics: can influence metabolism rate
- Food intake: can slow alcohol absorption but not metabolism rate.