How the Human Body Absorbs and Eliminates Alcohol, Essay Example

The human body does not absorbalcohol as soon as it is consumed. The substance first enters the stomach and then proceeds to the intestines where most of the absorption process occurs.How fast the absorption occurs depends on the type of drink consumed, the size of the individual’s body and also the contents in the individual’s stomach at the time of drinking.( No Cuffs, 2011) The body starts eliminating alcohol as soon as it enters the bloodstream but is not able to do it at a pace similar to the absorption rate. In this instance it can be compared to a bathtub with a slow drain, the alcohol flows in at a higher pace than it flows out. This is the reason why blood alcohol levels in the body remain high even after the individual stops drinking. The BAC level rises till it reaches a plateau which represents a level where the absorption rate matches the elimination rate . The plateau phase typically lasts for 15 – 45 minutes. If the individual stops drinking after this phase blood alcohol levels rapidly decrease depending on the person’s metabolic rate and the content of a person’s stomach. (No Cuffs, 2011)

It is important to understand these physical processes since they impact BAC Levels in an individual’sbody. Criminal investigative procedures for Drunk Driving cases rest on measuring the persons BAC levels at the time of arrest. If the BAC levels are above the stipulated limit the individual may be arrested for driving under influence. Thus it is important to know how these processes work to ensure that the tests are accurate and the individual did in fact consume alcoholjust a short time before driving the car.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of breath and blood tests is that they provide a portable means of measuring blood alcohol consumption levels for police patrols.One of the disadvantages of  these tests is that its validity depends on whether  the test was properly collected, stored and conducted .Another disadvantage is that it doesnot take into account other factors that  impact the  BAC  level such as the individuals metabolic rate , body weight and stomach contents. All these factors may lead to an inaccurate reading of the BAC levels. (No Cuffs, 2011)

Works Cited

No Cuffs (2011) Alcohol Absorption, Distribution, and Elimination retrieved June 8 2011 from the websitehttp://www.nocuffs.com/dui/dui_investigation/alcohol_absorption.php