Many people drink alcohol as a way to relax and enjoy their free time. Also, they use alcohol drinking as an outlet to release stress and allow them to sleep easily after a long and tiring day at work. However, too much alcohol in the body can pose harmful effects, most especially to the liver and the brain.
In this article, as your reference, you’ll get to learn the amount of alcohol that’s considered dangerous for the body.
Legalities
Across the United States (except for Utah), it’s illegal for any person ages 21 years old or above to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08%. In 2018, there was a change in the legal limits of BAC in Utah–their laws reflect a BAC of 0.05 percent for persons 21 years and above operating a vehicle.
Anyone caught with a higher level of BAC while driving, the person will face legal consequences. In addition to suspension or revocation of their driver’s license, the person might pay hefty fines or get imprisoned.
If you’re faced with a DWI case because you were asked to pull over and was arrested for a BAC of more than the legal limit, you should hire a DWI lawyer to ensure that your rights are protected.
Safe Alcohol Consumption Level
What’s considered a moderate alcohol consumption level? There are no standard guidelines as to the safe levels of alcohol consumption because each person has varying characteristics, such as genetics, sex, weight, and pattern of drinking.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2015 to 2020, the ‘safe’ level of alcohol drinking for women one drink per day and up to two drinks daily for men.
The American Addiction Centers outlines the safe alcohol consumption levels or standard drinks wherein blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is based on, which includes the following:
- Beer: 12 ounces or a bottle at 5% alcohol.
- Malt Liquor: 8 ounces at 7% alcohol.
- Wine: 5 ounces at 12% alcohol.
- Hard Liquor: 5 ounces or one shot, at 40% alcohol.
For most people, exceeding the above-mentioned level of alcohol is considered dangerous, posing harm to one’s health.
How Much Alcohol Content Is Dangerous?
The amount of alcohol for it to be dangerous depends on the type of alcohol consumed and how much you consume. Alcohol can have different effects on the liver, brain, heart, kidneys, pancreas, and other parts of the body, depending on the amount and type of alcohol taken.
Here are the dangers of too much alcohol consumption:
- Alcoholics will usually suffer from depression, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and a general lack of motivation. These symptoms may be treated with psychotherapy and medication.
- The damage caused to the brain by alcohol may cause memory loss. Since your brain is likened to a sponge, it may absorb alcohol and other toxins from the body through the blood.
- There are several toxins that are contained in alcohol that could damage the liver, causing liver failure. One of the most common problems is that you might end up developing various cancers and diseases.
- Some of the other organs that are vulnerable to alcohol’s damaging effects are the lungs, heart, kidneys, and pancreas. So, if you regularly consume alcohol, then you may endanger these organs.
How To Prevent The Damaging Effects Of Alcohol
The best way to prevent any of the above-mentioned issues is to maintain a healthy alcohol intake. The problem is that people often take too much alcohol because they’re not aware of the possible problems that they may experience later in their life.
Alcohol is considered to be addictive. About 14.4 million Americans suffer from alcohol addiction. Most of the time, people who consume excessive amounts of alcohol will find out that they have problems when they’re already in advanced stages of alcohol dependence. So, if you think you’re going to suffer from these issues, you should cut back on your drinking habits, and do the following:
- You need to have realistic expectations and understand the health problems that may occur because of excessive drinking.
- You should quit smoking and avoid drinking alcohol on a regular basis. This will help you maintain good health for the rest of your life.
- You should avoid taking in excess fat and salt in your diet because the byproducts of fat metabolism, which are ketones, can be damaging to the liver as well.
Conclusion
While there’s no standard rule as to how much level of alcohol is dangerous for the body, it’s better to follow the above-mentioned guidelines and tips.
The best way to prevent the above-mentioned problems is by making sure that you clean your home on a regular basis. You need to change your habits so that you have no more chances of exposing yourself to the damaging toxins of alcohol.
