Everyone has heard that drinking
alcohol on an empty stomach is a bad thing, but few people understand why. To
begin with, drinking any liquid on an empty stomach causes gastric emptying,
which means that the liquid spends less time in the stomach. In the case of
alcohol, the time it spends in the stomach is when 15% of the alcohol is broken
down before entering the bloodstream. Removing this step leads to high levels
of intoxication as the other 85% of the alcohol is broken down within the
liver. Essentially, a small amount of alcohol is always immediately absorbed
into the bloodstream and sent to the brain, but this amount is amplified when
the stomach is empty.
When one consumes alcohol on an empty
stomach, blood vessels widen more rapidly than when the calories are available
to slow the process of absorption. This causes feelings of warmth as well as a
decrease in both blood pressure and pulse rate. Drinking on an empty stomach
also leads to temporary dehydration because of excessive urination and lack of
feelings of thirst. These are some of the more immediate effects, but longer
term effects can include liver and kidney damage, depression, anxiety, and even
addiction. While all of these side effects are present with regular consumption
of alcohol, the process is sped up when consuming alcohol without any food in
the stomach.
A Swedish study had participants
consume alcohol after eating breakfast versus not eating breakfast on two
separate days. The blood alcohol content on days that they did not eat was 30%
higher than on days that they did eat despite consuming the exact same alcohol.
This is significant because blood alcohol content of .06 consists of slightly
exaggerated emotions and an impairment of judgment. Increasing that by just 30%
shows characteristics vision and speech impairment. This continue to grow
exponentially and may lead to loss of self-control, inability to use motor
skills, and even loss of consciousness at a more rapid rate than if food was in
the stomach.
In short, drinking alcohol on an
empty stomach leads to higher levels of blood alcohol concentration and more
visible signs of intoxication. It is a good idea to consume foods high in fat,
protein, and dense carbohydrates to slow the absorption of alcohol. Since fat
takes the longest to digest, it is recommended that foods high in fat are
consumed before drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, drinking alcohol often
suppresses appetite due to gastric juice flow so it is vitally important to eat
a meal before drinking in order to reduce the risk of the aforementioned side
effects from alcohol consumption. Source
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