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    3.  • What factors affect a person’s blood alcohol concentration level?

What factors affect a person’s blood alcohol concentration level?

There are many different factors that can impact how quickly a person’s blood alcohol concentration level rises after consuming alcohol.

When people in Colorado drink alcohol, their blood alcohol concentration level rises. Although consuming alcohol does cause everyone’s BAC level to rise, the rate at which it does so can vary greatly from person to person.

Important factors

The reason why BAC level is so variable is because many different factors can affect how quickly alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream after consumption. These factors include some of the following:

  • Weight-The more a person weighs, the more water there is in his or her body. Since water dilutes alcohol and it can lower a person’s BAC level, a person who weighs more will have a lower BAC level than a person who weighs less after consuming the same amount of alcohol.
  • The number of drinks consumed-When a person starts drinking alcohol, his or her BAC level will steadily increase depending on if alcoholic beverages continue to be consumed.
  • Age-After one alcoholic beverage is consumed, an older adult will have a higher BAC level than a younger adult.
  • Gender-Generally speaking, men’s bodies have more water and less fat than women’s bodies. Since alcohol travels easily into fat cells, women tend to have higher BAC levels than men after consuming the same amount of alcohol. Women’s hormones can also have an impact on the way alcohol is broken down within the body.

Additionally, whether or not a person has eaten before drinking alcohol can impact his or her BAC level. This is because food can absorb some alcohol, resulting in a higher BAC level if eating did not occur before or during a period of drinking.

Potential consequences of a DUI in Denver, Colorado

Although many factors can impact how quickly a person’s BAC level rises after drinking, Coloradoans can be arrested for driving under the influence if their BAC level is as low as 0.05, states the Colorado Department of Transportation. If convicted of a DUI, drivers may face a number of consequences, such as the loss of their license and the requirement to use an Ignition Interlock device. Other consequences can include imprisonment, probation, court-ordered alcohol education classes and community service.

Contact a Denver criminal defense attorney

Those in Colorado who are arrested for drinking and driving may worry about how the potential of a conviction could affect them financially and how a conviction could impact their reputation. In this situation, people facing DUI charges should reach out to a Colorado DUI attorney for assistance ensuring their legal rights are protected.