What is Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)? Let's talk about it simply.

When we get together with friends, when we go to a party, there are those of us who are used to "getting a little drunk", right? A beer, a little wine, or a shot of alcohol... No matter what we drink, it has a way of working inside our bodies. Have you ever heard of 'Blood Alcohol Content' or `(BAC)` for short? Today we are talking about this method of measuring the amount of alcohol in your body. This is something you need to know if you are thinking about your health and safety.

What is Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) in simple terms?

Simply put, Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream.

Any type of alcohol, such as beer, wine, or liquor, contains an intoxicating ingredient called `(ethyl alcohol)` or `(ethanol). When you drink alcohol, this alcohol is quickly absorbed into the blood from your stomach and small intestines. But alcohol is a poison for our body. So our liver works to filter this poison and remove it from the blood.

But here's the problem. Our liver has a limit on how fast it can process alcohol. On average, the liver can process about one drink per hour. If you drink alcohol faster than that, your blood alcohol level, or BAC, will increase. That's when you feel "high."

Even though we say "one alcoholic drink," there are quantities:

• 12 ounces of beer
• 5 ounces of wine
• 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, such as arak

There are several other factors that can affect your BAC level:

• How much alcohol do you drink?
• How fast you drink.
• How much food you had before drinking alcohol (BAC increases quickly when you drink on an empty stomach).
• Your age and body weight.

What happens to our bodies with BAC levels?

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. This means that it slows down the functioning of our brain and body. So as our blood alcohol level (BAC) increases, the effect it has on our body and mind also changes.

This can be understood more clearly from the table below.

Some people have become accustomed to drinking alcohol regularly. They have what we call a 'tolerance'. This means they may no longer feel as intoxicated as they used to. But that doesn't mean their blood alcohol level (BAC) is low. Even though they don't feel intoxicated, the damage and risk to their bodies are still there.

In what situations is a BAC test performed?

There may be various reasons for doing a BAC test.

• Medical reasons: If someone becomes seriously ill after drinking too much alcohol in a short period of time, doctors will perform this test to determine if it is alcohol poisoning. Such a person should be taken to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately.
• Alcohol Use Monitoring: This test is used to see if someone is using alcohol during treatment for alcohol addiction.
• At the workplace: Some organizations may conduct this test when hiring new employees, during employment, or after a workplace accident.
• Legal matters: This is something we hear all the time. BAC testing is mandatory in legal matters, such as when a car accident occurs, when the police check for drunk driving, and when minors are caught drinking alcohol.

How is this blood test done?

Don't worry, this is very simple, just like a regular blood test. This is usually done by a laboratory technician.

1. You will be seated in a chair and an easy vein to draw blood from will be found. Usually, it will be on the inside of your elbow.

2. Once the vein is found, the area is thoroughly cleaned and an antiseptic is applied.

3. Then a small needle is inserted into the vein and a blood sample is taken. You will feel a small prick.

4. After the amount of blood required for the test has been taken, the needle is removed and the area is pressed with a piece of cotton.

5. Finally, a small piece of plaster is applied to the area and the work is completed.

The entire process takes less than five minutes. The blood sample is then sent to the laboratory for the results.

Find out about the test results

The test report results can come in several forms. The most common is as a percentage of BAC. For example, 0.03% BAC .

Sometimes it may come out as "positive" or "negative." This means that there was or was not alcohol in your blood.

What is the legal level?

In many countries around the world, including Sri Lanka, the maximum blood alcohol level allowed by law to drive a vehicle is 0.08% BAC . This is a very small amount. This means that even after drinking one beer, your BAC level could still exceed this limit.

Therefore, never, for any reason, drink and drive. It is a great danger to your life and the lives of innocent people on the road.

Moderate alcohol consumption may not be a problem for someone of legal age. But drinking too much or too often can be a serious health risk. If you have concerns about your drinking habits, talk to your doctor . Together, we can develop a plan that works for you.