It is not enough to know "your norm", you should be able to correctly calculate it without losing yourself in the variety of drinks, their fortress and the size of the glasses. In order for people to watch how much they drink, in 1987 the UK introduced the concept of a "unit" - a unit of alcohol. This alcohol reporting method was very convenient and was put into operation in other countries around the world.
One unit of alcohol is 10 ml or 8 g of pure ethanol, which is approximately corresponding to the volume of alcohol that the body of a medium adult can process within one hour. In theory, this means that after an hour in the blood of an adult, there are almost no traces of alcohol, although people have the rate of elimination of alcohol from the body, it can vary.
In accordance with the above, there are acceptable alcohol standards, excess of which is dangerous to health. This:
- Not more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day for men;
- No more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day for women.
It should be noted that this applies not to the average alcohol consumption after a few days, namely the maximum amount of alcohol per day.
At the same time, the number of strong drinks should not exceed a week:
- For women - 14 units;
- For men - 21 units.
If you drank an excessive amount of alcohol the previous day, refrain from alcohol for the next 48 hours.
From units to "drin"
The number of alcohol units in the drink depends on the fortress and the volume of drunkenness. So:
- A glass of wine (250 ml) of a 12% fortress contains about 3 units of alcohol;
- Bank of Beer (1 l) of the fortress 5% contains about 4 units of alcohol;
- Vodka stack (25 ml) of the fortress 40% contains about 1 unit of alcohol.
Thus, the average permissible daily rate is:
- a glass of wine for dinner;
- About a half -a liter of beer on an ordinary fortress;
- 2-3 small piles of vodka.
For lovers of exotic alcoholic beverages and cocktails, the formula will be useful, with which you can calculate the number of units in each volume of different drinks:
- Fortress (%) X volume (ml) ÷ 1000 = units of alcohol.
How to reduce harm from alcohol?
Once in the body, alcohol is absorbed into the stomach and then with a blood flow of blood spreads to the body, easily penetrating into all tissues and organs. The maximum concentration of alcohol in the blood is observed about an hour after its use, this is the time of the strongest intoxication and euphoria. The alcohol then enters the processing.
In the first stage, the water molecule breaks away from ethanol and formed vinegar aldehyde. This is a poison for the body, the subsequent hangover and intoxication are related to it. In the second stage, aldehyde is converted to acetic acid, which is not toxic and destroyed to carbon dioxide and water with energy. Two enzymes are controlled by alcohol division processes: alcohol dehydrodis (ADG) and acetaldehydhydrogenase (Aldg). The speed of their work is a congenital genetic characteristic.
In a person with fast ADG and ALDG, alcohol in the body does not retain and aldehyde quickly breaks down into harmless substances. Such a person is drunk slowly and does not suffer from a strong hangover. For people with slow enzymes, they say they do not know how to drink: they quickly reach the insane state, which is replaced by a heavy hangover. But the worst of anyone who has a quick ADG and slow Aldg. Such people do not get drunk for a long time, they manage to drink more than those laid, and the fast -shaped vinegar aldehyde lingers in the body for a long time, having a harmful effect.
Accordingly, the power of intoxication and subsequent poisoning depends, in general, only on the amount of drunkenness and heredity. However, there are tricks that allow you to slightly reduce the harm of alcohol. To do this, slow down the absorption of alcohol from the stomach or reduce the amount of alcohol taken from the collar.
- Alcohol (beer, champagne) spying cannot be mixed with strong drinks. The carbon dioxide of the "magic bubbles" accelerates the absorption of alcohol and increases its concentration in the blood, therefore the weight of the hangover.
- Hot alcohol (stroke, grog) and fortified wines should be drunk moderately for the soul. Sugar and fever accelerate the flow of alcohol in the blood and the formation of acetaldehyde.
- You should eat well before and during the holiday, especially fatty foods. In this case, the assimilation of alcohol will be delayed and its damage is reduced to a possible minimum. Alcohol on an empty stomach can lead not only to rapid intoxication but also to dangerous hypoglycaemia.
- Stretch the time between the toasts and drink a small volume of piles and glasses to reduce your blood alcohol concentration.
- Do not drink aspirin before and during a holiday. Acetylsalicylic acid slows the absorption of alcohol, but causes damage to ulcer damage to the stomach and increases the risk of bleeding.
- Caffeine expands the period of mass activity, but in combination with alcohol it can lead to the development of hypertensive crisis and cardiac arrhythmia.
If you often need to drink alcohol, it is useful to take a biochemical blood test 2-3 times a year and visit the therapist. To protect the liver and brain from the effects of alcohol, it is recommended to take a course of hepatoprotectors and vitamin preparations, as prescribed by a doctor.
Should I drink "for health"?
Contrary to the widespread opinion, there is currently no convincing evidence that moderate amounts of alcohol are beneficial to the heart and clean the vessels. There is also no evidence that an alcoholic beverage has advantages over others regarding the effect on the cardiovascular system.
Therefore, you should not drink alcohol with a "therapeutic" goal of those who do not have such a habit. The use of small and moderate doses of alcohol is not a prevention of cardiovascular disease.