The idea that drinking water with alcohol can make you less drunk is a popular myth. While drinking water alongside alcoholic beverages can help you stay hydrated, it does not actually lower your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or make you less intoxicated.
To understand why this is the case, we need to look at how alcohol is metabolized in the body. When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed into your bloodstream through your stomach and small intestine. From there, it travels to your liver, which breaks it down into acetaldehyde and then into acetate. The acetate is then converted into carbon dioxide and water, which are eliminated from your body.
The speed at which alcohol is metabolized depends on a variety of factors, including your age, sex, weight, and liver function. Generally speaking, it takes about one hour for your body to metabolize one standard drink of alcohol. A standard drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.
Drinking water alongside alcoholic beverages can help you stay hydrated and may slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. This can help you feel less intoxicated, as dehydration can exacerbate the effects of alcohol. However, it does not actually lower your BAC or make you less drunk.
Your BAC is the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream, measured in grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. It is influenced by a variety of factors, including how much alcohol you have consumed, how quickly you have consumed it, and your body’s ability to metabolize alcohol. Drinking water alongside alcohol may help you feel less intoxicated, but it does not actually lower your BAC or speed up the rate at which your body metabolizes alcohol.
In fact, the only thing that can lower your BAC is time. Your liver can only metabolize a certain amount of alcohol per hour, so if you have consumed more alcohol than your liver can process, you will have to wait for it to be metabolized naturally. The only way to sober up after drinking is to wait for your body to metabolize the alcohol in your system.
There are some other things you can do to help your body metabolize alcohol more quickly, such as getting plenty of rest, eating a healthy meal before drinking, and drinking plenty of water throughout the night. However, these strategies are unlikely to significantly lower your BAC or make you less drunk.
It is also worth noting that drinking water alongside alcoholic beverages can have some downsides. For one thing, it can be easy to forget to drink water when you are drinking alcohol, particularly if you are out at a bar or party. Additionally, drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication, a potentially dangerous condition that can cause seizures, brain damage, and even death.
In conclusion, drinking water alongside alcoholic beverages can help you stay hydrated and may help you feel less intoxicated, but it does not actually lower your BAC or make you less drunk. The only way to sober up after drinking is to wait for your body to metabolize the alcohol in your system. If you choose to drink alcohol, it is important to do so in moderation and to take steps to stay safe, such as designating a driver or using a ride-sharing service to get home.