Introduction
It is no secret that many people enjoy drinking. However, most of them are unaware of how it affects their bodies and organs. Once ingested, alcohol will pass from your stomach directly into the small intestine. Here, it will be rapidly absorbed into the blood and subsequently distributed through the rest of the body. Since alcohol is distributed so thoroughly and quickly, it can substantially affect the central nervous system.
Drinks that have high concentrations of alcohol, such as vodka or whiskey, will enter your bloodstream much quicker when consumed on an empty stomach. What this means is that you will not get more intoxicated from the straight vodka or whiskey, however, you will start experiencing the effects of alcohol intoxication much faster.
Alcohol content in your blood and breath
Once the alcohol is in your bloodstream, it will immediately start circulating through your body and generating the standard effects on the brain and body. As the blood passes through the body, it finally reaches the liver, where it gets gradually filtered out from the bloodstream. It will continue to reduce with each pass until the body is free of any traces of residual alcohol. Additionally, the alcohol will also pass through your lungs, which means that some of the alcohol content will evaporate into your lungs and the air you exhale.
To measure this content, you can use a Breathalyser, which is a small, handheld device used specifically for this purpose. When using this device, it is important to measure your “deep lung air,” as well as avoid drinking at least 20 minutes before the test.
Why should you wait?
If you use this device immediately after drinking, or few minutes after, you will blow all the remaining alcohol content in your mouth straight into the breathalyzer receiver. This will cause the device to read a far greater concentration than it would if you had waited at least 20 minutes. This period will allow the alcohol content to pass through your stomach, then through your bloodstream and finally into the exhaled air.
A device such as this can be very useful if you want to get a clearer picture of how well your organism absorbs alcohol. For that matter, it should be used numerous times over a certain period. Keep in mind that everyone is different and that various factors can influence the absorption of alcohol. Some of these factors include your metabolic rate, as well as the amount of food you have in your stomach when drinking.
How to use one?
If you want to get the most out of your personal breathalyzer, make sure to use it on a regular basis, so as to closely monitor any changes in your intoxication level. Also, do not forget to always wait at least 20 minutes after smoking or drinking, before you conduct the test.
To use this device properly, you should take a deep breath and deliver steady and consistent blows. Continue doing that until the device gives out a signal that you should stop. After that, wait a few seconds while the device measures your BAC (blood alcohol concentration).
Variable accuracy
Last, but not least, keep in mind that the accuracy of every sensor is measured under strict laboratory conditions, right after the calibration. In real life conditions, it is highly unlikely that the same level of accuracy will be obtained on a regular basis. Therefore, if you are using a personal breathalyzer, always take into account a certain margin of error, which usually depends on the type and quality of a sensor.
