In Spain, the consumption of pure alcohol per person is around 10 liters.According to a 2018 World Health Organization report, with data from 2016, the Spanish average is 10 liters of pure alcohol per person per year for those over 15 years of age.
However, this figure hides an important difference: men consume 16.4 litres of alcohol per capita per year, while women consume 4 litres.
By type of beverage, beer consumption stands out (54%) —Spain is one of the countries where the most beer is drunk in the world—followed by spirits or liqueurs (28%) and wine (18%).
Once consumed, the body is responsible for assimilating it through a complex process of alcohol metabolism. Alcohol is absorbed through the stomach and small intestine, and from there it passes into the blood.
The small intestine absorbs 70% of the alcohol ingested, the digestive system 20% and the colon 10%. The liver is responsible for breaking down and eliminating the ethyl substance at a rate of about 10 to 20 ml of alcohol per hour, according to the Castelao Institute, a private health care entity.
Most alcohol is eliminated from the body by metabolism through the liver, while between 1% and 10% is excreted in pure form through urine, feces, sweat and exhalation. Thus, the human body metabolizes alcohol in approximately 10 hours.
How long does alcohol last in your blood: beer, wine, liquor, mixed drinks
Alcohol remains in the human body for a long time. According to the institute, which specializes in treating alcohol addiction, it takes between 30 and 90 minutes on average for alcohol to reach the bloodstream. Once there, the body eliminates it at a rate of 10-20 ml of alcohol per hour. In general, The time that alcohol lasts in the blood is between 10 and 19 hours after the last intake.
All of these, however, are approximate and average deadlines. In reality, The speed at which the body metabolizes alcohol depends on numerous factorsso the time that alcohol remains in the blood of the human body can vary significantly depending on each case.
These include sex and age (women tend to have a higher blood alcohol level for the same amount of alcohol consumed, especially young women), body fat and weight, each person’s metabolism, sugar level, personal condition (fatigue, anxiety and some illnesses can influence this), consumption of other drugs or medicines and whether it is accompanied by food.
Of course, the amount and type of alcohol ingested also significantly influence the time that alcohol lasts in the bloodas stated in the Seville Diary:
- A third of beer: It can take a man around 2 hours to eliminate the alcohol from a third of a beer (33 cl), while on average a woman can take about 2 hours and 50 minutes.
- A glass of wine or vermouth: The alcohol in a glass of wine or vermouth can last in the blood for approximately one hour and 20 minutes in the case of men, and 2 hours in the case of women.
- A combination: The alcohol in a mixed drink, or what is known as “a drink” (alcohol and soda, such as a rum and Coke), can take a little over an hour to be eliminated for a man, while for a woman the time can be extended up to 3 hours.
- A glass of liquor: A man would need more or less an hour to eliminate alcohol in the case of this drink and a woman, almost 2 hours, always in approximate times and depending on the factors indicated, among others.
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Tags: Health, Science, Drink, Curiosities, Consumption, Healthy life