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Alcohol poisoning occurs when a high level of alcohol in present in an individual's bloodstream caused by excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol poisoning is typically accompanied by drunkenness, and often results in vomiting, semi consciousness and possibly unconsciousness. In extreme cases, it also can lead to death. While alcohol poisoning can be fatal, it can be prevented. Follow these steps on how to prevent alcohol poisoning.

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Steps

  1. Prevent Alcohol Poisoning Step 1.jpg
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    Drink alcohol in moderation. Know your limit. Many doctors recommend that women consume no more than 1 drink a day, and that men have no more than 2 drinks a day. Because alcohol poisoning is based partially on body composition, smaller individuals cannot consume as much alcohol as individuals with larger frames. Before you start drinking, decide how many drinks you're going to have and stick with that plan.
    • Pace yourself. Blood alcohol concentration is determined by the amount of alcohol consumed and each person's metabolic rate. Rapid consumption of large amounts of alcohol leads to a higher blood alcohol concentration because the body is unable to eliminate the alcohol at the consumption rate, thus increasing your chances at alcohol poisoning.
    • Ignore peer pressure. Peer pressure is influence from your friends and colleagues to do something you don't want to do. Don't drink alcohol, or excessive amounts of alcohol, just because you're being pressured to do so.
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    Eat food before drinking alcohol. The alcohol absorption rate is much faster once the alcohol reaches your small intestine. Previously consumed food will block the way for alcohol to reach the small intestine, where it will be absorbed into the bloodstream quicker.
    • Consume food to decrease your blood alcohol content. Studies show that individuals who refrained from eating food prior to drinking alcohol, registered peak blood alcohol content levels in 30 minutes to 2 hours. In individuals who consumed food prior to drinking alcohol, the peak blood alcohol content levels were reached in 1 to 6 hours.
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    Choose drinks that have less alcohol content. All alcoholic drinks have different levels of alcohol present in them. Alcoholic drinks like vodka, rum or brandy have higher alcohol content than beer or wine. Drinking higher alcohol content products will increase your chances of getting alcohol poisoning faster rather than drinking beverages with lower alcohol content. For example, a glass of beer has approximately 4% alcohol, while a glass of wine has approximately 11.5% alcohol.
    • Understand alcohol absorption rates. Alcohol is absorbed into the body when the alcohol concentration is 10% to 30%. Alcohol content of less than 10% has a lower concentration gradient, so the absorption rate is slower. Alcohol content of more than 30% has a higher concentration gradient and a tendency to irritate the gastrointestinal tract, which causes the alcohol to stay in the digestive system longer and leads to an increased risk of alcohol poisoning.
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    Drink water during and/or between alcoholic drinks. Alcohol dilutes itself into the water portions of your body in order to absorb into your bloodstream. Keeping yourself hydrated with water will dilute the alcohol in your system.
    • Drink more water if you're a woman. Since men have more muscle, which contains more water, women are at a higher risk of alcohol poisoning. This is because they have less muscle, which translates into less water to dilute the alcohol.
    • Consume more water if you are particularly thin. Fatty tissue contains more water, so individuals who have more fat will have more opportunity to dilute alcohol based on the amount of water they already have in their system.
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    Avoid alcohol if you're on medication. Check with you doctor before consuming alcohol while on medication. Based on your body make up, certain medications mixed with alcohol will increase the adverse effects that the alcohol and/or medications may have on you.
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    Throw up. To prevent alcohol poisoning, force yourself to regurgitate alcohol out of your system. If you consume an excessive amount of alcohol and feel yourself becoming dizzy and sick, throwing up will release the excess alcohol in your system and keep yourself from getting more sick.
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Tips

  • While you may hear that ingesting more fat, protein or carbohydrates will lower your chances at getting alcohol poisoning, it hasn't been proven. What has been proven is that a larger meal and a shorter time in between eating and drinking will diminish your chances of alcohol poisoning.
  • Prevention of alcohol poisoning begins with education. Talk to others about the dangers of drinking too much alcohol.

Warnings

  • If you are around anyone who seems to be suffering from early signs of alcohol poisoning, contact medical help immediately. Not doing so could result in brain injury or death.

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Article Info

Categories: Alcohol Consumption

In other languages:

Русский: предотвратить алкогольное отравление, Español: prevenir la intoxicación etílica, Português: Evitar uma Intoxicação Alcoólica, Italiano: Prevenire l'Avvelenamento da Alcool

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