This tool should only be used for general reference. This tool alone should not be used to determine if you are capable of driving. ConvertEverything.com does not condone driving after any alcohol is consumed.

When you drink an alcoholic beverage, about 20 percent of the alcohol is absorbed in the stomach and about 80 percent is absorbed in the small intestine. The rate of absorption depends on:

• If you have eaten food recently. Food in your system will slow down the speed at which the alcohol is absorbed.
• The "proof", concentration or strength of alcohol in the drink. Stronger drinks absorb quicker.
• The type of drink. If the drink is carbonated or fizzy, the alcohol in the drink will be absorbed faster.
• Your gender or sex. Women have been found to absorb alcohol differently. Women have lower levels of water in their blood so their alcohol concentration will be higher after drinking the same amount of alcohol as a man. Studies have shown that the enzyme which is important in the body's breakdown and removal of alcohol is less active in women as compared to men.

When the alcohol is absorbed in your stomach or small intestine, it immediately enters the bloodstream and dissolves in the water of the blood. This can occur within 20 minutes after having a drink and is what is measured in a blood alcohol test.

The level of alcohol in the blood is important because the blood carries the alcohol throughout the body. As the blood moves through your body, the alcohol in the blood is transferred to the water inside almost every tissue and organ of the body. And when this occurs, you begin to feel the effects of alcohol.