BAC Calculator

Blood alcohol content (BAC) is the percentage of alcohol in your bloodstream, and in most countries the legal driving limit is 0.05% or 0.08%. This BAC Calculator estimates your level from the number of drinks, your body weight, your sex and the time elapsed, and shows roughly when it should return to zero.

Some information on the use of the Blood Alcohol Content Calculator and on the accurate assessment of blood alcohol level

How shall I use the BAC Calculator?

Enter your sex and bodyweight first. In the next step, click on the “Add drink” button to enter the drinks you have consumed. The BAC Calculator makes it possible to enter the amount of consumed drinks in millilitres and also in oz. The exact alcohol content of each beverage may also be entered. For example, as a standard for beer half a litre and an alcohol content of 4.5% per cent was set up. This date may be adjusted based on the type and consumed amount. It means that you do not have to search from hundreds of types of drinks; exact parameters may be set up simply and quickly.

What is alcohol after all?

In common parlance, the words “alcohol” or “booze” basically means ethanol or ethyl alcohol.  Alcohol lowers inhibitions and, as a matter of fact, it might even be healthy in small amounts. On the other hand, long-term alcohol consumption damages the liver, the kidneys, the nervous system and, of course, it also kills brain cells.

How is Blood Alcohol Content expressed?

The blood alcohol content is generally expressed by a percentage. This unit is used differently in each part of the world. In Europe blood alcohol content is expressed in permille: it says how many cm³ of clear alcohol can be found in 1 litre of blood. A blood alcohol content of 1 permille means that 1 litre (1000 ml) of blood contains 1 ml alcohol. However, in the USA, the use of percentage is common. It is one grade higher on the scale; so the value above equals to 0.1%.

What is the safest method for determining or calculation blood alcohol level?

Of course, it is the breathalyzer. This instrument is available in stores for everyone and it provides a simple and accurate way for measuring blood alcohol level. It means that no “online blood alcohol content calculator” exists. All these calculators provide an approximate, estimated value only. That is why we recommend not to rely on the result of this calculator or any other blood alcohol content calculators on the Internet. Never drive if you have the smallest doubt that there is still alcohol in your system.

How is alcohol metabolized in blood?

In two steps. The first step is absorption, which is followed by the metabolism of alcohol. The speed of the whole process depends on many factors, for example, sex, body weight, liver condition and other physical characteristics. This is a complex process, where unique, individual features play a significant part, so the fact of finished metabolism may only be “stated” by a breathalyzer.

Does it speed up metabolism if I eat a lot after alcohol consumption?

No, on the contrary. Eating slows down the absorption, so alcohol is basically metabolized later. This delusion cheats many people. Speaking of this delusion, it is good to know that neither coffee nor sweating in hot water or sitting in the bathtub filled with cold water accelerates this metabolism.

How can I speed up alcohol metabolism?

There aren’t any panaceas. It is medically proven that the very harmful regular, daily alcohol consumption, that is alcoholism, accelerates metabolism. If you would like to speed up detoxification in a healthy way, simply stop drinking as long as possible.

How long is alcohol detectable in blood? How long does it take until alcohol leaves my system?

Until metabolism is not finished. It depends on the amount of alcohol consumed, physical characteristics, health and many other factors. After having one “normal beer”, the metabolism of alcohol in the blood takes 1.5 hours for one person, but it might also last for 3 hours for another one.

What is the highest blood alcohol level ever recorded?

Records are published regularly in the news. According to Wikipedia, the highest verifiable record was recorded on 26th July 2013. Police found a 40-year-old Polish man in the ditch along the road in Tarnowska Wola. At the hospital, it was recorded that the man had a blood alcohol content of 13.74‰. This case, which may practically be classified as alcohol poisoning – luckily had a positive end: nobody got hurt and the man also survived this huge amount of alcohol.

When am I allowed to drive after drinking alcohol? Can I drive if the Blood Alcohol Content Calculator show me zero BAC level?

If alcohol completely left your system (which, of course, may only safely stated by using a breathalyzer), you are principally allowed to drive since policemen will find no alcohol in your blood.

However, alcohol consumption, especially a good party, overcharges your system so much that you will not feel “hundred percent well”, even though breathalyzer cannot show any alcohol. Even after the end of alcohol metabolism, reaction time and coordination skills might show a significant degradation. That is why it is recommended to have a good sleep before you drive again.

Blood Alcohol Content Calculator results are only estimates and cannot fully determine your real BAC level online due to factors not taken under consideration. For accurate BAC measurements and Blood Alcohol Content level please use a breathalyzer or take a real blood alcohol test.