A father and his son are celebrating the father’s 75th birthday. Drink for drink, who will most likely have a higher BAC?
The father
The son
Their BACs will be equal
Whose BAC will be higher cannot be predicted
T he Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Correct Answer: The father
Explanation:
When comparing Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) between two individuals — in this case, a 75-year-old father and his adult son — drink for drink, the older individual (the father) will most likely have a higher BAC. This difference is due to several age-related physiological changes that affect alcohol metabolism and distribution in the body.
1. Decreased Water Content:
As people age, their body composition changes. Older adults typically have less total body water than younger adults. Since alcohol is water-soluble, it distributes itself throughout the body’s water content. With less water, alcohol becomes more concentrated in the bloodstream, resulting in a higher BAC.
2. Slower Metabolism:
Aging can lead to a slower metabolism and decreased liver function. The liver is primarily responsible for breaking down alcohol. A slower metabolism means that alcohol remains in the bloodstream longer, leading to a higher and more prolonged BAC.
3. Reduced Enzyme Activity:
Older adults may have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the enzyme that helps metabolize alcohol in the stomach and liver. This results in less first-pass metabolism, allowing more unmetabolized alcohol to enter the bloodstream.
4. Increased Sensitivity:
Beyond BAC, older adults are more sensitive to alcohol’s effects, meaning even at the same BAC level, they may experience greater impairment. However, physiologically, the BAC itself will likely be higher in the father than the son after consuming the same amount of alcohol.
Therefore, given the same amount of alcohol, the father will likely have a higher BAC than his son due to age-related physiological changes that affect alcohol distribution and metabolism.
