Drinking coffee after drinking alcohol:
Answers
Decreases blood alcohol concentration.
Cancels the effect of the alcohol.
Has no effect on blood alcohol concentration.
Increases blood alcohol concentration.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Correct Answer:
Has no effect on blood alcohol concentration.
Explanation:
The belief that drinking coffee can mitigate the effects of alcohol or “sober someone up” is a common myth. Coffee, or any caffeinated beverage, does not affect the metabolism of alcohol in the body and therefore does not decrease blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Here’s why:
When alcohol is consumed, it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine. The liver is primarily responsible for metabolizing alcohol, and this process occurs at a fixed rate (approximately one standard drink per hour for most people). No external factors, including drinking coffee, can speed up this metabolic process.
Drinking coffee might make someone feel more alert due to the stimulating effects of caffeine, which can mask the sedative effects of alcohol. This can create a false sense of sobriety, potentially leading individuals to believe they are less impaired than they actually are. However, the impairments caused by alcohol—such as slowed reaction time, impaired judgment, and reduced motor coordination—remain unchanged.
The idea that coffee cancels out or decreases alcohol’s effects is dangerous because it can lead to risky behaviors, such as driving under the influence or making poor decisions while still intoxicated.
Conversely, coffee does not increase BAC either. BAC is determined by the amount of alcohol consumed, body weight, metabolism, and other factors, none of which are influenced by coffee consumption.
In summary, drinking coffee after alcohol consumption has no physiological effect on the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. The only way to lower BAC is to allow time for the body to metabolize the alcohol naturally. It is important to rely on time and not misconceptions for sobriety.