NCJ Number
134747
Journal
Journal of the Forensic Science Society Volume: 31 Issue: 4 Dated: (October/December 1991) Pages: 429-439
Date Published
1991
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Blood ethanol profiles and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined in healthy volunteers after consumption of small doses of beer.
Abstract
Three experimental conditions were investigated: consumption of one bottle of light beer within 2 hours after a meal; consumption of two bottles of beer in the morning after an overnight fast; and consumption of two bottles of beer at lunchtime together with a meal. The average peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 8 milligrams(mg)/milliter(ml) after consumption of 1 bottle of a light beer, and the ethanol was eliminated from the blood within 60-90 minutes (min). The average BAC after drinking 2 bottles of beer containing either 3.0 percent or 3.6 percent ethanol on an empty stomach were 32 mg/ml and 37 mg/ml, respectively. When the same 2 beers were consumed together with a meal, the peak BAC was 24 mg/ml and 28 mg/ml, respectively. The peak BAC occurred earlier when beer was ingested with food; mean 32 min compared with 41 min with an empty stomach. The rate of disappearance of alcohol from blood was 12 mg/100 ml/hour(hr) in the fed stage and 15 mg/ml/hr in the fasting stage. The apparent volume of distribution of ethanol was 0.65 liter(l)/kilograms (kg) for the empty stomach, but exceeded unity when the beer was ingested with food. The results show that part of the alcohol in beer ingested with a meal does not reach systemic circulation. 4 figures, 2 tables, and 29 references (Author abstract modified)