What is blood alcohol concentration (BAC)?

Your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is what determines how intoxicated you get from drinking alcohol and varies by your sex and body weight. Also known as blood alcohol content, BAC is used for both legal and medical purposes.

How long does it take to measure BAC?

A person can typically measure it within 30–70 minutes of drinking. The number of drinks a person has, along with their weight and sex, can affect their BAC levels. The higher the percentage of alcohol in the blood, the higher the level of intoxication.

What does a BAC level of 0.05 mean?

Experts calculate BAC in grams per 100 milliliters of blood. In other words, a BAC level of 0.05 means the person’s blood is 0.05% alcohol by volume. The following charts show different blood alcohol levels based on sex, weight, and number of drinks. Most states set the legal limit of BAC at .08% for both males and females.

How long does it take a BAC to return to zero?

After just one drink, it will take around two hours for the BAC to return to zero, even in larger men. Two standard American drinks will, on average, produce a blood alcohol concentration of about 0.04, and most light and moderate drinkers will feel relaxed at this level.