The Impact of Gender on Blood-Alcohol Content in DUI Cases

November 20, 2010 (Press-News.org) A man and a woman drinking the same amount of alcohol will have different BAC levels. The women will generally be higher. The reasons for this are complex, and have a great deal to do with a women's body chemistry.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream or on one's breath. This is the standard means of testing for levels of intoxication in DUI cases. BAC is expressed as the weight of ethanol, measured in grams, in 100 milliliters of blood, or 210 liters of breath. BAC can be measured by breath, blood or urine tests.

The most common method of testing is a breath test, often performed at the site of the DUI stop.

Gender differences

The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) in women is generally higher because they have less water in their bodies and more adipose tissue (fat), which does not absorb alcohol easily.

Less Enzyme, More Alcohol

Studies have found that gastric alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the enzyme that begins to metabolize alcohol in the stomach, is found in significantly higher concentrations in men (about 50% more) than in women. This gastric enzyme metabolizes about 15% of the alcohol consumed.

Because of the lower concentration of this enzyme in a woman, a greater proportion of alcohol is present in the small intestine. The small intestine is where most of the alcohol is absorbed into the blood. A woman of equal weight will have approximately a 7% higher blood alcohol concentration compared with a man of equal weight, drinking the same amount in the same amount of time.

There are other differences, as men tend to be larger, in body mass and weight, than women. Men have a greater percentage of muscle to fat. Muscle tissue has more blood in it than an equivalent amount of fat tissue. This means alcohol is diluted in a man's body, due to a larger volume of blood.

There is a fluid differential, with a woman's body being composed of approximately 45% to 50% water, while a man's body is about 55% to 65% water. Again, there is less fluid to dilute the alcohol in the blood, compared to a man.

A woman's hormones also influence BAC. Her hormone levels during her menstrual cycle create an elevated intoxication level and this intoxication lasts longer during the "luteal phase."

All of these difference can alter how you may perform during a DUI stop. If you have been stopped and given a breathalyzer test, you want an attorney who understands the gender differences in these tests, and knows how to effectively deal with in your defense strategy.

Article provided by The Law Offices of Mark R. DeYoe
Visit us at www.mydui.com