How to Build Alcohol Tolerance as Quick as Possible
Some people may drink more alcohol than others without getting drunk. What is alcohol tolerance? Is there any benefit to it and how to build alcohol tolerance?
What is alcohol tolerance?
Each of us noticed that one can drink more or less than others. Someone drinks three cans of ice-cold beer in the heat just to quench their thirst and cool down a little. For some, such a dose will be more than enough to be completely drunk.
This can be explained by such a thing as alcohol tolerance. With the regular use of alcohol, the body learns to process the toxic substances present in it. Simply put, the body gets used to alcohol and there is essentially a decrease in sensitivity to alcohol. This means that in order to achieve a similar intoxication, each time a person has to drink more and more.
The body’s ability to withstand increased alcohol usage is not at all an indicator of good health or physical strength, as some think. This is only an indicator that the human body has already formed alcohol tolerance, which doctors consider a key symptom of alcohol dependence and addiction.
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Why do some people have higher alcohol tolerance?
Some doctors are inclined to believe that alcohol tolerance depends not only on “training” the body through regular alcohol usage but also on a number of other factors. Accumulated regular drinking experience certainly matters, but gender and genetics are also important. Men are able to drink more than women. Bodyweight also plays a role in the absorption of alcohol. This is confirmed by numerous studies and simple observations.
Other factors are still less understood. Scientists suggest that enzymes associated with metabolism, as well as the characteristics of neural connections in the brain, affect the absorption of alcohol. Alcohol digestion is a multi-step process. Most of the alcohol that enters the body is converted by an enzyme known as alcohol hydrogenase into the organic compound acetaldehyde, which is then converted by an enzyme known as aldehyde hydrogenase.
Some people lack aldehyde hydrogenase in their bodies, and this leads to the accumulation of acetaldehyde in the blood as alcohol is consumed. In turn, this leads to reddening of the skin, as well as many symptoms that are known as hangover symptoms. This theory is used to explain why Asians get drunk faster than Europeans and have a more pronounced hangover. Studies show that Asians often lack this enzyme.
As for the theory of neural connections, some researchers believe that the brain of some people simply does not generate a signal that there is already enough alcohol in the blood. So, they continue to drink until the level of toxic substances in the blood reaches dangerously high marks.
How to build alcohol tolerance?
To avoid awkward situations and making a fool of themselves, some people are interested in how to build alcohol tolerance. There are ways to increase your tolerance both in the short and long term. Here are some tips on how to build alcohol tolerance:
- Consider the effect of different types of alcohol. Red wine and darker spirits have more congeners compared to clear liquids. They can actually make you feel the effects of being drunk more quickly.
- Avoid sugary drinks. Sugary drinks can cause a crash that can make you feel not so good and if you add that on top of the alcohol effects on your body, a drunken state is likely to be felt much earlier.
- Remember to drink water. Since alcohol is diuretic and causes one to pee more. Accordingly, the body gets dehydrated and the person experiences headache, dizziness or lightheadedness, sleepiness, and other symptoms that are usually associated with being drunk.
- Drink slowly. It is not surprising that the speed at which you drink affects how drunk you get. According to research, people who drink from glasses with straight sides drink up to 60% slower than people who drink from glasses with curved sides. You are likely to drink less if you are sitting down as well as if the glass has markings on how much is left in the glass.
- Gain muscle mass. If you are interested in how to build alcohol tolerance in long term, you should hit the gym to gain some muscle mass. Individuals with a more muscular physique will have a higher alcohol tolerance than someone with more body fat. Keep in mind, though, that alcohol makes it harder to get stronger, so allow the body to recover after a workout before drinking alcohol.
What is reverse tolerance to alcohol?
Ironically, a high tolerance over time leads to the destruction of the body and, as a result, a person loses this tolerance. This is known as reverse tolerance to alcohol. How does this happen? Chronic alcohol use can damage the liver that is responsible for removing alcohol toxins from the body, leading to the accumulation of fat and scar tissue.
A damaged liver is no longer able to metabolize or break down alcohol, so even small amounts can lead to high blood alcohol concentration and faster intoxication. Thus, if a person develops reverse tolerance to alcohol, they find themselves in a state of intoxication from a drastically smaller amount of alcohol compared to what they were able to drink before. Thus, alcoholics might have damaged their liver so much that one drink can get them drunk.
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What to do if alcohol tolerance is high?
People with a high tolerance to alcohol are often falsely convinced that they have “not drunk enough.” Another dangerous point is that people with a high tolerance are often under a false illusion of how much they can drink. It is the high tolerance to alcohol that most often leads to its increased use.
These individuals are more likely to bring themselves to cirrhosis of the liver, neuropathy, pancreatitis, stomach cancer, etc. If you realize that today you drink more than recommended, you need to give up drinking alcohol to avoid the harmful effects of alcohol dependence and alcoholism.
If you cannot stop drinking on your own, you will need to seek professional help. You can turn to your family doctor and look for free help resources. Special help centers will provide comprehensive assistance, which includes diagnostics, consultation, a comprehensive examination of the body, an individual method of treating alcoholism, and rehabilitation.
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