How Long It Really Takes For Alcohol To 'Hit' Your System

It's finally the end of your work week, and you can't wait to meet with friends to unload some stress. You find them at your favorite hangout, and they've already begun sharing stories about their struggles and celebrations. You feel you need to "catch up" by taking a shot.

When will your buzz kick in? Once alcohol reaches your stomach, about 20% of it goes right into your bloodstream. It takes about five minutes for alcohol to reach your brain, and you should feel the first effects in about 10 minutes. That initial buzz might not feel like it's enough, so maybe you chase that shot with a beer. However, the full effects of alcohol on your body won't be reached until up to 45 minutes later as the remaining alcohol enters your bloodstream through your small intestine.

Your liver begins to process that first shot after 20 minutes, and it takes about an hour to process a standard drink. A standard drink is a shot of 80-proof distilled spirits (like vodka, rum, or tequila), a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 12-ounce beer that has 5% alcohol. If you drink more than this in an hour, you could feel stronger effects, depending on several factors.

If you had an early lunch, that drink at happy hour will hit you more quickly than if you snacked on a bagel on your way to the bar. When you drink on an empty stomach, the alcohol speeds through your digestive system. That means the alcohol reaches your small intestine more quickly. Having a little something in your stomach can slow down alcohol's effect on your body.

What you drink might make a difference in how quickly alcohol affects you, too. It takes a little longer to drink a beer, so that might delay alcohol's effects. On the other hand, doing a shot will have you feeling buzzed a little more quickly. The bubbly in champagne or a mixed drink can also speed up the effect of alcohol.

Your body composition can also factor into how long it takes for alcohol to hit you. People who weigh less have less blood and water in their system, so this means the concentration of alcohol in their system is higher with the same drink as someone who weighs more. People with more muscle have more water in their system to dilute the alcohol in their blood, and people with higher body fat will have a higher concentration of alcohol in their system after drinking. Women tend to metabolize alcohol a little more slowly than men because they don't produce as much of an enzyme that breaks down alcohol.

Moderate drinking is defined as up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. That doesn't mean you can bank your drinks and binge drink on the weekend, however. For women, heavy drinking is considered having four or more drinks in a day or a total of eight drinks a week. Heavy drinking for men is categorized as drinking five or more drinks in one day or 15 drinks total in a week. It should also be noted that research is finding that even moderate drinking can be bad for your health. 

To avoid drinking too much in one sitting, choose drinks that take a longer time to consume, such as a beer or a glass of wine. Shots will hit your system very quickly and will tempt you to have an accompanying drink. Also, now that nonalcoholic beers and spirits are more readily available, you can bring them to your next social gathering so you and others have a choice. They also tend to be lower in calories than their alcoholic counterparts. Additionally, remember to eat something to coat your stomach if you know you're going to have alcohol. If you're feeling stressed or exhausted, be aware that alcohol could have a stronger effect on your mind and body. You should also take a good look at your medications and supplements because alcohol can increase side effects or affect how the medications work on your body.