In many work and recreational situations, alcoholic beverages are offered: during parties, happy hours, weddings, family dinners or even business dinners. Having a drink or two in various circumstances helps to break the ice or relax a tense atmosphere. For those who choose to drink it is an excellent attitude to take part in these moments with the right balance. However, if you only feel tipsy after a drink, you should consider taking some steps to gradually increase your alcohol tolerance. In any case, remember not to overdo it, but control yourself and try to drink in moderation.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Responsibly Increase Your Alcohol Consumption
Step 1. Recognize the difference between alcohol tolerance and addiction
Although there is a link between these two factors, they do not, however, have the same effects. A person can increase their tolerance to alcohol without being addicted to it, although a high ability to handle this substance could indicate an addiction.
- The term tolerance indicates the body's ability to adapt to the consumption of a certain amount of alcohol, whether it is a beer or a glass of wine.
- The term addiction indicates a repeated and constant consumption of alcohol to the point of feeling the physical need to "continue to live": it is a very dangerous condition that must be avoided. If the tolerance threshold gets too high, it means that you are probably addicted: it is risky not only for you, but also for the people around you.
Step 2. Keep in mind that each type of alcohol is different from the others
Not all alcoholic beverages are the same in terms of strength, and each individual manages to handle them differently.
- Generally speaking, the smaller the dose size, the stronger the alcohol. A shot of whiskey can contain the same amount of alcohol as an entire light beer.
- Typically, the alcohol content is stated on the bottle label. The higher it is, the greater the effect.
- It is difficult to judge the strength of alcohol and / or sweet cocktails with fruity notes, especially for beginners. Since it can vary enormously based on the bartender's recipe, there is no set rule.
- There is no standard for the various categories of alcohol either. Normally a lager beer contains around 5% alcohol, but some craft beers can be as high as 20%, if not more.
- Each alcohol produces different effects. Keep in mind that while the hangover affects the brain and behavior in almost the same way in all individuals, each category of alcohol is capable of causing slightly different effects for different people. For example, you may be a little more relaxed after drinking wine than when you consume tequila.
Step 3. Determine your current tolerance threshold
Before you start increasing your alcohol consumption, you need to estimate your current level of sensitivity to this substance. By doing this, you will find the safest way to increase the dose.
- Have a drink, maybe even two, in a safe environment with responsible consumers. Don't put yourself in a situation where getting drunk can take risks and don't surround yourself with reckless people who push you to push your limits.
- If you don't normally drink or at most indulge in a couple of drinks a week, your tolerance is relatively low. If, on the other hand, you usually have two drinks a day for five days a week, it is obviously higher.
Step 4. Increase your consumption responsibly and safely
The simplest way to increase resistance to ethanol is to increase the dose. However, you must proceed without jeopardizing your own health and the safety of others. Remember that alcohol consumption is never without its dangers and, although you may not feel any effects, know that your abilities are temporarily impaired.
- Go slowly. For example, add one more drink per week than you would normally do. If you never drink, then start with a glass (or maybe even half). If you typically indulge in a glass of wine or spirits, try drinking one and a half or two. That way, you'll be sure not to overdo it as you go along.
- Consider having a glass of water between drinks to help you drink slowly.
- Eat while you drink. Accompanying the drink with some dish, you avoid being overwhelmed by the effect of alcohol. Drinking on an empty stomach results in a more powerful intoxication than when full.
Step 5. Follow the guidelines for responsible alcohol consumption
Remember that you are trying to improve your tolerance and, at the same time, prevent the development of an addiction. An approach in line with the principles of responsible alcohol consumption will allow you to reduce the risk of damaging your health and becoming an alcoholic.
- Remember that these substances impair judgment. So, you might get drunk and not think you are drunk. For this reason, ask a friend to keep the situation under control and help you comply with guidelines for responsible drinking.
- Alcoholic beverages are classified according to the percentage of ethanol they contain. In Anglo-Saxon countries there are also "alcohol units", which refer to the percentage of alcohol consumed. One alcohol unit corresponds to 10 ml of pure ethanol. Since in most cases drinks are not composed only of alcohol, the percentage of this substance is calculated in terms of units. For reference, know that a bottle of wine corresponds to 9-10 alcohol units.
- For example, a pint of beer (half a liter) with 4% alcohol contains 2.3 alcohol units. If you prefer spirits, such as scotch, know that a 25ml glass is 1 unit. In the case of wine, a glass of 175 ml contains 2, 3.
- The rules for the responsible consumption of alcohol suggest not to exceed 2-3 units per day for women, which corresponds to approximately one beer or a glass of wine per day or 2-3 glasses of spirits.
- As for men, the guidelines recommend not to exceed 3-4 units per day, which is equivalent to 1-2 beers or glasses of wine or 3-4 glasses of spirits.
Step 6. Know when to stop
As your tolerance increases, you may have a hard time knowing when you are overdoing it. Check exactly how much you've drunk to avoid getting drunk, intoxicated, or suffering even worse consequences.
Step 7. Establish "alcohol free days" each week
It is a good idea to allow the body to "detoxify" a couple of days a week. By doing this, you will avoid developing an addiction and the body will have time to recover.
If you find that you cannot go without drinking for a day, it means that you have developed an addiction. If so, seek help from a mental health professional
Step 8. Be aware of the dangers associated with drinking alcohol
Every time you drink, you run the risk of harming your body. The only behavior that does not involve any danger is to not drink at all. Also, the more alcohol you consume, the higher your risk.
- The ability to tolerate ethanol does not protect you from the dangers it poses.
- Alcohol intake causes immediate weight gain, depression, skin problems and memory loss.
- In the long term, however, it causes hypertension, chronic liver failure and breast cancer.
Method 2 of 2: Taking Tolerance to the Highest Levels
Step 1. Understand the extent to which physical factors affect the ability to handle alcohol
How a person tolerates alcohol depends on many elements, some of which are controllable. Generally, gender, body size, weight, medication intake, nutrition and fatigue are just a few things that affect the ability to tolerate ethanol.
Women, who usually have a higher percentage of fat mass and less water in their blood than men, do not handle alcohol as much as they do. The reason is that there is not enough water in the female circulatory system to dilute the ethanol
Step 2. Consider controllable factors that affect alcohol tolerance
While it is not possible to change certain characteristics, such as sex, it is possible to control certain factors, including weight, fatigue, hydration, and nutrition, to increase your ability to handle alcohol.
Step 3. Gain weight, especially muscle mass
To raise the tolerance threshold, you just need to gain weight. The more you weigh, the faster the body metabolizes ethanol by increasing tolerance to this substance.
- It is true that body size affects the ability to metabolize alcohol, but muscle tissues absorb it much faster than fat.
- If you want to gain weight, remember to do it safely. Even just 5 kg more can change your tolerance to alcoholic beverages. However, remember that, like drinking alcohol, weight gain also carries some risks. For example, when combined, these factors promote hypertension.
Step 4. Eat
On a full stomach, alcohol is absorbed more slowly and its effects will be less intense. Similarly, the tolerance threshold is lowered on an empty stomach.
- Portions are important. For example, if you have eaten a large meal, the absorption of ethanol into the blood will slow down, resulting in temporarily greater tolerance.
- The time between a meal and alcohol consumption also affects the ability to handle ethanol. For example, if you indulge in a hefty lunch while sipping alcohol or just before drinking it, your tolerance will be higher, but it decreases if you just snack and let a lot of time pass before you have a drink.
- Remember that foods slow down the absorption of alcohol within the circulatory system. This doesn't necessarily mean you can drink more than usual. Hence, it is better to err on the side of prudence than to overdo it.
Step 5. Stay hydrated
If you consume alcohol when you are dehydrated, your tolerance threshold drops because there is less water in your blood that can dilute the ethanol.
- Consider drinking a glass of water before an alcoholic to ensure a minimum of body hydration.
- Also drink water between drinks. It will help you stay hydrated and adhere to guidelines for responsible alcohol use.
Step 6. Remember to sleep and stay fit
If you are tired or sick, your body has a harder time metabolizing and eliminating alcohol.
- If you've had a sleepless night or are stressed about work, avoid drinking for a day. In doing so, you will allow the body to recover and, at the same time, you will not risk overdoing the weekly drinks.
- If you are sick and taking medications, remember that they can interact with alcohol to amplify its effects.
- If you are unwell, don't drink. In this way, you help the body to rest, avoid overdoing the weekly quantities of alcohol and you will not have adverse reactions caused by the joint intake of drugs and alcoholic substances.
Step 7. Remember to follow the guidelines for responsible alcohol consumption
Even if you've decided to increase your tolerance threshold by changing controllable factors (including weight, fatigue, health and nutrition), you still need to stick to guidelines for responsible alcohol consumption.
By doing this, you will be sure that you are not ruining your health and not developing an addiction
Advice
- If you limit yourself to drinking only one category of alcohol during an evening, you will have less difficulty in estimating how much you consume.
- If you want to increase your alcohol tolerance threshold safely and responsibly, you need to be patient - you can't do it overnight. Gradually increase your consumption (and therefore tolerance) by respecting the guidelines for responsible consumption of alcoholic substances. It will take longer, but you will be safe from any health risks.
Warnings
- Never drink if you have to drive.
- Compulsive drinking is bad for your health and, in some cases, could become fatal behavior.
- Attempting to increase the alcohol tolerance threshold could trigger a sudden and unexpected adverse reaction and / or intoxication with a fatal outcome.
