How much do you really know about what alcohol does to your body? Even though it's the world's most commonly used drug, misconceptions about booze abound. So, while you may know the difference between a pinot and a cabernet, did you realize certain "common knowledge" about alcohol is completely false?
Myth 1: My body can metabolize a drink an hour, so if I stick to that limit, I can drive home at the end of the night.
Nice try: The average rate at which we process alcohol is 100 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per hour. If you weigh 150 pounds, that comes out to just under seven grams of alcohol per hour. A standard beer has 14 grams, which would take your body at least two hours to process. So, if you consumed one drink an hour for four hours in a row, your BAC would hit .08 (a.k.a drunk, according to the law).
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Myth 2: It's possible to speed up the sobering-up process.
No such luck: Nothing can sober you up except for time — not caffeine, not a shower, not even a bacon cheeseburger. It's one of those things you've just got to wait out.
Myth 3: The sooner you "break the seal" during a night of drinking, the more often you'll have to go over the course of the night.
Not true: The urge to pee is based on how much liquid you consume, not on how soon you go. In addition, alcohol's diuretic properties do actually increase the excretion of water from your body, no matter when you "break the seal." So, stop holding it if you gotta go!
The misconceptions don't end there; click through for the truth behind six more alcohol myths. (The Huffington Post)
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