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The permissible amount of energy drinks and what to do in case of an overdose. Overdose of energy drinks What happens if you drink 3 liters of energy drink

Health

Despite repeated warnings about the dangers of energy drinks, many continue to drink them, especially young and middle-aged people.

Millions of students and workaholics around the world consume energy drinks or caffeine mixed with an alcoholic drink every day to increase their performance.

But what actually happens to our body when we drink such a drink?

Here is a step-by-step guide explaining the changes in our body, starting from the first 10 minutes and ending with 12 days after drinking just one can of this drink.


It is worth noting that studies have proven that energy drinks, as well as alcoholic drinks, have the same effect on the adolescent brain as the most powerful drugs.

The harm of energy drinks



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The first 10 minutes after drinking one can of energy drink

Caffeine begins to penetrate the blood.

Heart rate and blood pressure begin to increase.

In 15-45 minutes

If you drink the drink quickly, after 15 minutes you will feel more alert and more concentrated. But if you drink the drink slowly, this effect will occur in about 40 minutes.

In 30-50 minutes

Caffeine absorption is complete. Your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and as a result, your liver releases large amounts of sugar into your blood. The adenosine receptors in your brain are now blocked and you no longer feel sleepy.

Blood sugar levels spike, causing a spike in insulin. The liver responds to this by converting sugar into fat.

After 1 hour

Your body begins to feel a sudden drop in blood sugar (hypoglycemia). You quickly run out of energy and you begin to feel very tired.

An hour after drinking the drink, you will want to go to the toilet, and you will get rid of the water that was in the drink. This water was enriched with valuable nutrients, but instead of using them for their intended purpose, these substances came out along with the water.

Impact of Energy Drinks


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In 5-6 hours

During this time, the amount of caffeine in the body decreased by half. In women taking birth control pills, this period can be up to 10 hours.

In 12 hours

During this time, the human body completely gets rid of caffeine in the blood. Still, the speed of caffeine cleansing depends on many factors, from age to physical activity.

After 12-24 hours

Withdrawal begins. About a day after drinking the energy drink, an unpleasant surprise awaits you. If a person often drinks such a drink, then during this period he begins to feel lethargic, exhausted, headaches and constipation appear.

In 7-12 days

Studies have shown that by this time the body becomes more resistant to regular consumption of a certain dose of caffeine. This means that you will no longer experience the same unpleasant feelings to the same extent.

Read also:

Non-alcoholic energy drinks


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Today, anyone can buy a sweet non-alcoholic energy drink, even a schoolchild. While teenagers and older people continue to drink energy drinks and end up in the hospital, advertising continues to talk about how this or that drink invigorates and inspires.

Doctors in many countries, including Russia, have long been warning about the dangers of such drinks, that energy drinks cause problems with the cardiovascular system, potency, can cause insomnia and quickly deplete the body’s energy reserves.

Well, if you mix such a drink with alcohol, the situation gets even worse. This mixture can cause heart rhythm disturbances, seizures, and even kidney failure. It is worth noting that deaths have been repeatedly recorded after consuming energy drinks with alcohol.

Relative benefits of energy drinks


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1. For a short period of time, a person receives a boost of vigor and energy.

2. It is possible to choose a drink with a high concentration of caffeine or with a large amount of vitamins and carbohydrates. The former help cope with drowsiness, and the latter increase the level of endurance during physical activity.

3. The vitamins in such drinks can stimulate vital processes in human body, and glucose can quickly enter the bloodstream and provide energy to the muscles and brain.

4. Thanks to its convenient packaging, energy drinks can be taken with you anywhere and consumed almost anywhere. For some, they can replace a cup of coffee.

5. Most 8-ounce cans of the energy drink contain 80 milligrams of caffeine, which is less than the 400 milligram limit recommended by doctors. Coffee may contain more caffeine than an energy drink (about 300 milligrams on average).

Why are energy drinks harmful?


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1. Drinking more than 2 cans of energy drink per day can significantly increase your blood pressure and may also increase your blood sugar levels. The result is hypertension and diabetes.

2. Since deaths after consuming energy drinks have been officially recorded in Europe, in some countries they can only be purchased in pharmacies.

3. The vitamins contained in energy drinks do not form a balanced complex.

4. If a person suffers from heart disease, vascular disease, nervous system, pancreas or liver, then consuming energy drinks will only worsen the situation. The same applies to those who are predisposed to the above diseases.

5. The energy drink itself does not provide energy, but opens the channels of the body where internal resources are contained. As a result of using energy reserves, the body is depleted, a person may experience nervous overexcitation, and with frequent use, fatigue increases, insomnia, irritability appear, a person is more prone to nervous breakdowns and depression.

6. With regular consumption of energy drinks, the body gets used to caffeine and over time asks for a larger dose, and a large dose of caffeine depletes the body and encourages frequent urination, and this in turn removes salts from the body (in a fairly large volume).

7. A large concentration of B vitamins can lead to disruption of the nervous system, increase heart rate, lead to tremors in the limbs and greatly weaken the body.

8. The dose of amino acids taurine and glucuronolactone in one can of energy drink exceeds daily norm 500 times. And if you consider that they are consumed together with caffeine, then such a mixture can lead to severe exhaustion of the human nervous system.

9. Caffeine and other ingredients in energy drinks irritate the stomach lining, which means your risk of developing stomach ulcers and gastritis increases.

10. Energy drinks are high in sugar, which means high in calories. Caffeine, as a stimulant, can cause anxiety, nausea, dehydration and increased heart rate.

11. Between 2007 and 2014, in the US alone, the number of people hospitalized due to energy drink use doubled. These data were shared by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Composition of energy drinks


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* The basis of any such drink is caffeine

There are also extracts of guarana, tea or mate, which also contain caffeine.

Sometimes the manufacturer calls caffeine differently: mateine ​​or theine, but in fact it is the same caffeine.

Other stimulants, such as theobromine and theophylline, which are homologues of the same caffeine.

* Carnitine.

This component promotes the rapid oxidation of fatty acids. This means that it enhances the overall metabolism in our body. As a result, a person’s level of muscle fatigue decreases.

* Taurine.

Some believe that this component of energy drinks, as it accumulates in muscle tissue, leads to improved muscle (and heart) function. However, medical experts claim that taurine has absolutely no effect on muscles. Despite this, in one can of energy drink its volume can range from 400 to 1000 mg. This begs the question: why is it needed then?

* There are also vitamins (in particular B vitamins), such as carbohydrates (glucose, sucrose).

It is worth noting that the body needs B vitamins, and if you are deficient in them, your body will tell you about it. But an excess of these vitamins (which an energy drink can provide) can hardly be considered beneficial for a person.

A person who knows what energy drinks are made of is unlikely to be surprised by the information that they harm the body. But then why are they sold freely even for teenagers? It's simple.

The substances in the composition themselves do not have a harmful effect. Death from energy drinks occurs if consumption is regular or a one-time dose was consumed that provokes death.

In addition, energy drinks are firmly entrenched on shelves next to alcoholic beverages. But the explosive mixture of caffeine, taurine and ethyl alcohol is a different story, and not always with a good ending.

What are energy drinks made of?

The invigorating effect after taking one jar of such a cocktail is quite easily explained. The ingredients are selected in such a way as to have an effect as quickly and effectively as possible. However, all organisms are different, and energy liquid is produced in standard volumes. This explains the frequent overdoses of the drink.

Ingredients of a standard energy cocktail:

  • nervous system stimulants of synthetic origin (one of the main components is caffeine or guarana);
  • substances that help the body produce energy as quickly as possible (sugar, glucose, etc.);
  • components that speed up metabolism (taurine).

Colors and flavors are also common ingredients in many energy drinks. Often these substances are artificial or identical to natural ones, which is not beneficial.

Vitamins, which make up the smallest part of the composition, carry a hidden meaning. A person who sees information about a vitamin complex on a jar a priori begins to consider the product healthy. But that’s not why they were added to energy drinks.

The vitamins in the energy drink allow you to speed up your metabolism so that you can open up the body's internal reserves.

However, poisoning from energy drinks most often occurs when they are alcoholic. During a fun party, it is difficult to control the amount of alcohol you drink. Because of this, a serious overdose occurs, which often leads to death.

The influence of energy drinks on the human body

A person who has drunk too much energy drinks first feels cheerful and uplifted. But gradually, when more and more harmful substances are absorbed through the gastrointestinal mucosa, signs of overdose are observed.

One jar of such a cocktail is equivalent to brewing and drinking a 200-gram pack of strong coffee once.

Energy drinks do not supply the body with additional strength, as is commonly believed. Energy is extracted from the body by force. Each of the cocktail ingredients has a specific function. Due to their impact, the body is forced to find additional strength.

All this happens to the detriment of the health of internal organs, especially the heart, which has to work hard. In addition, the body loses a large amount of fluid necessary to process caffeine. Subsequently, this disrupts all metabolic processes.

Lethal dose

The lethal dose of an energy drink that contains caffeine is at least 70 half-liter cans for a person weighing 70 kg. However, signs of poisoning can be observed after two jars. It all depends on the health of the body, the presence or absence chronic diseases and other factors.

The lethal dose of caffeine for humans is 10-15g.

To whom are they prohibited?

However, the standards described above are suitable for the average, and most importantly, healthy human body. Energy drinks have several contraindications for use. Persons who are at risk are strictly prohibited from drinking cocktails.

  • pregnant women, nursing mothers;
  • minor children;
  • elderly people;
  • persons who have diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver and kidneys;
  • for diabetes mellitus;
  • for allergies, bronchial asthma.

Symptoms of poisoning

An overdose of energy drinks differs in the severity and duration of symptoms. Initially, the victim may not feel any abnormalities in the functioning of the internal organs, but as the active substances are absorbed from the stomach into the blood, the symptoms of poisoning will intensify.

What signs appear due to a cocktail overdose:

  • tremor of the hands or the whole body;
  • headache;
  • nausea, vomiting;
  • impaired coordination of movements;
  • a sharp increase in blood pressure, increased heart rate;
  • facial hyperemia;
  • loss of consciousness;
  • nervous manifestations.

In case of an overdose of an energy drink that contains ethyl alcohol, in addition to all the symptoms, the patient experiences inappropriate behavior and a complete or partial lack of consciousness.

However, health problems are observed not only in those individuals who have once abused a large dose of coffee drink.

If a person takes energy shakes on a regular basis, they may also experience a number of health problems. As a rule, such individuals are diagnosed with diseases of the cardiovascular system, disorders of the digestive tract and nervous disorders.

Treatment

If the victim shows signs of a severe overdose, he must be given first aid, and then consult a doctor. This is especially necessary if the person is intoxicated.

First aid:

  1. Place the patient on a horizontal surface, unfasten all the top buttons on the clothes. Provide fresh air flow. To do this, open the window.
  2. Give the victim at least 2 liters of water with potassium permanganate diluted in it to drink. Subsequently, induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue with a tablespoon.
  3. When the main part of the cocktails has left the body through vomiting, the patient should drink the intestinal sorbent, following the instructions on the package. This could be charcoal, smecta, polysorb or any other means at hand.
  4. Call an ambulance and make sure that the person does not lose consciousness until the doctor arrives.

It is prohibited to give the victim any medications. This is especially true for heart medications and drugs that lower blood pressure. Incorrect selection and dosage of the drug can cause shock, collapse or cardiac arrest.

To prevent energy drink poisoning, they should be consumed in moderation and only when absolutely necessary. Under no circumstances should this be done on an empty stomach.

To feel good, a person needs to get enough sleep. All other means for vigor have only a temporary effect, and it is also very harmful to the body.

We came up with it quite recently. But humanity has been using their ingredients for many centuries to cheer up.

Absolutely everyone drinks energy drinks: office workers who are forced to finish their work in the evening; students preparing for an exam; drivers who have been on the road for a long time, and simply those who like the taste of an energy drink. Vigor and a surge of strength is what these people want to get, considering energy drinks to be a miraculous drink.

Just a small jar - and the energy again overflows. The producers of this miracle drink assure that energy drink does not cause any harm, its effect on the body is comparable to the effect of regular tea.

But everything would be fine if not for one thing. They want to limit the spread. Does this mean that energy drinks are not so harmless? Then the questions arise: “Is it possible to drink energy drinks? What are the consequences of drinking them?” This will be discussed in the article.

How did energy drinks appear?

People constantly stimulated their nervous system. For example, in Asia and China they always drank strong tea, in the Middle East - coffee, in Africa they ate kola nuts.

At the end of the 20th century, an energy drink was invented in Asia. The Austrian Dietrich Matesic, who was in Hong Kong at that time, independently developed its recipe and began to produce it for sale. The new drink quickly gained popularity. Currently, "Red Bull" has captured 70% of the energy drink market.

In which countries is the sale of energy drinks legal?

  • in Denmark, France and Norway, energy drinks can be found exclusively in pharmacies;
  • In Russia, the sale of energy drinks in schools is prohibited; contraindications and side effects must be written on the label;
  • It is illegal to sell alcoholic energy drinks in the United States.

Many countries have already begun to ban the sale of energy drinks. For example, in Ireland, one athlete died during training because he drank three cans of energy drink.

There were also sad incidents in Sweden. The teenagers mixed alcoholic drinks and energy drinks, as a result they died.

Composition of energy drinks

  • Caffeine. Of course, this is the most popular energy drink. Millions of people drink coffee to get a boost of energy. Absolutely all energy drinks contain caffeine. This component is an excellent stimulant. 100 mg of caffeine increases mental activity, and 250 mg improves cardiovascular endurance. To achieve the desired effect, you need to drink three cans of energy drinks, but this exceeds the daily dose.
  • Taurine. This is an amino acid found in human muscles. Improves heart function, but recently doctors have begun to refute this hypothesis. Some doctors claim that taurine has no effect on the human body at all. One can of energy drink contains from 300 to 100 mg of this substance.
  • Carnitine. Contained in human cells. Reduces fatigue and increases endurance. This element is capable of burning fat deposits and can improve metabolic processes in the body.
  • Ginseng and guarana. These are medicinal plants. They have a tonic effect on the human body. Guarana has found its use in medicine: it relieves muscle pain by removing lactic acid from tissues. Guarana cleanses the liver and prevents atherosclerosis.
  • B vitamins. These components are simply necessary for humans. Thanks to them, the human brain and nervous system function correctly. A lack of B vitamins can negatively affect human health. Manufacturers of energy drinks claim that if you receive vitamins of this group in large quantities, your mental abilities will improve significantly. This is just a marketing ploy. An excess of vitamin B will negatively affect the human body.
  • Melatonin. This substance is found in the human body. It is responsible for biorhythms.
  • Matein. The substance helps dull the feeling of hunger and has a fat-burning effect.

Pros and cons of drinking energy drinks

Scientists have not yet come to a general conclusion whether energy drinks are harmful or beneficial. Some perceive them as ordinary lemonade, while others believe that if you regularly consume energy drinks, you can harm your body.

pros

  1. The choice of energy drinks is huge. Everyone can find an energy drink that will fully suit their tastes and preferences. Some drinks may be fruit flavored while others may be plain. There are drinks with a high content of vitamins, and there are those with a high caffeine content.
  2. Energy drinks can lift your mood in a matter of minutes; they can also quickly improve mental activity.
  3. - this is a real “lifesaver” for students, workaholics, drivers and athletes.
  4. Many energy drinks contain added glucose and various vitamins. Glucose gives strength and energy, and the benefits of vitamins are known to absolutely everyone.
  5. The energy drink lasts about 4 hours, which is 2 times longer than the effect of a cup of coffee. Moreover, energy drinks begin to act much faster than coffee.
  6. Energy drinks are convenient to drink: you can always keep them in your bag or car. Energy drinks are always at hand!

Minuses

  • Energy drinks must be consumed strictly in accordance with the prescribed dose: no more than two cans per day. If you drink more, an increase in blood sugar and blood pressure is guaranteed.
  • All the vitamins that are added to energy drinks will not replace the vitamins from natural foods and multivitamin complexes.
  • Those with heart disease and those suffering from high or low blood pressure should not drink energy drinks.
  • An energy drink is not a miracle drink at all. It does not give a person energy. This drink just shows the body where it can come from. Energy drinks are just the key that opens the door to vigor. Simply put, energy drinks do not give us strength; they only draw our own energy from our reserves. After this drink has taken the last of his strength from his reserves, the person becomes irritable and tired.
  • Caffeine, which is contained in any energy drink, depletes the human nervous system. The energy drink lasts for 4 hours, but after this time a person simply needs to rest. Moreover, caffeine can be addictive.
  • Huge doses of caffeine and glucose added to an energy drink can harm a person.
  • Some types of energy drinks add incredible amounts of vitamin B, which significantly exceeds the daily dose. Exceeding the norm can cause muscle tremors and rapid pulse.
  • Caffeine has diuretic properties. Therefore, after strength training, it is prohibited to drink energy drinks, because the body has already lost a lot of fluid through sweat.
  • Glucuronolactone and taurine are added to some energy drinks. These substances are contained in the drink in incredibly large doses. For example, taurine exceeds daily norm 10 times, and glucuronolactone - as much as 250! Scientists have not yet determined how safe this dose is for humans. Research is being conducted on this topic.

Side effects of energy drinks

If you regularly consume energy drinks, you may notice the following side effects:

  • tachycardia - increased heart rate, the norm for a person is 60 beats per minute, but with tachycardia you can observe 90 or more heart beats;
  • psychomotor agitation - anxiety that can be expressed in various ways: from uncontrollable motor restlessness to shouting various phrases and sounds for no reason;
  • increased nervousness - fatigue, lack of sleep at night and drowsiness during the day, irritability and frequent headaches, all these symptoms directly indicate excessive nervousness;
  • depression - lack of joy, indifferent attitude to everything that happens, impaired thinking.

How to drink energy drinks correctly?

You may notice that energy drinks have much more disadvantages than advantages. But still, everyone may have a situation when they simply cannot do without an energy drink. To do this, you need to study all the postulates of using energy drinks in order to protect yourself from negative consequences.

  • No more than two cans of energy drink per day! They contain the daily dose of caffeine; exceeding it is strictly prohibited.
  • After drinking an energy drink, be sure to rest. It is advisable that this be a full-fledged sleep.
  • It is forbidden to drink energy drinks after sports activity. As mentioned above, energy drinks remove water from the body. Moreover, energy drinks, like sports training, increase blood pressure;
  • You should not drink energy drinks if you have the following diseases: hypertension, heart disease and glaucoma. It is also forbidden to drink energy drinks if you suffer from insomnia and have caffeine intolerance.
  • Energy drinks should not be given to children and teenagers. Some people ask, “Can children drink energy drinks?” The consequences may not be very pleasant, so it is better not to offer this drink to children.
  • It is forbidden to drink tea or coffee within 5 hours after drinking an energy drink.
  • Energy drinks and alcohol don't mix. Energy drinks increase blood pressure, and alcohol greatly enhances the effect of this drink. As a result, you can develop a hypertensive crisis.

Frequently asked questions about energy drinks

  1. Is it possible to drink expired energy drinks? It is forbidden. At the very least, this risks poisoning. - This is the same product as all the others. It's better to buy a new can of energy drink than to put yourself at risk.
  2. Can teenagers drink energy drinks? Just because an energy drink does not contain alcohol does not mean it is unsafe. Persons 15-16 years old are not recommended to drink this drink.
  3. Can children under 13 years old drink energy drinks? If teenagers shouldn’t drink energy drinks, then even more so for children. This drink can negatively affect the nervous system of a growing organism.
  4. Can pregnant women drink energy drinks? It is forbidden. It is best for pregnant women to follow a nutritious diet and avoid products containing caffeine. Substances contained in energy drinks can harm the fetus.
  5. Is it possible to drink an energy drink before an exam? Can. Just follow the instructions for using this product.
  6. Is it possible to drink an energy drink before a workout? In small quantities. It is forbidden to drink energy drinks after training.
  7. Is it possible to drink energy drinks before the age of 18? The store can sell energy drinks to people under 18 years of age, but this does not mean that they can be consumed. Conscientious manufacturers indicate on the labels of energy drinks: “Prohibited for use by persons under 18 years of age.”

What brands of energy drinks can you find?

  • Red Bull.
  • Burn.
  • Adrenaline Rush.

These are the most popular non-alcoholic energy drinks.

You can also find alcoholic energy drinks on store shelves. Drinking them is strictly prohibited! If you see alcohol in an energy drink, put it aside and take care of your health.

What is the difference between non-alcoholic energy drinks?

It’s worth saying a few words about which of the listed energy drinks is least harmful to the body.

  • Red Bull is a drink similar in composition and effect to a cup of coffee with a spoon of sugar.
  • Burn - this drink contains a huge amount of guarana, theobromine and caffeine.
  • Adrenaline Rush is the safest of all energy drinks. It has an invigorating effect with the help of ginseng, which is a common medicinal plant.

In conclusion

Whichever drink you prefer, it's worth remembering that these are just the carbonated equivalent of a cup of coffee. Energy drinks can harm the body.

The vitamins and substances that make up energy drinks can be found in juices, fruits and chocolate.

Think, maybe it’s better to drink a cup of strong and aromatic coffee with a piece of dark chocolate than to poison your body with energy drinks?

A sip - and you are cheerful and fresh for several hours. What magic. You can sleep less and get more done. But what will you have to pay for vigor?

The answer is disappointing: retribution will come in the form of cardiovascular diseases, a weakened nervous system, weak immunity, and even dependence on these drinks.

Caffeine

Caffeine constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure, thereby causing a surge of vivacity. But, alas, not for long. After some time, a “rollback” occurs; the person feels lethargic and weak, even more so than he felt before taking the energy drink.

Caffeine also removes water from the body and has a diuretic effect. But many people drink energy drinks to quench their thirst. It turns out the opposite effect, thirst does not go away, but the body becomes even more dehydrated.

And one more danger: caffeine is addictive. The body begins to demand more and more vigor - it gets hooked on energy drinks. If you drink the drink often, then one jar will soon not be enough. The dose will need to be increased. And receive even more harmful substances.

Guarana herb

It contains a lot of caffeine. Three times more than coffee. And as a result, the energy can contains an overwhelming amount of this unsafe substance.

Taurine

It is an amino acid or vitamin-like substance. It improves energy metabolism in our body and has a positive effect on blood pressure. The problem is that the taurine content in the drink is several times higher than the permissible daily allowance for humans.

Glucuronolactone

If you drink two cans of the drink, you will exceed the daily norm of glucuronolactone by almost 500 times. Scientists cannot say exactly what consequences the combination of these two components will have: taurine and glucuronolactone, and even in such huge doses. It is not yet known how each substance may enhance the effects of the other. So taking them is not safe.

Vitamins

Vitamin C and B vitamins are usually added to energy drinks. There is no doubt that vitamins are beneficial. But not at a chemical company like this. Vitamin B in large quantities causes tremors of the limbs, rapid heartbeat and allergic reactions. Vitamin C reacts with preservatives and flavorings, resulting in the production of carcinogenic substances.

Mate and ginseng extracts

Very often they are mistaken for useful components - these are herbs. But in fact, the invigorating effect of these herbs is similar to the principle of action of an energy drink. For example, a cup of mate slightly “adjusts” the heart. What if you add a huge dose of caffeine to this cup? As for ginseng, for some people its combination with caffeine causes irritability rather than alertness.

Carbon dioxide

It ensures very rapid absorption of all elements of the energy drink into the blood. At the same time, carbon dioxide is bad. It causes the stomach to produce more gastric juice. Acidity increases, and all this can lead to gastritis and ulcers. However, this way side effect Almost any soda has.

Alcohol

Energy drinks with added alcohol are the most dangerous. The fact is that our body does not tolerate the double blow of caffeine and alcohol very well. And if you add a cigarette... All these things greatly constrict blood vessels. And with frequent consumption of energy drinks, it can result in a stroke and other serious problems. In many countries, such as the United States, energy drinks containing alcohol are prohibited.

Where does the vigor come from?

Within 3-4 hours after taking the energy drink, we feel a surge of strength. But these powers do not come from the drink. The energy drink mobilizes the last remnants of our body’s strength, those energy reserves that were put aside for the rainiest day. It squeezes the body dry.

24.07.2013 - 16:01

We drank it three times and measured the ppm in the blood. Three drivers took part in a “drunken experiment.” What came of it?



News of Belarus. Dmitry, Christina, Mikhail are practicing motorists. But today, on a legal day off, they agreed to leave their cars in order to drink alcohol, they reported in the “Week” program on STV.

We have found a reason - we will conduct an experiment and try to derive a pattern between the doses of alcohol consumed and ppm.

Let us remind you that in Belarus the permissible level of alcohol in a driver’s blood is 0.3 ppm. Drink or drive? As a rule, law-abiding motorists do not suffer from the agony of choice. But the concept of “residual” is not spelled out in the law, and everyone has an internal censor and an individual measure. As you know, whoever is armed (in this case with knowledge) is warned, which means he is insured against rash actions.

Mikhail drank half a liter of weak beer, Christina drank 150 grams of table wine, and Dmitry drank a 100-gram glass of vodka. By the way, our film crew also joined the experience. We allowed ourselves 400 grams of kvass, which causes anxiety among drivers, and a can of beer (the so-called zero).

Between the first and second we go to the drug treatment clinic for an examination. Literally 30 minutes passed, and everyone took turns blowing into the phone.

So, the intermediate test data. Kvass and “nulevochka” gave zero each. Dmitry drank the strongest drink, and for him a clear ban on driving - 0.48 ppm. Christina, after an impressive glass of wine, blew 0.16 ppm, Mikhail – 0.18. We send the beer taster immediately for a blood test. And here is an interesting conclusion - 0.33 ppm.

Alexey Alexandrov, chief physician of the Minsk Regional Clinical Center “Psychiatry-Narcology”:
Each person is unique: weight, height, condition digestive system. 0.3 is the presence of alcohol in the blood, that is, that so many percent, respectively, were absorbed into the blood serum from the alcohol drunk at a particular moment. Promille means a thousandth: percent is a hundredth, ppm is a thousandth.

0.3 is the first threshold. After drinking a liter, a person will definitely pass through the threshold of 0.3.


The experiment of drivers in the name of sobriety continues. The trio of participants go for the second run. Right in the drug treatment department they add a degree. Dmitry downs another glass of 50 grams of vodka, Christina drinks another 150 grams of wine, Mikhail pours another large glass of beer. Now our tasters are in standby mode: according to the technical instructions, the breathalyzer will give a result no less than 15 minutes after taking it.

It's time to take another measurement. The participants in our experiment were clearly already in a slightly drunken state. Results: the strongest drink is the leader in terms of ppm, followed by beer, and then wine. Result: all doses exceed the permissible limit of 0.3 ppm.


Christina and Dmitry go for a blood test and decide on the last phase - the third approach. Everyone adds their own drink: another 50 grams of vodka, 150 grams of wine and half a liter of beer. And again they wait.

Alexey Alexandrov:
It is approximately believed that from 0.5 to 1.5 ppm a person is in a state of mild intoxication, from 1.5 to 2.5 ppm - accordingly, moderate intoxication, and from 2.5 and above - this is already severe intoxication.

It's time to take readings. Visual sensations. Dmitry, who drank vodka, is diagnosed by a narcologist with dysarthria - this is when the tongue becomes slurred. Christina's sparkling eyes and sweet smile give her away too. And the slightly shaky Mikhail, after drinking beer, built a regular route to the restroom.

Christina is the leader in ppm – 1.12 ( approx. ed. - in exhaled air). This is already an average degree of intoxication and a clear deprivation of rights if you are driving.

Blood and breath tests are approximately the same. But all results are relative - each person has their own errors. Therefore, before you get behind the wheel, even when you seem to feel clear, you should use a home breathalyzer and take a control measurement. After all, feeling sober can be a delusion, and then you can only blame yourself.

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