How Many Drinks Does It Take to Get Drunk?

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For many, going out and having drinks is a fun pastime with friends and family. In moderation, drinking can be a great way to destress and connect with others. 

Unfortunately, people often go overboard with drinking in social situations. This experience can range from becoming tipsy to actually passing out. The next day, you might suffer from a bad hangover and find yourself barely able to function.

Being drunk can be tricky to define, however. On one side, there is the physiological experience of impairment. On the other, there’s the legal definition of intoxication—a blood alcohol level of .08%. In this article, we’ll dive a little deeper into questions like, “how many shots will get me drunk,” and see how Mobile IV Nurses can help with a hangover.

Factors That Influence How Quickly You Get Drunk

When it comes to what can get you drunk, a number of factors come into play. From age and weight to general alcohol tolerance, everyone is different when it comes to speed of intoxication. Lifestyle factors also come into play. For example, if you eat before or during a night of drinking, you’ll probably be less drunk than if you started with an empty stomach.

Weight and metabolism have a large impact on intoxication. For example, a 120-pound female who has two drinks in one hour would likely be legally impaired with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent. On the other hand, a 140-pound male would likely need three drinks to get to the same level of intoxication.

Understanding Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Levels

Blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, provides a general barometer for levels of drunkenness. BAC levels are measured using a few different methods.

Most commonly, a breathalyzer is used to measure BAC. This works by measuring the alcohol content in your breath, which can then provide an equivalent blood alcohol content. Once your BAC reaches .08%, a person is considered legally impaired. If you happen to be driving a vehicle during that time, you could potentially put others at risk and receive a DUI.

The University of Toledo has presented evidence that after .055% blood alcohol level, there are diminishing returns to drinking. Soon after that, you will pass the category of feeling “buzzed” and begin to be impaired, being more prone to symptoms such as slurred speech, poor balance, and lack of focus.

Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning

Although the concept of what can get you drunk exists on a spectrum, with enough drinks in a short period of time, an individual is at a high risk of alcohol poisoning. Acute alcohol poisoning can be incredibly dangerous.

So how do you tell someone is too intoxicated? Symptoms such as stumbling, slurred speech, and passing out are key indications that a person is extremely drunk. This may not indicate alcohol poisoning, but it is important that this person not drink (or operate any machinery) any more than they already have.

Addressing alcohol poisoning depends on how bad it is. At a certain point, the person with alcohol poisoning will need to be hospitalized, getting extreme care to take care of the high amount of alcohol in their bloodstream.

Tips for Drinking Responsibly and in Moderation

Drinking responsibly is incredibly important. Not only can heavy drinking adversely affect your health, but it can be unsafe as well, leading to bad decisions and destructive patterns. Luckily, you can follow a few guidelines so that drinking stays in control, allowing you to live a healthier life overall.


Limiting yourself to no more than two drinks in an evening can be a good rule to live by, although intoxication levels will depend on the individual. If you are going to have more than one, having no more than one drink per hour will keep you on the safer side.

Another critical rule is to never drink and drive. It’s simply not worth potentially hurting yourself or others, even without considering the cost and consequences of receiving a costly DUI. If you are going to drink, taking a taxi or using a designated driver is always a smart idea.

The Role of IV Therapy in Addressing Alcohol Poisoning

If you’ve had too much to drink, it can be difficult to deal with the hangover. Lucky for you, IV therapy can help provide relief for a lot of hangover symptoms.

Get relief from issues such as nausea, fatigue, and headaches with IV therapy, allowing you to get back into your daily routine and feel like yourself again. An IV treatment can do this by hydrating your body with the power of the basic saline solution. 

The saline works in your blood faster than drinking water, helping to give quick relief to the side effects of dehydration. At the same time, any vitamins, minerals, and nutrients included in the IV treatment are integrated into the body faster, too, helping support your overall health while also assisting in relieving symptoms.

When you’re in need of an IV to cure a hangover, get in touch with Mobile IV Nurses.



Book an Appointment for Mobile IV Therapy Today

Now that we’ve covered “how many shots it takes to get drunk,” you can drink more responsibly and curate a healthier and more abundant approach to life. 

And if you do need hangover relief, know that Mobile IV Nurses has your back. We are open from the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for mobile IV treatment. Relax at home while you recover from a hangover or other adverse symptoms, choosing a number of IV packages that we serve in locations around the United States.

Get in touch with us to learn more and ask any questions you have about hangover recovery and general IV treatment. Give us a phone call or book an IV session online. We can’t wait to help you feel better!

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