The concentration of alcohol in a person's breath after consuming alcoholic beverages varies depending on several factors. For example, if the stomach is full, the BAC is lower than when the stomach is empty. Now, an American study reveals that when alcohol is mixed with light or low-calorie drinks – that is, with artificial sweeteners – the concentration of alcohol in the breath is higher than if we use sugary soft drinks . "We must pay attention not only to how much alcohol is consumed, but also to how it is consumed, with what it is combined," explains Cecile A. Marczinski, a researcher at the University of Northern Kentucky (USA), who recalls that women are Those who most often tend to combine low-calorie sodas with rum, whiskey, vodka, or gin. As they point out in an article published in Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research , the researchers suspect that it is because sugar-containing drinks delay the emptying of the stomach and slow the absorption of alcohol into the blood .
If we don't know about this difference, the researchers warn, we could drive a car with BAC levels above those legally allowed just for using diet sodas.
