Summertime offers some wonderful opportunities to enjoy beer, wine and cocktails with those who mean the most to you. Still, when you drink alcohol, you do not seem to have the same reaction to it as your friends do. If you are a woman, there is a chance you have alcohol intolerance.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, alcohol intolerance affects roughly 9% of women. Only about 5% of men have alcohol intolerance, though. Unfortunately, if you are alcohol intolerant, you may have a greater risk of arrest for driving under the influence.
What is alcohol intolerance?
Some people have an allergic reaction to alcohol. When they drink, these individuals have an adverse immune response, which can be quite serious. Alcohol intolerance is not an allergic reaction to alcohol, though.
With alcohol intolerance, you lack a critical digestive enzyme. This prevents your body from processing alcohol in the same way other drinkers process it. Indeed, because you do not have the digestive enzyme, more alcohol passes into your bloodstream. This causes you to feel unwell even though you are not drunk.
Why are you at increased risk of a DUI arrest?
In Virginia, it is unlawful to drive with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.08%. If you are alcohol intolerant, you may feel drunker than your friends despite having a BAC that is at or slightly above the commonwealth’s legal limit.
If you drive, you may draw the attention of law enforcement, leading to a possible DUI arrest. Ultimately, if you have alcohol intolerance, it is advisable to stay off the road after consuming any booze at all.
