Neurosurgeon whose teen son died in a drunk driving accident reveals how long it REALLY takes to break down alcohol in eye-opening CLIP that 'could save your life'
- Dr. Brian Hoeflinger, 58, shared his 'Doctor's Take on Drinking Parties' on TikTok
- The Ohio-based neurosurgeon set up shot glasses filled with water in his kitchen and explained that the liver can only metabolize one drink or shot per hour
- Dr. Hoeflinger pretended he took nine shots over the course of three hours, noting that it would take another six hours for the alcohol to leave his system
- His 18-year-old son died in a drunk driving accident in 2013, and he warned against getting behind the wheel after a party
- The video has been viewed more than 15.9 million times
Dr. Brian Hoeflinger, 58, from Ohio, has gone viral after demonstrating how alcohol quickly builds up in the system in his eye-opening TikTok video, which has been viewed more than 15.9 million times.
The doctor, who has more than two decades of experience, set up shot glasses filled with water on his counter to mimic a party where 'a lot of drinks are going down.'
'Say you're having five drinks in the first hour,' he said, taking five water-filled shots in a row. 'Alcohol goes to your brain within five minutes and starts to affect you, but maybe what you don't know is your liver only metabolizes one ounce of alcohol per hour.'
- Dr. Brian Hoeflinger, 58, from Ohio, shared his 'Doctor's Take on Drinking Parties' on TikTok, explaining how long it really takes the body to break down alcohol
The liver can metabolize one standard drink every hour, on average, according to Northwestern Medicine. A standard drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits or liquor.
'I've got five ounces of liquor in my system right now, and at the end of the hour I'm only going to burn off an ounce, so I'm going to have [four] ounces of alcohol left in my bloodstream,' he explained.
Dr. Hoeflinger then threw back three more shots because 'the party is rocking.' He noted that he had 'a total of eight ounces of alcohol in two hours' and 'burned off two.' Toward the end of the fictional party, he took one more shot.
'Now I'm up to nine ounces of alcohol in my bloodstream over three hours, and my liver's only metabolized three ounces of that,' he said. 'I have six ounces of liquor left in my bloodstream.'
The neurosurgeon reminded viewers that it would take another six hours for him to metabolize the alcohol in his system at this point. Some people think they can stop drinking for an hour or two and then drive home, but that's not the case.
HOW LONG IT TAKES THE BODY TO BREAK DOWN ALCOHOL
Alcohol is absorbed through the lining of the stomach into the bloodstream. It reaches the brain in five minutes and starts to take affect within 10 minutes.The liver starts processing alcohol after 20 minutes. In general, the liver can metabolize one ounce of pure alcohol or a 'standard drink' every hour.
- A standard drink is equal to 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. This amount of alcohol is typically found in:
- 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content)
- 8 ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content)
- 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content)
- 1.5 ounces or a 'shot' of distilled spirits or liquor (40% alcohol content)
Sources: Northwestern Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- The video has been viewed more than 15.9 million times and has earned nearly 20,000 comments. Many viewers thanked him for the explanation
'You're going to be drunk into the wee hours of the morning. It doesn't wear off,' Dr. Hoeflinger said. 'Alcohol can stack up in your system really easily when you're drunk and you won't know it, and it won't wear off for hours and hours down the road.
'So don't get into a car. Don't drink and drive. Take an Uber. Take a Lyft. I mean, it's the worst thing you could do, drink and drive. You could hurt or kill yourself or more importantly kill someone else,' he concluded. 'It's just not worth it.'
Nearly 20,000 viewers have commented on the educational clip, and many thanked the doctor for clearly explaining how long it takes the body to break down alcohol.
'Thank you. This is the first time I have ever had anyone explain this in this way. I am forwarding this to my son,' one person wrote.
- Dr. Hoeflinger shared in a previous video that he lost his teenage son Brian in a drunk driving accident in 2013. 'He was 18 years old at the time, and he was that drunk driver,' he said
- Dr. Hoeflinger begged viewers to not drink and drive over the holiday season, saying, 'You never want to feel the way our family feels'
'Great explanation,' someone else agreed. 'I could've used this 20 yrs ago.'
Dr. Hoeflinger shared in a previous video that he lost his teenage son Brian in a drunk driving accident in 2013.
'He was 18 years old at the time, and he was that drunk driver,' the dad said. 'Losing somebody you love is one of the worst experiences you can have in your life. It is especially hard on the ones that are left behind.
'So this holiday season, please don't drink and drive, or do not get into a car with someone who's been drinking and driving. You never want to feel the way our family feels,' he added. 'Please think before you drink.'
Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/...-reveals-long-REALLY-takes-break-alcohol.html
