The alcohol percentage (ABV) indicates how much pure alcohol is contained in a drink. For example, a beer at 5% ABV contains 5 mL of alcohol per 100 mL of beer.

In France, people also refer to alcohol units or standard drinks:

• 1 standard drink = about 10 g of pure alcohol

• This corresponds roughly to:

  • 25 cl of beer at 5%

  • 10 cl of wine at 12%

  • 3 cl of whisky or other spirit at 40%

Effects on the body:

• Alcohol acts as a depressant of the nervous system: it slows reflexes, reduces attention and can cause a feeling of euphoria or relaxation.

• The faster you drink, the more the body is overwhelmed, which can lead to headaches, nausea or balance problems.

Elimination of alcohol:

• The body eliminates alcohol slowly through the liver.

• On average, the liver eliminates 0.1 to 0.15 g/L of alcohol per hour, roughly 1 standard drink per hour.

• There is no miracle method to speed up this process: neither coffee, nor a cold shower, nor exercise allows you to drink faster without feeling the effects.