Yet another alcohol thread: how long do the effects last?

Factual Questions
1

There have been several threads of the “is the one drink an hour rule true?” variety. The general answer is “yes.”

I’m interested in the long-term effects. If your liver (and other systems?) get better at dealing with alcohol as you drink more, how long does it take before everything is “back to normal”? Does the damage from long-term drinking heal or is it more like losing a leg–you never get over it?

2

You need to be a bit more specific. By “one drink an hour,” are you referring to the time it takes to metabolize alcohol to the point that (a) the alcohol is at a concentration low enough for you to legally drive or (b) totally (essentially) eliminated from your body? There’s a difference between a .08 BAC and a 0.0 BAC.

Also, the one drink an hour rule typically applies to people with a large body mass, ie big people in the 220 lb. range. The smaller the person, all things being equal, the longer it takes for the elimination of alcohol. For instance, imagine a .20 BAC in a 125-lb female and 225-lb male. The male has to drink far more alcohol to reach a .20 reading and will typically metabolize it much more quickly too.

In short, the “one drink per hour” rule does not apply to slightly built females/males. Following it in a long night of drinking could get you arrested for DUI.

3

the liver can regenerate and repair itself, unless you royally screw it up.

4

OK, to be more clear:

  1. How long to “get clean” in rehab? Your body is no longer overproducing the enzymes (?) that deal with the alcohol. You are affected by a drink like a normal person.
  2. How long to repair the damage?