Comments on: Drinking at altitude?

By: PP

PP — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:03:15 +0000

My guess would be that the higher altitude does two things. First when travelling into areas with less oxygen available, high altitudes, it could have an impact on the “side effects” of drinking (not directly on liver metabolism… but could eventually indirectly, creating ‘sensitivities’ in some) by reducing Oxidative Stress capacities, part of the condition of uncoordination etc.

Secondly you would build up “tolerance” to the imbalances coming from high altitudes (like “learning” what it feels like to walk on a moving ship, and the brain/body learning to coordinate under those conditions). So you are better at remaining cooridanted at levels of intoxication that impair others when they are not as “use” to it.

Many factors come into play for ‘tolerance” to intoxication. Liver metabolism, oxidation may play a role, but may not play the strongest role, hence very little change in blood levels (indications of liver), but a difference in cognitive performance and ‘balance” at different altitudes. And frankly when it comes to science studies, since metabolism, while there may be “averages”, can also be immensely personal, and a rethinking of the “dose makes the poison” to both tolerance and poisoning levels will depend on the health of the person, the food eaten, sleep, etc.. a combination of factors, altitude may be just one of several nonlinear factors at play.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/health/02real.html?_r=1

(fyi, difference in Holland may take into consideration pasteurization and additives of those beers (many people notice a difference in bottled/microbrew “buzz”. Again some “drunken” symptoms might impact depend on combination of nutritive factors and “side effects”, or other “toxic” substances increasing load and capacity of liver metabolism)

This was an interesting article about O2 infused beverage that got you drunk the same, but sobered up quicker (supposedly b/c the added 02 “aided” the liver, aka the liver didn’t have to work as hard or use up it’s own supply… interesting theory)
http://io9.com/5481058/scientists-have-discovered-booze-that-wont-give-you-a-hangover

By: Brandy

Brandy — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:00:57 +0000

Just going by what I’ve read on this page, and my own experience. I don’t live at a high altitude, I’m at about 280 ft below sea level. Since moving here I’ve noticed a difference, I feel more of an effect off of less. I don’t know how the altitude sickness works . . . but I would guess that the effects of altitude would be there whether or not you were drinking. So why would a noticeable change, (feeling tipsy after two glasses of wine, instead of three) be attributed to altitude sickness versus the wine. Is it impossible to think that a change in environment could affect the human body in such a way?
However, some posts say you can drink more than at sea level and others say less. The article itself is misleading in that way.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:44:16 +0000

You are not really “more drunk,” you are simply feeling the effects of the alcohol plus the effects of altitude, which are likely greater than their sums.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/02/health/02real.html

By: paul

paul — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 06:13:12 +0000

Hey I agree with the post, I live in washington d.c. And I go to college in new mexico, which is at 5300 feet above sea level. Right now I’m writing this on 16 beers, and I could never handle that many in nm. Its true the altitude makes a huge difference., just try it

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 20:33:37 +0000

I just found this discussion by doing a search for “alcohol high altitude.” The reason I did this search is that I live in Colorado at about 6,000 feet and I just went to Holland where I spent a week at sea level. One night we all went out and I had the equivelant of about 10 or 12 beers, and I barely even had a buzz! And we are talking about high powered 9% alcohol Belgian beers. After a while I was just tired and went back to my hotel. This to me, is proof that alcohol has a much lesser effect at sea level. I can guarantee you that I would have been pretty hammered if I would have drank this same amount at home… and all I was was “tired” in Holland.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 16:36:15 +0000

Well, while I suppose I should be completely compelled by the anecdotal experiences and a reference to “Modern Drunkard Magazine” the post spurred me to do a little Googling of my own. (Frankly, I just wasn’t buying into the assertion that the relative partial pressure of O2 in the air would effect the metabolic functioning of the liver enough to have a tangible impact on alcohol intoxication relative to alcohol intake.) After browsing a few journal articles I’ve come away with the following impressions:

1) From the University of Texas at Austin’s Addiction Science Research & Education Center (http://www.utexas.edu/research/asrec/alcoholfacts.html): “There is no credible research evidence for the following statements about alcohol use: 1) alcohol makes you more intoxicated at high altitudes, compared to sea level, 2) alcohol cures colds and intestinal infections, and 3) alcohol increases digestion of foods. (February 12, 2001)”

2) I also came across information indicating that “Alcohol creates histotoxic hypoxia. For example, an individual who has consumed 1 ounce of alcohol may have a physiological altitude of 2,000 feet.” So, rather than high altitude making a person more intoxicated it appears that alcohol creates the physiological experience of being at higher altitude. Perhaps people are confusing “drunkeness” with “altitude sickness”?

3) Perhaps the most compelling anecdote to me is that most of the people I know from high altitudes are WEAK drinkers