How Long Does It Take For Vodka To Kick In? (2023 Updated)
Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by Lydia Martin
Vodka is one of the most beloved distilled spirits in the world of alcoholic beverages. Many people prefer to have this drink as it supposedly saves you the headache of dealing with a hangover. Despite that, vodka still contains a high alcohol concentration that can give severe symptoms of intoxication during the night.
But, how long does it take for vodka to kick in? Read on to find that out.
How Long Does Vodka Take Effect?
It takes half an hour for the effects of vodka to kick in fully. One standard shot of 1.5 ounces of vodka can cause someone to feel tipsy, but not enough to get drunk. In the first ten minutes, the alcohol reaches the brain and gets absorbed into the bloodstream.
Different factors will determine the effects of alcohol in the next few minutes. Eating high protein foods, pacing drinks, body weight, and gender will cause different symptoms of drunkenness to individuals.
6 Factors To Consider
1. Food Intake
Drinking a high-proof distilled spirit like vodka on an empty stomach can make a person drunk faster. People who do not eat before drinking have a higher Blood Alcohol Content than those who take a proper meal. Foods with healthy fats and high proteins stay longer in the stomach, slowing down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.
Bananas, eggs, avocados, and salmon are among the best foods to eat before drinking alcohol.
2. Alcohol Content
Vodka usually comes with an 80-proof alcohol content or higher. A single shot of vodka has a considerably high amount of pure alcohol that affects the body faster than other alcoholic drinks. Beers or malt liquors with a lower alcohol content will take more shots for the effects to kick in, unlike vodka, which only needs at least one shot to take effect.
At least 4 to 5 shots of an 80-proof vodka are enough to get you completely drunk. Find out more about the number of vodka shots to get you drunk here.
3. How You Drink It
Pacing the shots is important, especially with high alcohol content. The human liver can only process a standard drink of 1.5 ounces within an hour. Taking more than the liver’s capacity in a short time will increase the BAC level and cause the liver to overwork with alcohol absorption.
Having snacks and drinking water in between shots can help delay the effects of drunkenness. But what’s a good vodka chaser to try?
4. Gender
According to medical science, women generally get drunk faster than men despite taking the same amount of drinks. It is because of the difference in body composition between genders, where women have a higher body fat percentage than men. Aside from that, women have fewer Dehydrogenase enzymes in their bodies which is crucial in breaking down alcohol in the liver.
Read: Is Vodka Really Flammable?
5. Body Weight
Due to more water that helps dilute alcohol in the blood, it takes longer for heavier individuals to feel the effects of vodka than the lightweight ones. Despite that, a person’s body weight is a variable that needs more careful consideration.
Someone who weighs more than 140 pounds but has more body fat percentage than body muscle percentage will get drunk fast because fat contains less water than muscle.
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6. Menstrual Cycle
Among the factors to consider in answering how long does it take for vodka to kick in is the menstrual cycle for women.
During the premenstrual phase, days right before the period starts, the alcohol metabolism in the woman’s body gets slower. It leads to getting drunk quickly because alcohol enters the bloodstream faster than on other days of the month.
Additionally, one of the symptoms of getting drunk is dehydration which is more evident in women on their period. But how long does it take for alcohol to kick in?
FAQs
How long does a shot of vodka last?
A shot of vodka lasts for at least an hour. It takes half an hour for the body to metabolize the standard shot of alcohol [1]. But how long does vodka really last?
Is three shots of vodka a lot?
Yes, three shots of vodka is a lot, even for a healthy individual. It is because three to four shots of 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits, like vodka, with 40% Alcohol by Volume, can get anyone drunk fast.
In Summary
Generally, it takes half an hour to feel the effects of vodka. Despite that, the answer to how long does it take for vodka to kick in still depends on different factors. A fit, healthy body metabolize alcohol faster than those with certain health conditions.
Eating the right kinds of food and pacing a standard shot of liquor give the body more time to process alcohol, thus slowing down the symptoms of intoxication. Since women get drunk faster than men, it is important to consider these two factors and rest before drinking.
Reference:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-alcohol-stay-in-your-system#alcohol-metabolism
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
