Yes, tequila can absolutely make you drunk. Like all distilled spirits, tequila contains ethanol, the molecule responsible for alcohol’s effects on the central nervous system. The speed and intensity of intoxication are governed by biological and chemical factors. The perception that tequila causes uniquely rapid or intense intoxication results from its high concentration, the specific way it is often consumed, and individual physiological differences. Understanding the science behind ethanol absorption provides a clear answer to how any spirit, including tequila, leads to impairment.
How Alcohol Affects the Body
Intoxication begins the moment ethanol, the psychoactive component in all alcoholic drinks, enters the body. Most alcohol is absorbed rapidly through the small intestine, though some absorption starts in the stomach. Once absorbed, ethanol enters the bloodstream, circulates throughout the body, and eventually reaches the brain.
Ethanol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that easily crosses the blood-brain barrier. Its primary action involves interacting with neurotransmitters, particularly gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter. Alcohol binds to and enhances GABA-A receptors, effectively amplifying the brain’s natural braking system. This increased inhibition slows neural activity, leading to the characteristic effects of relaxation, impaired coordination, and sedation.
Ethanol also influences the release of dopamine in the brain’s reward pathways. This surge contributes to the initial feelings of euphoria and well-being during the early stages of intoxication. The combined effect of heightened inhibition and stimulated reward centers produces the overall state commonly referred to as being “drunk.”
The Characteristics of Tequila
The potency of tequila stems directly from its Alcohol by Volume (ABV). As a distilled spirit, it has a significantly higher concentration of ethanol compared to fermented beverages like beer or wine. By Mexican law, tequila must be bottled between 35% and 55% ABV, but most commercial tequilas are standardized at 40% ABV, or 80 proof.
This high percentage means a standard 1.5-ounce shot delivers a large dose of ethanol in a small volume. The rapid introduction of this concentrated amount into the digestive system is a primary reason why the effects are felt quickly.
Tequila also contains trace chemical byproducts called congeners, which are non-ethanol compounds created during fermentation and distillation. While ethanol is the main intoxicating agent, congeners may contribute to the perceived quality of intoxication or the severity of a hangover. However, the impact of these trace compounds on the speed of getting drunk is minimal compared to the overwhelming influence of the 40% ABV concentration.
Factors Influencing Intoxication Speed
Intoxication speed is heavily influenced by personal physiological factors and consumption habits, not solely by the drink itself. The rate of consumption is a significant variable, as drinking tequila in quick shots overwhelms the body’s ability to process the alcohol. Since the liver can only metabolize a fixed amount of ethanol per hour, rapid intake causes blood alcohol concentration to spike dramatically.
The presence of food in the stomach also plays a large role in slowing the absorption rate of ethanol. When consumed on an empty stomach, alcohol passes quickly to the small intestine, leading to immediate entry into the bloodstream and faster intoxication. Eating a meal before or while drinking delays the stomach emptying process, which mitigates the rapid spike in blood alcohol levels.
Body mass and composition are additional determining factors for how quickly a person feels drunk. Individuals with lower body mass have a smaller volume of body water to dilute the circulating ethanol, resulting in a higher concentration in the bloodstream. Biological sex differences also impact speed because women typically have a lower proportion of body water and lower levels of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. This means that a woman and a man of the same weight consuming the same amount of tequila will often experience different levels of impairment.
Understanding Blood Alcohol Content
The measurable, objective definition of being “drunk” is determined by Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). BAC is the percentage of ethanol present in the bloodstream, measured in grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. This measurement is a reliable indicator of the level of intoxication and is used for medical and legal purposes, such as defining the threshold for impaired driving, commonly set at 0.08% in many jurisdictions.
As BAC rises, the effects of alcohol progress through predictable stages. A BAC between 0.02% and 0.05% typically brings a feeling of relaxation and mild euphoria. Levels nearing 0.08% result in noticeable impairment of balance, speech, and judgment, while exceeding this limit leads to pronounced motor skill deficits and emotional instability.
BAC is the metric that correlates directly with the physiological effects of intoxication, regardless of the specific type of alcoholic beverage consumed. The amount of pure ethanol consumed over a period of time dictates the final BAC level. Understanding this objective measure reinforces that the speed of intoxication is a product of concentration, rate of consumption, and individual body chemistry.