As few as two alcoholic beverages can slow reaction times in older drinkers, a new study found, demonstrating once again that impairment begins long before someone reaches the blood-alcohol level for legal intoxication. In an emergency on the highway, slow reaction time can mean the difference between life and death.Although driving after only two drinks may be legal, it doesn't mean that it's safe, researchers said.
Dutch researcher Judith Hegeman conducted an experiment with men and women who were an average age of 62 years and healthy. They were each given two single vodka and orange drinks and then began walking on a treadmill.
Reaction Times Delayed
After the volunteers achieved a steady walking pace, a wooden block was placed at the far end of the treadmill belt and allowed to move toward the walker.
After just two drinks, the walkers hit the obstacles twice as often and their response times were delayed, compared to when they were not drinking. The tests showed that reaction times were significantly affected after only two standard drinks.
"The results clearly show that even with low blood alcohol concentrations, reactions to sudden gait perturbations are seriously affected," Hegeman said in a news release.
Obstacles Hit Twice as Often
"After ingestion of 2 alcoholic drinks, obstacles were hit twice as often, response times were delayed and response amplitudes were reduced. These changes were most obvious in situations with little available response time."
Hegeman said that alcohol levels considered to be safe for driving seriously hamper the ability to avoid sudden obstacles.
The study results were published in the open access journal BMC Research Notes in November 2010.
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