How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your Body?

The way your body processes alcohol depends on several of your individualistic features. At a constant rate, your body should process an equivalent of one standard drink every hour. Understanding how long alcohol remains in your body is a matter of decoding the individual factors influencing its processing. Learning about this is essential if you're concerned about driving, taking tests, and avoiding dangerous interactions with medications. This article explores how long alcohol stays in your blood, the factors affecting its clearance, and the different tests to measure it.

Alcohol Absorption and Body's Metabolism

Once you drink alcohol, it quickly makes its way through your digestive system. It is absorbed into your bloodstream from the stomach and through your small intestines. About 20% of the alcohol is absorbed by the stomach lining, while the majority of 80% is absorbed through the small intestines.

After entering the bloodstream, the alcohol circulates to various organs, including the brain. This is why you notice changes in your mood, cognition, and motor functions. The liver is the primary organ responsible for metabolising the alcohol content, where enzymes, including alcohol dehydrogenase, break down the alcohol molecules.

The metabolism is carried out effectively unless you drink too quickly, which can cause alcohol poisoning or overconsuming. About 90%-98% of the alcohol you consume gets processed and metabolised by the body. The remaining portion comes out through sweat, vomit, and urine.

How Long Does Alcohol Remain in Your Bloodstream

Your body's ability to process alcohol determines how long it stays in your blood. On average, alcohol is detected in your blood for 10 to 12 hours after consumption. The percentage of alcohol content in blood is known as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). It is expressed as the amount of ethanol in grams per 100 millilitres of blood. A higher BAC indicates a more significant intoxication and vice versa.

Factors such as your gender, body weight, metabolism, and the quantity of alcohol consumed play a significant role in influencing the BAC level. Typically, your liver metabolises alcohol at a steady rate of 0.015 BAC per hour.

You can get a test done within the 10-12-hour window to determine how long alcohol stays in your blood. While this is the norm, some advanced testing methods can identify alcohol metabolites even after several days. It depends on your physical condition and how much you've consumed.

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your Body for Detection?

There are multiple tests to detect the alcohol in your body. Each test comes with a varied detection window. They are explained as follows:

• Breathalyser Test:

This type of test detects the presence of alcohol in your body through your breath. It is often used by law enforcement to identify alcohol content in your blood for up to 24 hours after drinking. It is a quick and non-invasive method to identify BAC.

• Blood Test:

Considered highly accurate, blood tests, as the name suggests, measure the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. Alcohol remains detectable in the blood for 6 to 12 hours after drinking. This type of testing is often done in medical and legal contexts.

• Saliva Test:

Saliva tests are another non-invasive method to detect alcohol in your body. Alcohol can be traced in saliva for up to 12 to 24 hours after the last drink. These tests are apt for immediate detection of alcohol consumption, like roadside testing while drunk driving, where your saliva is swapped for testing.

• Urine Test:

Urine tests trace alcohol metabolites for approximately 12 to 48 hours after consumption. Some advanced urine tests take up to 72 hours, such as those looking for ethyl glucuronide (EtG). This makes urine testing useful for detecting alcohol over a more extended period.

• Hair Follicle Test:

Hair tests are apt to detect alcohol consumption over the longest time compared to other tests. Alcohol is traceable in hair follicles or up to 90 days after drinking. You can use this method for monitoring chronic alcohol use as opposed to short-term consumption.

Factors Affecting the Processing Rate of Alcohol

Although alcohol is metabolised at a constant rate, some people may feel its effects longer than others. That's because it is processed differently by everyone based on a variety of factors, including:

• Age

The processing rate of alcohol slows down as you age, and the amount of water in your body goes down with age. As a result, the BAC is higher. Also, with older age, you may be taking medications, which react with the alcohol and increase its retention in the body as opposed to when you are younger.

• Gender

Women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat and a lower water content than men. Hence, they process alcohol slower than men. Also, hormone levels during menstruation make women experience higher BAC levels when alcohol is consumed.

• Body Fat

Body fat influences alcohol clearance because alcohol is more soluble in water than in fat. Thus, people with higher body fat may experience slower alcohol processing than those with lower fat. The same goes for body composition. People with a more petite frame have a lower BAC than someone taller.

• Food Intake

Drinking on an empty stomach results in faster absorption of alcohol, whereas having food in your stomach before consuming alcohol slows down absorption. This is because of a more gradual metabolism. Food assists with the dilution of alcohol and induces enzyme activity in the liver.

• Drinking Frequency

If you drink regularly or are a heavy drinker, you may have liver damage. Consequently, the efficiency of alcohol metabolism reduces over time. In worse cases, chronic alcohol consumption leads to liver disease, which significantly affects your body's ability to break down and eliminate alcohol.

• Medications

Some medication reactions affect how long alcohol stays in your blood by interacting with the enzymes responsible for metabolising alcohol. Such medications include antidepressants, antibiotics, painkillers, and allergy drugs. Additionally, alcohol may also intensify the effect of such medications.

• Amount and Time of The Day

Drinking more significant amounts of alcohol will naturally take longer for your body to process. It prolongs the time it remains detectable in your blood. Plus, drinking in the day or at night can extend the time alcohol lingers in your system. This is because your metabolism tends to slow down during resting periods.

Protect Your Wellbeing: Control Your Alcohol Consumption

The answer to how long alcohol stays in your body is influenced by multiple factors, including how much you drink, the frequency, and your physical characteristics. These aspects impact your liver function and BAC levels. The detection time varies based on the type of test. Typically, your system may return to normal after 12 hours of alcohol consumption. As there is no foolproof to cut down the alcohol clearance time, it is best to give it enough time and consume less.

If you are concerned about your alcohol consumption and its effects, consider seeking professional advice. Check out insurance policies from ManipalCigna Health Insurance to support your health needs.

FAQs

What is a standard amount of drink safe to consume?

A standard drink contains around 10-14 grams of pure alcohol. This amount is typically found in 330 ml of beer, 100 ml of wine, or 30 ml of distilled spirits like whisky or rum. A safe amount to consume will depend on your body weight, gender, and health condition.

Does drinking water or coffee help speed up the alcohol processing time?

No, drinking water or coffee can help you feel more alert but does not help speed up the alcohol processing time.

How can I reduce the time alcohol stays in my system?

There is no quick way to eliminate alcohol from your body. You can only dry drink less to reduce the alcohol content. You may also elevate the symptoms by hydrating, eating food, and resting.