It is very important for habitual drinkers to know for how long the alcohol remains in the body. Consumption of too much alcohol makes a person loose consciousness to an extent. Knowing the duration of alcohol to be metabolized by the body is essential for road safety the most. Drinking and driving is one of the most dangerous activities when done together.
The threats of drunk driving are well known and documented as alcohol induces drowsiness and makes a person feel sleepy while driving which increases the chances of accidents. Most of the alcohol gets metabolized by the body and only 10% is lost through the breath, sweat and urine. The alcohol in the system of human body can be detected in the urine up to 24 hours of the drinking session. It takes 30 minutes to two hours for alcohol to get fully absorbed in the blood stream as the body is capable of metabolizing almost 0.25 ounces of alcohol an hour. Generally the blood absorbs and metabolizes alcohol in the least amount of time is absorbed into the blood relatively quickly and metabolized more slowly. There are some medicines that can be taken to lower the metabolism of alcohol by detoxifying alcohol. Medicines such as Aspirin, paracetamol, and pyrazole, are some such examples.
However, the consequences of alcohol consumption vary from one individual to another and various other factors such as:
- The weight and age of the person
- Metabolism rate of the person
- Food intake during alcohol consumption.
- The type of beverage consumed as well as the quantity
How long does alcohol say in your blood?
Alcohol stays for a longer time in females as compared to males due to the difference in the water content and fat in their bodies. This leads to storing more alcohol in the body. Men tend to expel more amount of alcohol as compared to women that also leads to a higher Blood Alcohol Content (BAC). Retention of alcohol in the blood also depends upon the age. People in their early and mid 20s lose alcohol in a lesser time. Also, people with a larger body mass tend to retain less alcohol and won’t be affected as much as somebody with a smaller body frame.
How long does alcohol stay in your urine?
Almost 5% of the alcohol gets absorbed in the stomach and then travels to the kidneys to be further traced in the urine. Alcohol suppresses the hormone called vasopressin that conserves the body fluids. The body fluids prevent the kidneys from removing excess of water from the body. As a result of the suppression one begins urinating frequently. In the urine the alcohol can be detected from 24 to up to 48 hours after drinking. The ETG Urine alcohol test that measures ethyl glucuronide, is one of the most effective alcohol tests which can detect alcohol even after 4 days.
How long does alcohol stay in your breath?
The absorption or smell of alcohol in the breath largely depends on the quantity, type and interval of alcohol consumption. Some hard drinks like whiskey or malt smell more than wine or vodka. This is largely dependent on how much you had to drink, and when you had that drink. The alcohol in breath will stay as long as it stays in the blood. This is one reason why people’s breath smells of booze even the next day after they wake up.
Till the time the alcohol is in the blood its smell doesn’t go away. A lot of people think that by simply brushing their mouth and chewing mint will mask off the breath which doesn’t happen. Even when the alcohol is out of the stomach, it will smell. The smell gets emanated in the blood from the alcohol so these measures are just temporary.
