Your liver breaks down the alcohol and turns it into the highly toxic and reactive chemical acetaldehyde. When you swallow alcohol, it takes several steps before reaching your bloodstream. They can produce a positive test from mere exposure to alcohol in many daily use products. There are also portable potties to consider keeping in your trunk, such as CARLOO and Road Trip Potty. You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP.
Factors that Affect BAC
It’s also important to know how much alcohol is in your drink because that will determine how long it takes to metabolize your drink. For example, some beers have a higher alcohol content, affecting how much alcohol you consume from one drink. Depending on how much you drink, it can take 6 to 24 hours for your body to metabolize alcohol. We are dedicated to transforming the despair of addiction into a purposeful life of confidence, self-respect and happiness.
Medications
- Even though so many factors come into play, the average metabolic rate to remove alcohol is about one drink per hour.
- There’s nothing you can do to speed up how quickly alcohol leaves your system.
- Your liver breaks down the alcohol and turns it into the highly toxic and reactive chemical acetaldehyde.
- The easiest ways to calculate BAC are to use an online calculator or a mobile app.
- Eating before drinking, and continuing to snack while you consume alcohol, will slow the absorption and reduce its impact, but prolong the detection period.
Eating high protein foods, such as tofu or cheese, before or while drinking can slow the absorption of alcohol. The liver breaks down most of the alcohol, though the substance also passes through the kidneys, urine, skin and lungs. It is important to note that the liver works really hard in breaking down the presence of alcohol in the body. Unless alcohol is broken down altogether in the liver, flushing may be of little help. As much as exercise is important, our body also needs enough rest.
Tips to ensure accurate results
More sensitive or higher quality tests can pick up smaller amounts of alcohol. And because everyone metabolizes alcohol at their own rate, some people will take longer to clear it than others. I’m going to tell you how alcohol affects your body, how to get alcohol out of your system, and natural ways you can support how to quickly get alcohol out of urine your body’s detoxification process. A carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) test can detect heavy alcohol use. A hair follicle test can detect alcohol use within the past 90 days. Although urine tests are a relatively inexpensive and noninvasive way to test for alcohol, they may be inaccurate in some cases.
- Your body flushes the alcohol out of your system steadily but slowly.
- Weirdly, it can be detected on your hair for up to 90 days (the more you know 💫).
- Women who drink their normal amount of alcohol prior to menstruation will experience higher BACs than they otherwise would.
- However, the toxins in alcohol actually lower the amount of glucose in your bloodstream, which can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
- While your overall goal is to pass a urine test for alcohol, limiting your alcohol intake may actually do your body good.
Body Composition
- Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing brain disorder.
- You can also help your body metabolize alcohol by avoiding highly processed foods and drinks like chips, white bread, and soda.
- The fastest way to eliminate alcohol is to rest, eat healthy foods, drink water, and wait.
- In most cases, people try to drink more water, may engage in dieting, or may take herbal supplements.
