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Understanding Alcohol Detox: How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

Do you remember the last time you had too many drinks at a wedding? I bet you spent several hours the following day recovering from that drinking episode. This is because your liver had to work hard for you to have an alcohol detox. So, have you ever wondered how long alcohol stays in your system? Well, this article aims to provide you with detailed information to understand how much time it takes your body to clear alcohol, how alcohol metabolism works, and how some factors may affect this detox. 

19 Minutes Read | Published Jun 20 2024 | Updated Jun 20 2024 Expert Verified
Hans Mautong
Written by
Amber Asher
Reviewed by
Hans Mautong
Written by
Amber Asher
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What Is a Standard Drink?

Before we can discuss how the alcohol detox process works and understand how long alcohol stays in your system, we need to start by learning what a standard drink is. 

A standard drink is a measure that is commonly used to quantify alcohol consumption. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), one standard drink contains 14 grams (or 0.6 fluid ounces) of pure alcohol.

Most people will be surprised to learn what is considered “one” drink. Here are some examples using different alcoholic beverages:

  • Beer: a 12-ounce bottle of beer with 5% alcohol concentration.

  • Wine: 5 ounces of wine with 12% alcohol concentration.

  • Spirits: 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (e.g., Whisky, Vodka, Rum, Tequila, Gin, etc) with 40% alcohol concentration.

How long does it take to feel the effects of alcohol after having a drink?

You will probably start feeling the effects of alcohol within minutes after having a drink. It can usually take about 10 to 30 minutes on average. 

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

This depends on various factors, such as the quantity of alcohol you have consumed, the type of test used to measure it, and other individual factors. But, generally speaking, it can be measured in your blood up to 12 hours after your last drink, although it can be much longer when measured by other tests. 

Here are some approximate detection times for different tests:

Type of test

Detection time

Blood

Alcohol can be detected in your blood for up to 6 to 12 hours after your last drink.

Breath

When using a breathalyzer, alcohol can be detected for up to 12 to 24 hours.

Urine

Standard urine tests can detect alcohol in urine for up to 12 to 48 hours. However, other sensitive tests can detect it for up to 80 hours. 

Saliva

Alcohol can still be detected in saliva after 12 to 24 hours after your last alcoholic drink.

Hair

The hair follicle is where alcohol traces can remain the most. Alcohol can be detected here for up to 90 days after the last consumption. Thus, this exam is more likely to reflect long-term use and alcoholism rather than acute alcohol use.

Note that other factors, such as the timing, metabolic variations, and the calibration and quality of devices, may influence the accuracy of these tests. 

How is alcohol measured in your body?

A blood test typically measures blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels. The BAC levels are the ratio of alcohol to blood volume, thus representing how much alcohol is in 100 ml of blood. They can be expressed as percentages (0.08%) or proportions with decimals (.08). For example, a BAC of 0.08 (the legal limit for driving in the US) means that there are 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. 

While the other types of tests, besides blood alcohol tests, can give you an estimation of the BAC, they are considered less accurate. 

BAC Levels and Effects

As you start consuming more alcohol, your BAC levels begin to increase. A standard drink usually raises your BAC levels by 0.02% within 45 to 60 minutes.

The effects that might be seen with different BAC level cutoffs are:

 

BAC level

Effects in the body

0.01-0.05%

Most people begin to feel relaxed. Mild euphoria, relaxation, and slight impairment of judgment and coordination may occur.

0.06-0.15%

Increased impairment of motor skills, coordination, and judgment; risk of accidents rises.

0.16-0.30%

Severe impairment, confusion, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

0.30%

Alcohol poisoning is likely at this point. There is an increased risk of loss of consciousness. To reach this BAC level a 160-pound man would have to binge drink more than 11 drinks in 1 hour, and a 120-pound woman would have to consume 7 drinks in 1 hour.

0.40%

This level of intoxication could be fatal. The nervous system depression can lead to a shutdown that may result in a coma and death from respiratory depression and slow heart rate.

0.45%

This level is usually fatal.

Understanding Alcohol Metabolism

After alcohol is consumed, it is absorbed through the stomach (20%) and small intestine (80%). Because no digestion is needed, it enters directly into the bloodstream after its absorption and then reaches the rest of the body. 

Having food in your stomach can prevent alcohol from getting in contact with the stomach lining or slow the transit into the small intestine. Therefore slightly slowing alcohol absorption

Once alcohol gets into the bloodstream, it eventually enters the liver, where it is metabolized, and your body can detox.

How Alcohol is Metabolized in the Liver

Most alcohol metabolism takes place in the liver. Generally speaking, your liver can metabolize 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol in one hour (which is equivalent to one standard drink per hour). If you consume more than one drink per hour, the system can become saturated, increasing BAC levels. Alcohol excess also accumulates in other tissues until it can be metabolized. 

So, how does the liver get rid of alcohol? Well, some liver enzymes (special types of proteins that help speed up chemical reactions) work together on the following processes:

  • First Step: Alcohol metabolism begins with the oxidation of alcohol by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). This enzyme converts alcohol (ethanol) into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is very toxic and is largely responsible for the unpleasant symptoms of a hangover (E.g., headache, nausea, and vomiting).

  • Second Step: The final step of alcohol metabolism is the conversion of acetaldehyde to acetate. This is done by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Acetate is not harmful and can be further broken down into water and carbon dioxide.

After alcohol is metabolized into less harmful substances, it then is finally excreted through the breath, urine, and sweat. 

Factors Affecting Alcohol Elimination

The process of alcohol metabolism usually happens at a constant rate. However, some people may have high BAC levels for longer periods. This is mainly due to the influence of several factors that can affect the rate at which alcohol is metabolized. Some of these factors are: 

 

Factor

Mechanism

Age

Older adults tend to metabolize alcohol slowly due to age-related changes in liver function.

Weight

A high body weight translates into more body water to dilute alcohol, which can lead to lower BAC levels.

Sex

Females tend to metabolize alcohol at a slower pace than males due to a higher percentage of body fat and a lower percentage of body water. 

Metabolic rate

Individual metabolic rates vary from person to person due to genetics and overall health.

Liver function

Almost all alcohol metabolism happens in the liver. if you have liver problems, the ability of your enzymes to metabolize alcohol gets compromised. 

Rate of consumption

Rapid drinking patterns such as binge drinking can overwhelm the metabolic system in the liver.

Type of alcohol

Drinking beverages with higher alcohol concentration (spirits) can increase BAC levels at a faster rate and make the liver work more to metabolize alcohol.

Food intake

Having food in your stomach can slow down alcohol absorption.

Medications

Certain medications, such as acetaminophen, metronidazole, ketoconazole, and cimetidine, can affect the liver function and metabolism of alcohol.

Health conditions

Certain conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, and hypothyroidism can also impact liver function and alcohol metabolism rates.

Can You Speed Up Your Body's Alcohol Elimination Capacity?

Although some of the above factors may slow the elimination of alcohol, no external factor is within your control that can help you speed up the liver's metabolic rate.

While rehydration can help you to recover from alcohol more quickly, it does not affect the rate at which your body metabolizes alcohol. 

Conclusion

Understanding how long alcohol stays in your system involves recognizing the complex process of alcohol metabolism and the various factors that can influence this detoxification. While the liver plays a crucial role in metabolizing alcohol, individual differences can affect the rate at which alcohol is eliminated. On average, the liver can process one standard drink per hour, but this can vary among individuals. Knowing these factors can help you make informed decisions about alcohol consumption and manage your drinking habits responsibly. 

 

Better Addiction Care is here to help you. If you feel like you or one of your loved ones is struggling with alcohol, our helpline at (800) 429-7690 is available 24/7 for you. Call to get help now!

Resources

bullet National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
"What Is A Standard Drink?"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet DNA Legal
"Alcohol Testing: What you need to know"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet Web MD
"What Is a Blood Alcohol Test?"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet Healthline
"How Is Alcohol Detected in a Urine Test?"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet Verywell Mind
"How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System? Alcohol in Your Blood, Urine, Hair, & Saliva"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet National Library of Medicine
"Objective Testing: Urine and Other Drug Tests"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet Healthline
"BAC Facts: Impairment Starts at the First Drink"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet Brown University
"Alcohol and Your Body"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
"Alcohol Metabolism"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet National Library of Medicine
"Alcohol in the body"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
bullet Medical News Today
"How the body processes alcohol"
Retrieved on June 20, 2024
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