How long does alcohol stay in your system?

Lots of people across the UK, and the rest of the world, have a healthy relationship with alcohol and consume it as part of their social life.

Either when out with friends, at a party, or alone on a relaxing evening, most people are able to drink in moderation and have it form part of their life in a normal way.

However, some people struggle with their alcohol intake because though it is a legal and easy to access substance, it is actually a legal addictive drug.

Because of this, addiction to alcohol is one of the more common forms of addiction across the UK, and most people have come into contact with alcoholism in one form or another at some point in their life.

Therefore, when people think about alcohol, they tend to consider how they can maintain their healthy relationship with the substance.

How they can avoid excessive drinking, and how they can stick the recommended guidance and guidelines.

One factor that isn’t as discussed and thought about as this is exactly how long alcohol stays in your system for.

Alcohol in your system – varying factors

The length of time that alcohol will stay in your system for will vary depending on lots of different factors, such as:

• The amount of alcohol you have consumed
• The length of time that you were drinking alcohol
• Biological factors such as sex, height, and body composition

However, in general, different tests are able to detect alcohol in your body up to around 24 hours after your last drink.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Different types of tests for alcohol in your body

There are different types of tests used to detect the presence of alcohol in the body, and they are used in different circumstances, and have different degrees of accuracy.

• A blood test: A blood test will detect the presence of alcohol in the body for up to 6 hours after alcohol was last ingested.
• A urine test: A urine test is one of the most common forms of alcohol detection tests, and can pick up the presence of alcohol in the body for approximately 12-24 hours after alcohol was last ingested.
• A breath test: A breath test, administered by a breathalyser, can detect the presence of alcohol for a similar amount of time as a urine test, at somewhere between 12-24 hours after alcohol was last ingested.
• A saliva test: A saliva test detects traces of alcohol in the saliva, and can pick up alcohol for around 12-18 hours after alcohol was last ingested.
• A hair test: A hair test is the type of alcohol test that can determine the presence of alcohol for the longest period of time after alcohol use, and it detects alcohol for up to three months after alcohol was last ingested.

How is alcohol metabolised?

Like other foods and drinks that we consume, alcohol is metabolised by the digestive system which includes the gastrointestinal tract, the stomach, and the small intestines.

When alcohol first enters the gastrointestinal tract, a large proportion of the substance is absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

In the stomach and small intensities, alcohol will be absorbed by the tissue lining.

People with low levels of the enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) will metabolise alcohol more quickly.

This is because the substance is sent directly from the stomach to the small intestine, and from there absorption into the bloodstream is very quick.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

How does the body remove alcohol after metabolism?

After alcohol has been transported through the digestive system and into the bloodstream, it is then taken to the organ that breaks down the majority of the substance, removing it from your system. This is the liver.

The liver then processes the alcohol, and will remove almost 90% of the substance from your bloodstream while the remaining 10% is lost through sweating, your kidneys, and your lungs.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

What factors impact the rate at which alcohol is metabolised?

The rate of metabolism will depend on several main factors:

How much alcohol you have consumed: the more alcohol you consume, the harder your body will have to work to metabolise it.

This means that it stays in your system for longer periods of time.

• Body composition: people who are taller will have higher levels of blood alcohol concentration than taller people who have drunk the same amount. This means that alcohol will stay in the system for longer
• Sex: the biological differences between males and females generally mean that women are smaller than men, with a smaller proportion of muscle and a higher proportion of fat. The difference in body composition and muscle to fat ration means that alcohol can stay in a woman’s body for a longer time than men
• What you have eaten before drinking: because alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the digestive tract, if the digestive tract is empty the alcohol is absorbed much quicker. If you have eaten before drinking (or while drinking), and have food in your digestive tract the alcohol will be absorbed more slowly, and the alcohol will stay in your system for longer even though you might not feel as drunk

How is the level of alcohol in your body measured?

Alcohol tests don’t measure the total amount of alcohol that you consumed. So, for example, they won’t tell you how many units you drank.

Instead, alcohol detection tests measure what the concentration of alcohol is in the breath or blood as a percentage. This is referred to as the blood/breath alcohol concentration (BAC) level.

There are several stages of alcohol induced intoxication that can be measured by the BAC level.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Stages of BAC levels

BAC level between 0.01 – 0.05: the very first stage of intoxication occurs when the BAC reaches this level.

Often this level is reached after one drink, and you might not feel drunk at all, or like you have been drinking, but your reaction time will be slowed slightly, and your judgement might not be what it is normally.

BAC level between 0.05 – 0.1: with the second stage of intoxication, the higher level of alcohol in your system will cause your brain to release dopamine, which will make you feel excited, confident, and more relaxed.

Your inhibitions will begin to decrease, you will notice the change in how you feel.

BAC level between 0.1 – 0.25: as you continue to ingest alcohol into your system, you will increasingly lose control over your speech and your actions.

Your behaviour will become more unpredictable, and you might have slurred speech.

You might have difficulty walking, due to the impact on your motor functions, and the development and storage of your memory will be interrupted.

BAC level between 0.25 – 0.45: you are now at risk of serious side-effects. It is likely that you will lose consciousness and become completely unresponsive, as well as blacking out.

You will likely have developed alcohol poisoning. There is a risk of vomiting while you are unconscious, which can lead to death.

BAC levels above 0.45: with BAC levels above 0.45, you risk death due to alcohol poisoning, or due to the brain’s inability to control the body’s vital functions and processes.

How long does it take to feel the effects of alcohol?

Alcohol enters the bloodstream relatively quickly after being absorbed by the digestive tract, and will then be transported across the body, including the brain.

Lots of the same factors that determine the rate at which alcohol is metabolised, and the length of time which it will stay in the system for, are again relevant here.

Your height, your weight, your sex, and whether or not you’ve eaten will all impact the speed at which you feel the intoxicating effects of alcohol.

For example, if you are a tall man who has eaten recently, the effects of consuming alcohol are going to kick in much more slowly than if you were a smaller woman who was drinking on an empty stomach.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

What are the effects of alcohol on the body?

The impact from alcohol that you feel when you’re drunk comes from the metabolization of the substance, and it being transferred into the bloodstream via absorption in the digestive system.

Once alcohol enters your bloodstream, it will enter your brain and be transported around your body.

The effects of alcohol have been outlined in relation to BAC levels above, but in general, the effect of alcohol on your body will depend on the level and rate of consumption.

Drinking small amounts over a long period will likely result in stimulant effects, making you feel excited, confident, and giddy.

You will still have the majority of your control of your motor functions, but your reaction time will be slightly delayed.

Moderate consumption of alcohol has a depressant impact and will lead to a slower heart rate, tiredness, loss of control over motor functions and speech, a change in your behaviour, and a reduction in your levels of inhibition.

Excessive consumption of alcohol comes with the risk of alcohol poisoning, and can lead to serious complications like a loss of consciousness and blackouts.

When will the effects of alcohol wear off?

The effects of alcohol will wear off with time, and if you only drank a small or moderate amount you may find that the effects of alcohol have largely, or completely, worn off after several hours.

If you drank excessive amounts, you could find that you are still feeling the effects of intoxication when you wake up, such as decreased motor control.

The rate at which the effects of alcohol wear off is largely determined by the speed at which it is metabolised, and processed by the digestive system and liver.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

Alcohol poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is a serious side-effect of the excessive consumption of alcohol.

The chances are, if you’ve ever drank far more than you ought to have done or have experience in binge drinking, you know what alcohol poisoning feels like – even if you didn’t identify those feelings as alcohol poisoning.

The condition occurs when a toxic amount of alcohol is consumed, usually over a short period of time.

Because of this, alcohol poisoning tends to be directly linked with binge drinking.

Alcohol poisoning is especially prevalent among young people who are more likely to binge drink, and is the leading cause of poisoning across the UK.

The signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning are often very similar to what it feels like to be very drunk.

For example, slurred speech, stumbling and falling over, and losing consciousness are indicators that someone might be suffering from alcohol poisoning.

In the most severe instances, usually when BAC levels exceed 0.3%, the risks of alcohol poisoning become more severe and include comas, damage to the brain, and even death.

To reduce the risk of alcohol poisoning you should follow the alcohol consumption guidelines set out by the UK’s chief medical officer.

These state that a person should consume no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, and that those 14 units should be spread out over the course of three days or more.

This will ensure that you don’t binge drink, which is the biggest cause of alcohol poisoning.

Does drinking water or coffee help you to sober up? 

There are lots of commonly believed myths about techniques that can be used to help you sober up in the event where you have consumed too much alcohol.

Two of the most commonly held beliefs are that coffee will sober you up, and that a cold shower will sober you up.

Neither is true, and while the caffeine in coffee and the shock of a cold shower may make you feel more alert, they do nothing to affect your level of intoxication, or to reduce you BAC level.

In fact, drinking coffee while you’re drunk can risk low level dehydration because both caffeine and alcohol dehydrate the body.

However, drinking lots of water and sleeping will help your body to break down alcohol more quickly.

Drinking water while you are also drinking alcohol will typically help you to reduce your alcohol intake and keep a cap on it.

What is an alcohol use disorder?

An alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical diagnosis for a range of conditions related to the misuse of alcohol.

An AUD is more than just an unhealthy relationship with the substance, it is either:

• Regular abuse of alcohol – including frequent binge drinking causing problematic consequences
• Dependence on alcohol – where you feel like you need to consume alcohol to complete certain routine activities
• Or addiction to alcohol – which involves uncontrollable craving and withdrawal symptoms

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

When does consuming alcohol amount to alcoholism?

Alcoholism is a complicated and often misunderstood topic. Someone who drinks everyday might not be have alcoholism, and someone who binge drinks every week might not have alcoholism.

It could be likely that they have an AUD, but alcoholism is defined specifically by the presence of strong cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

If you have a long-term unhealthy relationship with alcohol (maybe you drink too often, or rely on it to unwind after a stressful day), you are more at risk of developing an addiction to alcohol.

You should ensure that you monitor your alcohol input, and have a go at reducing your alcohol intake.

If you find it difficult to reduce your alcohol intake, and discover that you have cravings for alcohol, this is a strong sign that you are developing a dependence to the substance, or even an addiction.

You should seek professional medical advice in this instance, because alcoholism is a serious condition that involves a risk to life.

At Rehab 4 Alcoholism, we offer free advice from a team of non-judgemental professionals, many of whom are in recovery and understand how hard can be to change your relationship with addiction.

For more information about how long alcohol stays in your system, simply reach out to our 24/7, confidential hotline on 0800 111 4108.

References

[1] Alcohol Poisoning Among College Students Turning 21: Do They Recognize the Symptoms and How Do They Help https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2701093/

[2] The Risks Associated With Alcohol Use and Alcoholism https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307043/