Answering the question, “How long does alcohol stay in your system?” depends on several factors. Body mass, gender, and other personalized factors play a role. However, we can determine a generalized estimate based on blood, urine, saliva, and other bodily excretions. We’ll answer several questions like “How long does alcohol stay in your system?”, “How is it metabolized?”, and “What are the symptoms of alcohol addiction and overdose?” These answers and so much more are detailed in the following insights. Most importantly, connect with our team now if any of the details below describe you or a loved one.
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?: A Detailed Overview
The lifespan of alcohol in the body can be broken down into several systematic bodily functions. Consult the following fluid type for a comprehensive overview.
- Bloodstream: Alcohol can last for up to 12 hours, or in some cases, even longer in the bloodstream. The lifespan depends on individual body factors and metabolic rate. Slower metabolisms will naturally be on the later side of 12 hours, while faster metabolisms can accelerate the expelling process. Blood testing methods are often taken rapidly with a quick prick and a small sample.
- Breath: Alcohol remains on your breath for a longer period than blood detection, lasting as long as a full 24 hours from your previous use. The minimum amount of time alcohol can be expelled from your breath is 12 hours. This method of testing is a popular quick test format, often used in breathalyzer tests that analyze your breath for traces of alcohol.
- Hair Follicles: Your hair tells the longest history of your drug or alcohol use. Alcohol and drugs remain in hair follicles for up to three months. These 3 months are based on an average hair length of one and a half inches, usually taken directly from the scalp. In cases where scalp growth is shorter, hair may be removed from other areas of the body to ensure accurate testing.
- Saliva: The lifespan of alcohol in saliva is the shortest of all the other fluids, having a maximum lifespan of 12 hours. However, alcohol in saliva can also be eliminated in as little as a few hours, depending on individual factors. Saliva testing methods are often the most cost-effective, easiest, and quickest way to obtain a sample.
- Urine: Urine samples have varying lifespans. This method of testing and fluid life is heavily dependent on the amount of alcohol that is ingested. Heavy drinking sessions can take as long as three days to expel from your body. Low to moderate drinking sessions often range between 12 and 24 hours to be fully detoxed from the body. The best way to definitely answer the question, “How long does alcohol stay in your system?” is to consult your personal physician.
How is Alcohol Measured in the Body?
Alcohol is measured in the body through a method that is medically known as blood alcohol content, or BAC. This method of measurement calculates how many milligrams of alcohol are circulating in the bloodstream. Put simply, the amount of alcohol that is in the bloodstream is an accurate gauge of how much alcohol has been ingested. BAC further calculates the proportion of alcohol to body mass, food intake, and other personalized factors. To simplify it, this method, therefore, takes into account all personalized body composition factors to ensure accurate measurements.
How is Alcohol Metabolized?
Everything comes and goes through the digestive tract. However, not everything is digested or metabolized in the stomach. More intense digestive needs, like alcohol, go through the digestive tract and go directly into the bloodstream. From there, your liver and kidneys do the majority of the work by breaking down alcohol’s toxins. This entire process is very taxing on your vital organs. Hence, prolonged drinking habits lead to inevitable permanent organ damage. Get help now to minimize these impacts on your body.
How Do You Know When You’re Drunk?
As simple as this question may seem, it’s not as clear-cut an answer as it sounds. Many can function surprisingly well despite high levels of intoxication. Proceed with the utmost caution with an accountability partner nearby if you exhibit any of these signs of drunkenness.
Slurred, muddled, or difficult speaking in general is a definite sign that you are intoxicated. However, this is often less noticeable to the affected party. That’s why it’s important to heed the signs and words of others around you. For example, take notice if people have a difficult time understanding you or express that you sound drunk. If your speech is distorted in any way, it’s time to stop drinking.
The most evident sign of drunkenness can be seen, heard, and felt. Therefore, when your visual and auditory perception becomes distorted, this is your body’s reaction to being under the influence. These auditory and visual corruptions can be dangerous if you are left to yourself. Be sure to have the assistance of a friend or someone nearby. Most importantly, don’t drink and drive. Ensure you have a sober friend or driver to get you home safely.
Staggered movements or walking means you’ve drunk way too much. If you’ve reached the point of intoxication where walking straight becomes difficult, it’s important to have someone who can help you. This is for your safety and the safety of others around you, as difficulty walking and circumstantial obliviousness often coincide.
Nausea is a primary indication that an individual has consumed too much alcohol. The nausea can often be felt before intoxication sets in if an individual has consumed excessive amounts in a short timespan. If you begin feeling nauseous after a drinking session, that’s your body telling you it’s time to stop drinking. If you have difficulty limiting your intake, consult our devoted team to get the help you need.
Reckless actions with little or no thought are a sure sign of the lowered inhibitions stemming from alcohol use. This is when intoxication is especially dangerous because it means you’ll act with no regard for your or others’ safety. If you’ve reached this point, stop drinking now and be sure to listen to the guidance of those around you.
Does Drinking Water or Coffee Help Sober You Up?
Contrary to popular belief, water and coffee do not aid or accelerate the sobering process. While it can, in some cases, alleviate hangovers to a very minimal degree, it does not impact your sobering timeline. On the contrary, coffee’s dehydrating effects can actually maximize intoxication and prolong the sobering process. The only thing that helps the sobering process is time itself. You must wait out the duration it takes your body to process alcohol to sober up. No amount of water or coffee can affect that timeline.
Signs and Symptoms of an Alcohol Overdose
More important than answering “how long does alcohol stay in your system?” is answering “what does an overdose look like?” Spotting and acting proactively on the following signs of an overdose can be the difference between life and death.
The inability to remain coherently awake can be a sign that your body is experiencing alcohol overindulgence. This symptom is not to be ignored and should be met with sincere, swift action. At this point, the only effective assistance is medical help. Use proper discretion and be sure to reach out to the appropriate emergency services upon noticing this symptom.
Breathing difficulties related to alcohol overdose can manifest themselves physically as shallow, labored breaths. That or exaggerated heaving that appears as if they are gasping for breath. This is an example of alcohol poisoning to the extent that it has fatally depressed respiratory functions. Get immediate medical help, as this is an imminent sign of an overdose that is reaching fatal levels.
When your body has overconsumed alcohol, it attempts to escape through your pores to regulate BAC levels. In overdose cases, the result is clammy or slimy skin that takes on a “sweat-like appearance”. If you or an individual exhibits symptoms of sweating for no apparent reason other than alcohol intake, don’t delay. Your actions in the moment can help doctors regulate alcohol poisoning levels.
If anybody experiences convulsions or seizures in conjunction with drinking, this is a sign of impending fatal consequences. This means the body is undergoing an episode of epileptic or hypoglycemic shock. This occurs when alcohol poisoning has reached fatally high levels that require immediate medical intervention. Call 911 if anyone appears to be experiencing seizures or convulsions for any reason.
An abnormally slow heart rate can be an indication of cardiovascular distress related to alcohol poisoning. Without swift action, this can lead to cardiac arrest or other imminent heart problems that require immediate medical care.
Arkview Recovery Can Assist with Alcohol Addiction in PA
The common theme of all the aforementioned drinking habits points to a serious need for alcohol addiction rehab. Arkview Recovery is readily equipped to help remove alcohol from your life and show you how great life truly can be in sobriety. You’ll know you’re in the best of hands with treatment tools to help you achieve the full extent of your potential. Reach out to us to start the healing process and unlock your full potential through a better quality of life.
