How Long Until Alcohol is Out of Your System?

Unfortunately, it’s challenging to get a single definitive answer because many different factors affect the outcome. For instance, you need to measure how much you were drinking, the proof of the alcohol, and your body size as starters. How well your kidneys and liver function also factor into how long alcohol can stay in your system. Then there is the factor of how old you are, whether you are male or female, and if you ate anything before or while drinking. Depending on the type of test used as well as your age, body mass, genetics, sex, and overall health, alcohol can remain detectable in your system from 10 hours to 90 days. When misused, alcohol can do as much overall harm as many illegal drugs. People who misuse alcohol also risk developing physical and psychological dependence and alcohol use disorder.

This refers to limiting intake to 2 drinks or fewer in a day for males or no more than 1 drink in a day for females. Some proponents suggest that carbon or charcoal capsules, which people can buy in health food stores, may help with sobering up. Exercise can help wake up the body and make a person more alert. However, there is currently no strong evidence to suggest that exercise can help metabolize alcohol quicker. Sleep allows time to pass while the body rests and recovers. It also helps to restore the body’s ability to get alcohol out of the system. As such, people may want to sober up to lessen these effects and try to prevent a hangover. Licensed medical professionals review material we publish on our site. The material is not a substitute for qualified medical diagnoses, treatment, or advice. It should not be used to replace the suggestions of your personal physician or other health care professionals.

From there, the acetate is broken down into water and carbon dioxide for easy elimination. Alcohol, also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol, is the ingredient found in beer, wine, and spirits that causes drunkenness. By submitting this form you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy of the website. Aim to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. If you dislike plain water, add a slice of lemon, lime, or orange. Alcohol withdrawal delirium is the most serious form of alcohol withdrawal.

Speech may be slurred, reactions times slowed, coordination and walking impaired, and judgment compromised while under the influence of alcohol. Support groups are peer-led groups that help people stay sober. They can be a first step in overcoming alcoholism or a component of an aftercare plan. Drinking water, sleeping, or drinking caffeine does not remove alcohol from the blood, and will not speed up the process of getting alcohol out of the system. Once alcohol is in the bloodstream, it can only be eliminated by dehydrogenase, sweat, urine, and breath. The older a person is, the longer alcohol stays in their liver. This is because older people often have a slower blood flow. Women have less dehydrogenase, which is a liver enzyme that breaks down alcohol, than men. Alcohol metabolization is commonly caused by two enzymes—alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase .

How do you know if your liver is detoxing?

You can consume an average of 7 to 8 pints of water per day to keep you hydrated and deduce the drug metabolites. However, an average human will struggle to drink that amount of water per day. Once you consume alcohol, your body will start the metabolization process. The drink will get into your blood, and the blood will carry the drug metabolites to all the body parts. Almost 90% of the alcohol you consume passes through the liver, and only 10% of the alcohol leaves through urine and sweat. In urine, alcohol can be detected from 12 to 130 hours if a person has been drinking excessively.

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. Your body metabolizes alcohol at a constant rate of about one drink per hour. However, this can vary a bit based on factors like sex, age, food intake, and more.