Alcohol consumption has raised many debates all over the world. Some scientists and health professionals state that alcohol has its benefits too. A most important use of alcohol with the highest proof is medicinal and this is listed in the Unites States Pharmacopoeia as a medicine. More than a half of the health institutions in the largest US metropolitan area have reported of offering alcoholic drinks to their clients.
Studies have found out that individuals who drink alcohol moderately tend to live longer and healthier than those who abuse it or abstain from it. Research has also pointed out that an individual who abstains from drinking alcohol has a risk of developing heart diseases. Moreover, alcohol has to be consumed regularly for one to enjoy its health benefits.
These studies highlight the benefits of moderate consumption of alcohol. But the sad fact is that alcohol misuse is one of the major health problems and has placed an onerous burden to the society. Most people believe that alcohol is a stimulant, but in truth it is a depressant. This is the reason why too much intake of alcohol leads to short-term memory loss, impaired judgment, slurred speech and the inclination to violent behavior. Excessive consumption for a prolonged period would certainly lead to impairment of the major organs, especially the liver and brain.
Over 31% of men and 20% of women in Great Britain consume alcohol above the weekly limits and some drink more than what is considered harmful (35 units for women, 50 units for men). The UK is considered to have the highest percentage of binge drinking all over Europe and that some are dependent already. Surveys have shown that people miss work because of too much intake of alcohol and that about 136 million working hours are lost every year. Death due to road accidents (17%) and road casualties (6%) are often caused by people driving under the influence of alcohol.
How Long Does Alcohol Stay In Your System?
Most governments are getting more stringent with cases dealing with intoxicated driving this is why a lot or individuals are concerned with how long the alcohol stays in the system.
The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is used to determine the level of alcohol concentration is the blood and is usually expressed in percentage. The amount of alcohol that can be detected in the breath, urine or blood is 0.08%. Knowing the BAC would determine the amount of time body needs to excrete the consumed alcohol. However, other factors such as gender, weight, amount of alcohol consumed and the time that has passed since the initial drink would affect the BAC levels.
Elimination of alcohol from the body is basically through evaporation, excretion and metabolism. Around 10% of ingested alcohol is excreted via the kidneys, 1% thru evaporation from the breath, sweat or tears and 98% are metabolized by the liver. A perfectly-working liver is capable of metabolizing 10 ml of pure alcohol (1 unit) every hour. Therefore, alcohol levels in the blood increases over time since the liver can only metabolize 10ml in an hour. The average time needed for alcohol to be completely eliminated from the system would be ten hours.
How Long Does Alcohol Stay In Your Blood?
Alcohol is measured by units. One unit is equal to 10ml of one hundred per cent alcohol that’s about a 30 ml of whisky or 236 ml of beer. Normally, it takes for the body an hour to break down a single unit of alcohol. However, there are several factors that can affect this process such as weight, age, gender, metabolic rate, stress levels, strength and type of alcohol, the amount of food ingested and the health of the liver.
If a person drinks a 250ml of wine, it would take three hours for the body to metabolize the alcohol; a 500ml beer would take about two hours while a 500ml strong beer would take much longer since it contains about three units of alcohol. Basically, it would take about twelve hours for the blood to have a negative result on the blood test. But then again, excessive amounts of alcohol intake would take the body to completely eliminate it.
How Long Does Alcohol Stay In Your Urine?
Five percent of the absorbed alcohol would reach the kidneys and expelled with the urine. Since alcohol depresses the function of vasopressin, a hormone that conserves fluid, the alcohol is usually excreted around twenty minutes from ingestion.
Most alcohol test for urine would detect alcohol about 48 hours after alcohol ingestion but with the Etg Urine Alcohol Test, ethyl glucuronide present in the urine would confirm the ingestion of ethanol three to four days after alcohol was ingested or approximately 80 hours subsequent to the liver’s break down of alcohol.
Alcoholic Tests
Alcohol Blood Test
The presence of ethanol in the body can be measured through an alcohol blood test. Since alcohol is easily absorbed into the system, the amount in the blood can be measured a few minutes after it has been ingested. The peak level of alcohol in the bloodstream can be observed an after the initial intake. The accepted alcohol blood testing standard is by the use of the gas chromatography, mass-spectrophotometry apparatus (GC-MS) capable of identifying and isolating alcohol and other drugs.
A blood sample will be withdrawn using a syringe. The sample is then forwarded to the laboratory for ethanol measurement. The majority of the states consider a blood concentration level of between 0.08 and 0.10 to be legally intoxicated. For individuals below 18 years old, a BAC of 0.08 is already considered as intoxication. Blood levels of around 0.08 –0.40 causes an escalating impairment and possibly depression of the central nervous system. Values more that 0.40 can be potentially lethal.
Like with other laboratory tests, there are factors that might affect the results of the alcohol blood test. One of this is the use of too much rubbing alcohol when cleaning the area for blood withdrawal. Diabetics with high levels of blood ketones (diabetic ketoacidosis) might give a false-positive result. Other factors could be the intake of cough medicines or alcohol-containing herbal supplements. So be sure to inform the technician beforehand if these medications are being taken. And make sure that the disinfectant used is not alcohol-based to prevent the occurrence of false positive results.
The blood test will only analyze the presence of alcohol in the system. It will not reveal the length of time alcohol was ingested or if the client has any problems with alcohol use.
Alcohol Breath Test
The amount of alcohol ingested can also be tested through the exhaled air since it is not digested or chemically changed upon absorption. Because alcohol is volatile, some amount of blood alcohol will diffuse across the alveoli in the lungs. Therefore, the concentration of blood alcohol and those in the lungs are equal. The proportion of breath alcohol and blood alcohol is 2,100: 1; every 2100ml of alveolar air has equal alcohol content as with 1ml of blood.
As the person exhales, the alcohol is detected once it goes into the breath analyzer. So instead of the invasive blood test procedure, an officer of the law can now instantly test a person for the presence of alcohol in the system. Try making sure that the sample for the test comes from the alveolar air and not from the mouth, stomach or throat. Most certified individuals usually observe the client for fifteen to twenty minutes- cautiously- before performing the test.
Insufficient breath specimen can give a wrong result. So make sure to give sufficient, easy to follow instructions to the client. Remember that these individuals are intoxicated.
ETG Alcohol Testing
The EtG Urine Alcohol Test would detect in the urine sample the presence of the metabolite of ethanol, ethyl glucuronide. Its presence is an indication of alcohol intake for the last four days – eighty hours after its metabolism. This procedure is usually done to monitor intake of alcohol by individuals who are undergoing alcohol treatment and who are legally prohibited to take in alcohol.
The EtG Urine Alcohol Test is very responsive to even the slightest amount of alcohol in the body. It so sensitive that even traces of alcohol from other sources can give a false-positive result. Based on a study done by SAMHSA, there are some products that can affect the result of the test. These products include: hygiene products, cosmetics, after shave, antiperspirant or laundry products – anything that contain even a slight amount of alcohol.
Saliva Alcohol Test
This non-invasive test would detect alcohol in the saliva and would most likely give a comparable reading to the alcohol content in the bloodstream. It can effectively determine the alcohol level in the saliva 10 to 24 hours after intake. However, the enzyme (alcohol oxidize), is easily affected by extreme temperature ranges.
This type of alcohol test is cost-effective and easy to use. To ensure that the tests are accurate, clients are requested not to eat or drink anything for about fifteen minutes before the test is scheduled. The strip’s reaction pad would react to the saliva and change the color indicator. To correctly interpret the result, check the color codes and instructions found inside the box.
References:
- Marcus, Kim. You don’t have to abstain while dieting. Wine Spectator, May 31, 1997, p. 13; Kahn, H. S., et al,
- Barr, Andrew. Drink: A Social History of America. New York: Carroll & Graf, 1999, p. 233.
- U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention. United States Pharmacopeia. Rockville, MD: U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, 1995.
- Survey conducted by Matheson and Matheson, Inc. San Franciscon, California, reported in Perdue, Lewis, and Shoemaker, Wells. The French Paradox and Beyond. Sonoma, CA: Renaissance Publishing, 1992, p. 43.
- http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/alcohol-abuse/blood-alcohol
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003632.htm
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