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Wondering how long alcohol stays in your system? It depends on how much alcohol you’ve had to drink and whether it’s your urine, hair, blood, saliva, or breast milk being tested. Read to find out how long it takes to sober up and when you’re in the clear.
“How long does alcohol stay in your system?” and “How long does alcohol stay in your blood?” are two commonly asked questions regarding alcohol in the body, and they’re asked for several reasons. Perhaps you’re getting alcohol testing for a job, or you’ll be enrolling in an alcohol detox program. The answers to these questions are dependent on a variety of factors, including the amount of alcohol and the number of drinks consumed. Alcohol also stays in different parts of the body for different amounts of time. These factors determine how long it takes for a person to reach a state of sobriety.
Article at a Glance:
- A healthy liver can process about one drink per hour.
- Each person’s body processes alcohol at a different rate.
- Blood alcohol concentration charts show what a healthy range of alcohol intake is for your weight and gender.
- Alcohol can be tested in urine, blood, breath, sweat, saliva and hair follicles.
- Online self-assessment tests can help you determine if you have an alcohol problem.
How long does alcohol stay in your system? A normal, healthy liver can process roughly one drink per hour, so typically, one drink will stay in your system for one hour. That means that if you finish a drink at 6:00, you will generally be in the clear by 7:00. However, if you have a second one at 6:30, the time is added. You’ll have 30 minutes left from the first drink plus the additional hour from the second one, meaning you’ll be intoxicated until 8:00.
- How long does alcohol stay in your urine? About 80 hours.
- How long does alcohol stay in your blood? The average liver can process one drink per hour.
- How long does alcohol stay in your hair follicles? Approximately three months.
- How long does alcohol stay in your breast milk? About 2 to 3 hoursper drink.
How Is Alcohol Measured in the Body?
The level of alcohol in a person’s body is typically measured using the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). BAC represents the percentage of alcohol in your bloodstream. For instance, a BAC of 0.08% means there are 0.08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood.
- Blood Tests: A blood test is one of the most direct ways to measure BAC. This approach measures the exact amount of ethanol in your blood.
- Breath Tests: Commonly known as a “breathalyzer” test, this method estimates your BAC by measuring the amount of alcohol in your breath. Breath tests are widely used by law enforcement for roadside checks.
- Urine Tests: Urine tests detect metabolites of alcohol, such as ethyl glucuronide (EtG), rather than alcohol itself. This allows detection for a longer period after the last drink compared to a blood test.
- Saliva Tests: Like breath tests, saliva tests can measure alcohol soon after drinking and until a few hours later.
- Hair Tests: Hair tests offer the longest detection window. Alcohol and its metabolites can show up in a hair sample for up to 90 days, although hair testing for alcohol is less common than hair testing for other substances.
The exact detection time can vary significantly among individuals. Factors such as age, body weight, liver function, metabolic rate, and even genetics play a role in how quickly alcohol is processed and cleared from your body.
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How Long Does Alcohol Stay in the Body?
Different bodily fluids and tissues hold on to alcohol or its metabolites for varying lengths of time. Below is a general guide for detection windows, but remember that these ranges can vary widely:
| Test Type | Approximate Detection Window |
|---|---|
| Blood | Up to 12 hours |
| Breath | 12–24 hours |
| Urine | 24–48 hours (up to 80 hours with EtG) |
| Saliva | 12–24 hours |
| Hair | Up to 90 days |
Why Detection Windows Vary
- Metabolic Rate: Each person’s liver and enzymes metabolize alcohol at slightly different rates.
- Amount Consumed: The more alcohol you drink, the longer it remains detectable.
- Frequency of Use: Chronic or heavy drinking can result in longer detection times because alcohol accumulates in the body’s systems.
- Individual Physiology: Age, weight, health conditions, and medications can all influence how the body processes alcohol.
What Is One Drink?
Every type of drink (beer, wine, liquor, etc.) has a different amount of alcohol in it. At a bar, drinks are generally standardized to easily keep track of how much alcohol you’ve had. A standard “drink” is 0.6 ounces of alcohol.
For example, one beer is 12 fluid ounces, and it contains 5% alcohol. Wine is a much more concentrated drink at 12%. Just 5 fluid ounces of wine is considered one drink. One shot of rum, vodka or gin at 40% alcohol (80 proof) is considered one drink. All three have the same amount of alcohol.
If you have one glass of wine (5 fluid ounces), your liver will be able to metabolize it in about one hour. If you have two shots of vodka, one after the other, it will take two hours to get sober again.
And remember—alcohol is alcohol. A breathalyzer doesn’t distinguish between a shot or “just a beer.” It affects your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the same way.
Related Topic: Is Alcohol a Drug
When Is It Safe to Drive After Drinking Alcohol?
Monitoring your alcohol intake can be a tricky thing, and there’s plenty of hearsay about how to sober up quickly and how clear your head should be before leaving the bar. It’s common sense to avoid the driver’s seat when the world is swimming. But what about when you’re just a little buzzed? How long does alcohol stay in your system?
The reality is that alcohol sticks around much longer than many people expect, and just a little bit left in your bloodstream is enough to trigger a positive on an alcohol test. So before you have a drink, understand how long alcohol stays in your system. It might save your life.
How Long Does Alcohol Take to Kick In?
Alcohol’s effects can begin to manifest within minutes. Once a drink is ingested:
- Immediate Effects (5–10 minutes): Some people feel a slight mood lift, warmth in the face, or a sense of relaxation.
- Peak Effects (30–60 minutes): This is when your BAC is rising the fastest. Coordination, judgment, and reaction times may be impaired. If you drink on an empty stomach, you may experience the effects faster and more intensely.
- Subsequent Effects: As more alcohol is consumed, the severity of impairment increases, eventually leading to possible slurred speech, blurred vision, or blackouts in high amounts.
Food consumption, individual tolerance, and the type of alcoholic beverage consumed also influence how quickly you feel alcohol’s effects.
How Do You Know When You Are Drunk?
Being “drunk” is generally associated with a noticeable level of impairment. Common signs include:
- Slowed Reaction Time: You might find it harder to respond quickly to changes in your environment.
- Poor Coordination: Tasks that require fine motor skills, such as buttoning a shirt or walking in a straight line, become more difficult.
- Speech Impairment: Slurred speech or difficulty pronouncing words.
- Blurred Vision: Reduced visual acuity and possible double vision.
- Lowered Inhibitions: You may act in ways you normally would not, including risky or impulsive behaviors.
- Drowsiness or Dizziness: As BAC rises, fatigue and disorientation can increase.
- Euphoria or Mood Swings: Emotional responses can become exaggerated, ranging from giddiness to aggression.
The exact point where you go from “buzzed” to “drunk” can vary. Different stages of intoxication correlate with increasing BAC levels, with more severe symptoms appearing as BAC approaches 0.08% and beyond. Above 0.08%, in most U.S. states, you are considered legally impaired.
How Long Does It Take to Sober Up?
Symptoms of intoxication appear differently from person to person and leave the body at different rates. Factors like body type, gender, eating and drinking water can all affect how long it takes to feel sober. Excessive drinking habits can also increase the amount of time it may take.
The process of breaking down alcohol begins in the stomach. A little bit is broken down there, but the rest reaches the small intestine and is absorbed into the bloodstream. The liver begins to metabolize what it can, and the rest is distributed throughout the body. Small amounts of alcohol are also expelled through urine, sweat and breath.
It’s important to remember that feeling better after a hangover does not mean the alcohol is out of your system. The best way to measure how intoxicated you are is through the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) scale.
Related Topic: How to cleanse your liver from alcohol
Is It True That Water or Coffee Can Help You Sober Up?
It is a common myth that you can sober up quickly by drinking water or coffee. While water, coffee, and other interventions may help you feel slightly more alert or hydrated, they do not expedite alcohol metabolism. The only true way to sober up is time.
- Water: Can help combat dehydration, which often occurs with alcohol use and may reduce some symptoms like headache or dry mouth, but it won’t lower your BAC any faster.
- Coffee: The caffeine may improve alertness, but it can also mask drowsiness, giving you a false sense of sobriety.
If you need to drive, operate machinery, or make critical decisions, you should wait until your BAC returns to a safe or legal level. Relying on quick fixes can put you and others at serious risk.
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) and Liver Metabolism Rate
Drinking isn’t a guessing game—there are science-backed methods to understand how intoxicated you are based on your body type.
The blood alcohol concentration (BAC) scale shows how much of your bloodstream is pure alcohol. For example, if you have a BAC of .10, it means that .1% of your bloodstream is alcohol. The scale looks like this:
- At .04, most people begin to feel relaxed.
- .08 is the legal intoxication level in most states. However, driving can be impaired by BACs as low as .02.
- At .12, most people feel the need to vomit.
- At .30, many people lose consciousness.
- By .40, most people lose consciousness.
- A BAC of .45 is usually fatal.
BAC charts make it easy to see what a healthy range is for you. The charts are separated by male and female since the male body tends to have more water and, therefore, a higher alcohol tolerance. Women also have significantly less of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in their stomach than men do.
Everybody is different in how many drinks they need to reach a given BAC. For a man who weighs 180 pounds, three drinks will put him at .06. An hour later, he’ll have a BAC of .04. Based on this chart, a woman who weighs 140 pounds and has two drinks in an hour will have a BAC of .07.
Lastly, if you eat before drinking, you’ll be able to keep your BAC lower since it prevents the alcohol from moving to the small intestine too quickly. But the only way to keep alcohol from reaching the bladder is to keep alcohol from entering your bloodstream in the first place.
Related: Alcohol Withdrawal
How Much Alcohol Does It Take to Kill You?
A lethal dose of alcohol varies depending on factors like age, weight, and health. Generally, a BAC of around 0.40% and higher can be fatal for many individuals. Alcohol poisoning can lead to coma or death due to slowed breathing, choking on vomit, or severe dehydration.
Alcohol Overdose Symptoms
If you or someone you know shows any of these signs, seek emergency medical help immediately:
- Confusion or Incoherence: Trouble speaking or understanding what is happening.
- Vomiting: Especially concerning if the individual is unconscious.
- Irregular Breathing: Very slow (fewer than eight breaths per minute) or intermittent breathing.
- Pale or Bluish Skin: Skin may also be cold or clammy to the touch.
- Unconsciousness: Unable to be awakened or respond to stimuli.
- Seizures: A sign of severe alcohol toxicity.
An alcohol overdose is a medical emergency. Even if you’re unsure, it’s better to be safe and call 911.
What Are the Risks of Alcohol Abuse?
Excessive alcohol use carries significant short-term and long-term risks:
- Physical Health Risks
- Liver Disease: Heavy drinking is a common cause of liver inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis) and scarring (cirrhosis).
- Heart Problems: Chronic drinking can lead to high blood pressure, arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy.
- Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas can cause severe abdominal pain and digestive issues.
- Cancer: According to the National Cancer Institute, alcohol use is linked to increased risks of mouth, throat, esophageal, liver, colon, and breast cancers.
- Mental Health Risks
- Depression and Anxiety: Alcohol can exacerbate or trigger mental health issues.
- Dependence and Addiction: Repeated alcohol use can lead to tolerance and physical dependence, making it difficult to quit.
- Social and Legal Consequences
- Relationship Strain: Alcohol abuse can disrupt family dynamics, leading to conflict and isolation.
- Legal Problems: Driving under the influence can lead to fines, license suspension, or imprisonment.
- Work or Academic Issues: Chronic hangovers and impaired judgment can compromise job or school performance.
- Risky Behaviors
- Driving Under the Influence: Impaired coordination and decision-making increase the risk of accidents.
- Unprotected Sex: Lowered inhibitions can lead to unsafe sexual practices, raising the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancies.
- Violence: Alcohol can heighten aggression or anger, resulting in violent confrontations.
Early intervention can make a dramatic difference in preventing the severe outcomes of alcohol abuse. Professional treatment programs, self-help groups, and medical support are critical resources for individuals struggling with alcohol.
Final Thoughts
Alcohol can stay in your system for anywhere from a few hours to several months, depending on the type of test and various personal factors. While the initial effects of alcohol may wear off relatively quickly, the substance itself and its metabolites can linger, potentially impacting your health and well-being. Understanding how alcohol is measured, metabolized, and cleared from your body can equip you to make more informed decisions about drinking.
If you find that alcohol is negatively affecting your life — whether physically, emotionally, or socially — it may be time to seek professional guidance. The Recovery Village specializes in evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders. By reaching out, you are taking an essential step toward understanding and improving your relationship with alcohol. Remember, help is available, and recovery is possible.
What Happens During Ethanol Urine & EtG Alcohol Tests?
Alcohol testing is performed for a variety of reasons. Alcohol can be detected in urine, blood, saliva, sweat, breath and even your hair follicles. You may be asked to take an alcohol test in a police investigation or as part of an alcohol treatment program.
There are different types of tests for different parts of your body, and each one has multiple uses. For example, if you’re being tested in a medical setting for intoxication, doctors are more likely to take a blood sample. In a legal setting, such as after an accident or a suspected DUI, you’re likely to be given a breath test.
Regardless of what part of the body the test is for, most alcohol tests are looking for one of two chemicals: ethanol or ethyl glucuronide (EtG).
Ethanol Urine Tests
EtG Urine Tests
Self-Assessment: Are You an Alcoholic?
There’s a fine line between excessive alcohol consumption and alcoholism and it’s not always easy to determine which side you’re on. If you’re concerned that your drinking or that of a loved one has become an addiction, consider the following online assessments. These tests can help you determine if you’re an alcoholic by evaluating your drinking habits. For the most accurate assessment, please be completely honest with your responses. The tests are 100% confidential and free:
Cage Assessment
Only 4 questions, but has been shown to identify 9 out of 10 alcoholics.
AUDIT Assessment
A quiz with 10 questions created by the World Health Organization.
MAST Assessment
22 yes or no questions to help you determine if you’re an alcoholic.
