How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

Understanding Alcohol in the Body

Ethanol, the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, is a toxin, meaning your body has to eliminate it through your liver, your body’s main detoxifier.

Your liver breaks down alcohol into substances called “alcohol metabolites“ that leave your body through urine. However, it converts only a small percentage of toxins that remain in your liver.

Chronic heavy drinking can cause a buildup of these toxins that results in alcoholic liver disease.

How the Body Processes Alcohol

After drinking alcohol, your stomach and small intestine absorb it with the help of enzymes called “alcohol dehydrogenase.“ From your digestive system, the alcohol passes into your bloodstream.

Some of the alcohol in your blood leaves the body through your sweat, saliva, or breath, but around 90% of it stays in your blood.

Your blood alcohol content (BAC) measures the amount of alcohol currently in your system. The more alcohol in your blood at one time, the higher your BAC.

How Long Does It Take To Break Down Alcohol?

Blood circulates through your body quickly, meaning it takes around 15 to 45 minutes for the effects of alcohol to kick in.

Eventually, the alcohol will circulate to your liver, where it begins to “metabolize” or break down the alcohol into particles that will be deposited in your urine.

It takes around 25 hours for your body to fully break down the alcohol particles, but it can take several days for all the alcohol to leave your body through urine.

Average Detection Times for Alcohol

While it takes around a day for your body to completely break down and eliminate alcohol, alcohol can remain detectable in your body for days, or even months, afterward, depending on the test.

For example, heavy drinking can leave behind traces of alcohol in your hair. Alcohol metabolites can enter the interior of your hair follicle through your bloodstream, and they can coat the outside of the hair through your sweat. It can take months for alcohol to leave your hair completely.

You can see the average maximum detection time of alcohol after your last drink for the tests below: 

• Blood: Up to 12 hours
• Breath: 24 hours
• Saliva: 48 hours
• Urine: Up to 5 days
• Hair: Up to 90 days

Keep in mind that every test has a different sensitivity threshold, and everyone breaks down alcohol at different rates, meaning that there’s no way to guarantee a passed test.

Factors That Affect How Long Alcohol Stays in Your System

Not everyone breaks down alcohol at the same rate. Several factors can impact how long alcohol remains in your body, from your age and gender to the type of drinks you consume.

Some of the most common factors affecting alcohol metabolism include the following:

• Food intake: Alcohol absorbs faster on an empty stomach. Eating foods high in carbohydrates may also delay alcohol absorption.
• Alcohol concentration: Alcohol with a concentration of 20% to 30% increases BAC faster. Common examples of alcoholic drinks in this range include Alcohols with both lower and higher concentrations that absorb more slowly.
• Bubbly drinks: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is linked to higher rates of alcohol absorption. Examples of carbonated alcoholic beverages include sparkling wine, champagne, hard seltzer, and cocktails containing club soda.
• Sex: Women generally absorb alcohol faster than men. Alcohol absorption is also higher at certain stages of the menstrual cycle, like ovulation and premenstruation.
• Age: Older adults metabolize alcohol more slowly than younger adults, since aging slows alcohol processing speed.
• Body size: People who are short or weigh less than average tend to feel the effects of alcohol faster.
• Alcohol tolerance: People who drink alcohol more frequently or at higher rates might break down alcohol faster than occasional drinkers.
• Health conditions: Liver conditions make it harder to break down alcohol. Kidney and stomach conditions can also slow the process.
• Medications: Acid reflux medications can slow down digestion, which makes you absorb alcohol more slowly. Other medications, such as antihistamines, can speed up absorption.

How Long Does It Take to Recover from Alcohol Consumption?

On average, the liver processes about 15 mg of alcohol per hour, or around one standard drink per hour for an adult man.

However, many factors listed above could raise or lower this absorption rate. Additionally, just because you feel sober, that doesn’t mean that alcohol is entirely out of your system. It still takes around 25 hours for alcohol to fully metabolize.

Can You Speed Up the “Sobering Up” Process?

Once alcohol enters your bloodstream, your liver enzymes are the only thing that can get it out of your system. There isn’t any way to speed up the way your body processes alcohol.

While you may have heard that home remedies like drinking water, cold showers, or sleeping can make you “sober up,” none of these things make your liver convert alcohol metabolites faster.

Why Alcohol Detection Matters

Alcohol testing is often a standard procedure for law enforcement, medical personnel, or private employers.

You may be asked to undergo alcohol or drug testing in any of the following scenarios:

• DUIs: Law enforcement use breathalyzers or blood tests to measure someone’s BAC to determine if they meet the criteria for driving under the influence (DUI) charges.
• Court compliance: Courts may order someone to undergo urine or hair follicle tests to assess sobriety, such as during parole or custody hearings.
• Workplace testing: Some employers may require drug or alcohol testing of employees or new hires.
• Medical procedures: Medical staff may test your BAC for alcohol poisoning in emergency scenarios.
• Treatment progress: A medical detox or rehab program may want to follow-up tests to assess for relapses.

When to Seek Help for Alcohol Use

While many people can have an occasional drink or night out without issue, heavy or frequent drinking can lead to lasting health and social consequences. Many people don’t believe their drinking is a problem before it’s too late, making it crucial to seek help early.

Warning signs of alcoholism can include the following:

• Getting arrested or charged with alcohol-related
• Prioritizing drinking over other activities or responsibilities
• Continuing to drink, despite knowing it causes problems in your life
• Engaging in risky activities while drinking, like driving drunk, despite knowing the dangers
• Neglecting work or school due to your drinking habits
• Experiencing relationship strain or ignoring loved ones’ requests to stop drinking
• Developing a high tolerance to alcohol, or consuming a higher amount of alcohol to get the same effects
• Going into alcohol withdrawal if you stop or cut back on drinking

If any of the above signs describe you, seek help from a medical detox or rehabilitation facility. Some heavy drinkers develop a dependency on alcohol and are at risk of life-threatening alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Medical intervention can help you manage or prevent dangerous symptoms and lay the foundation for lasting sobriety.

Take the First Step Toward Sobriety

While your body can process alcohol in a little over a day, chronic drinking can make a lasting impact on your life. Alcoholism can lead to devastating long-term issues like damage to the liver, brain, digestive system, and heart.

Ask your doctor about treatment resources in your area or visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s online treatment locator.

Written by

Brooke Helton

Medical Content Writer

Brooke Helton is a freelance writer passionate about wellness topics, especially the relationship between physical and mental health. As a contributor to AddictionHelp.com, she’s proud to combine her writing and research skills to inform and empower people impacted by substance abuse.

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Kent S. Hoffman, D.O.

Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer

Kent S. Hoffman, D.O. has been an expert in addiction medicine for more than 15 years. In addition to managing a successful family medical practice, Dr. Hoffman is board certified in addiction medicine by the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine (AOAAM). Dr. Hoffman has successfully treated hundreds of patients battling addiction. Dr. Hoffman is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of AddictionHelp.com and ensures the website’s medical content and messaging quality.