How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?

Factors That Impact the Length of Time Alcohol Stays in the Body

Alcohol affects people differently. How intoxicated one person gets and how quickly, as well as how long alcohol stays in their body, depend on a few variables.

• Gender: “After drinking the same amount of alcohol, women tend to have higher blood alcohol levels⁴ than men, and the immediate effects of alcohol usually occur more quickly and last longer in women than men,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Body fat percentage: Because it holds less water than muscle, fat absorbs alcohol from your blood at a lower rate.⁵ This means that for 2 people who weigh the same, the person with a higher body fat percentage will have a higher BAC after drinking the same amount. 
• Age: In general, the older you get, the longer alcohol stays in your system.⁵ That’s because your ability to process alcohol worsens over time. According to Harvard Health, older adults have a higher BAC than younger people after drinking the same amount.
• How much you’ve eaten: If there’s food in your stomach, your body will absorb less alcohol. Studies show that “the consumption of foods before or together with alcohol⁶ reduces peak blood alcohol concentration, decreases absorption and slows metabolism. In particular, ‘high-energy’ meals may slow down alcohol metabolism and reduce subjective intoxication.”
• Other drugs present in your system: Some medications affect how your body handles alcohol.⁷ This includes blood pressure medication, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory drugs. 

How Long Does It Take to Feel the Effects of Alcohol?

Just like there’s no standard length of time that alcohol stays in your body, the time it takes to feel the effects of alcohol varies from person to person. Typically, you’ll feel the effects of drinking alcohol anywhere within 15-45 minutes,⁸ depending on the strength of the drink and how quickly you drink it. 

After the first 15-45 minutes, you’ll likely feel the relaxing effects of alcohol. If you continue to drink, especially at a rate faster than one drink per hour, you’ll feel progressively intoxicated. At a BAC of .02%, you might feel relaxed and euphoric.⁹ At a BAC of .05%, you may start to experience lowered inhibitions, impaired judgment, and loss of coordination.  

BAC of .02%, you might feel relaxed and euphoric

How Your Body Metabolizes Alcohol

When you drink, alcohol enters your stomach and then travels on to the small intestine. From there, small blood vessels carry the alcohol to your bloodstream. Roughly 20% of alcohol gets absorbed through the stomach.¹⁰ The majority of alcohol is absorbed through the small intestine, though about 10% is eliminated via your breath, sweat, and urine. 

Alcohol is primarily broken down in your liver. Using the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), your liver breaks down alcohol molecules into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is then broken down into acetate, which is then metabolized into water and carbon dioxide. At this point, your body can eliminate these molecules easily. 

How Long Does It Take the Body to Metabolize Alcohol?

A good rule of thumb is that most healthy people can metabolize about one standard drink per hour.¹¹ Of course, factors like age, body fat percentage, and gender can greatly impact the rate at which your body processes alcohol. 

So, when does alcohol leave your system? If you consume more than one standard drink per hour, your liver has too much to process at once. The additional alcohol remains in your bloodstream and body tissues until your liver can metabolize it. This is what makes you feel drunk. 

What is One Standard Drink?

Here’s what one standard drink¹² means, according to the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism:

• 12 ounces of normal-strength beer (4-5% alcohol)
• 1.5 ounces of liquor (40% alcohol)
• 5 ounces of wine (12-13% alcohol)

Can You Speed Up the Process?

No, you cannot speed up the alcohol metabolization process.¹³ Once you’ve consumed alcohol, it has entered your bloodstream and can only be eliminated via the enzymes in your liver and through your sweat, breath, and urine. While some things might make you feel more alert—like drinking caffeine, water, or taking a cold shower—they will not remove alcohol from your system. 

How Long Can Tests Detect Alcohol in the Body?

Alcohol can remain in your system for up to 72 hours. How long alcohol can be detected depends on the kind of tests used: 

• Blood tests can detect alcohol for roughly 6 hours.
• Urine tests can detect alcohol for 12-24 hours.
• Breath and saliva tests can detect alcohol for 12-24 hours. 
• Hair tests can detect alcohol for up to 90 days.

When Excessive Drinking Becomes an Addiction

Alcohol is often socially acceptable, which is why it can be so hard to tell when your drinking is becoming a problem. While there is no safe level of drinking, guidelines for moderation¹⁴ are much lower than most people realize. 

If you’re concerned about your drinking and think you may need treatment to stop, search alcohol rehab centers and reach out directly to learn about available options.