In Canada, there are many myths about how to get alcohol out of your system. Some people recommend a cold shower and a hot coffee, while others recommend eating a big meal before drinking. Unfortunately, we called these tips and tricks myths for a reason. They are not the most effective way to sober up. So what is? Prevention is the best solution for those wondering how to get alcohol out of their system faster. Don’t worry, though – we also have some tips for encouraging the body to eliminate already broken-down alcohol more quickly. This guide will discuss the process behind sobering up and how to speed it up. Plus, we will offer resources to help you or a loved one stop drinking once and for all. Keep reading to learn more.
Key Takeaways
It is impossible to speed up the body's rate of alcohol metabolism. The rate of alcohol metabolism naturally varies based on genetics, gender, age, and other factors. However, drinking water can encourage the body to flush out broken-down alcohol faster.
Table of Contents
Understanding How You Metabolise Alcohol
Alcohol metabolism turns alcohol into acetaldehyde, acetate, and then carbon dioxide and water. This process aims to convert alcohol into compounds (carbon dioxide and water) that the body can quickly eliminate.
The process begins with the conversion of alcohol (ethanol) into acetaldehyde. Enzymes called dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) make this possible.
Acetaldehyde is a toxic and carcinogenic compound. Carcinogens are compounds that can cause or increase the risk of cancer. The more of this compound the body encounters, the higher the risk.
Not only that, this compound can also cause direct damage. Specifically, it can damage cells and tissues in certain organs. Research has shown that acetaldehyde is most detrimental to the liver, pancreas, brain, and GI tract.
Acetaldehyde may also contribute to intoxication and hangovers. Some studies have found that this substance may cause incoordination, memory loss, and fatigue. Other studies have contradicted these findings, so we need more research to know for sure.
Once the body turns alcohol into acetaldehyde, it converts this toxin into acetic acid, which is relatively harmless. Acetic acid undergoes something called an oxidation reaction. This reaction produces water, carbon dioxide, and ATP- cells’ chosen energy source.
These processes primarily take place in the liver. However, some of it gets eliminated from the system via alternative routes. These alternative routes include urine, breath, or sweat.
Alcohol Absorption
By now, many people may wonder: What happens to alcohol (ethanol) before it undergoes metabolism? In other words, how do people get drunk?
Alcohol gets into the bloodstream before the body begins to break it down. Some alcohol gets into the bloodstream through the stomach. However, the small intestine more readily absorbs alcohol.
How quickly the alcohol absorbs through these organs depends on many factors. These factors include the type of alcohol and what someone drinks it with (e.g., soda). Also, drinking on an empty stomach increases alcohol’s rate of absorption.
How Long Does Alcohol Metabolism Take?
How long alcohol metabolism takes depends on multiple factors, but in general, alcohol stays in the system for around 25 hours. This timeline comes from alcohol’s half-life of four to five hours and the fact that it takes around five half-lives to metabolize a substance completely.
However, this figure does not reflect how long certain tests can detect alcohol in the system. For example, urine tests can detect alcohol within 12 to 80 hours. Breathalyzers, on the other hand, can only detect alcohol within 24 hours.
Hair tests can detect alcohol for the most amount of time after drinking. Depending on the test, alcohol may be detected for up to 90 days after drinking.
What Impacts How Long Alcohol Stays in Your System?
Many factors impact how long alcohol stays in your system, including genetics, gender, and age. These are not the only ones, though. Below, we discuss the top factors influencing how quickly or slowly the body metabolizes alcohol.
Genetics
Genetics help regulate alcohol metabolism. The human body has specific genes regulating ADH and ALDH. As we mentioned, these enzymes control the breakdown of alcohol into acetaldehyde, acetic acid, carbon dioxide, and water.
Some people have different versions of these genes, reducing the rate of ethanol metabolism. For example, approximately 50% of people of Asian descent have genes for nonfunctional ALDH enzymes.
Gender
Women tend to metabolize alcohol more slowly than men. Studies have found this is primarily due to a 42% slower gastric emptying rate. Additionally, women subjectively report feeling drunker faster than men.
Age
The body’s ability to eliminate alcohol declines with age. This is due, in part, to declining levels of those all-important enzymes, ADH and ALDH. Other factors, such as water weight and muscle composition, may also play a role.
Weight
It is not indeed weight but fat percentage that impacts alcohol metabolism. For example, consider two people who weigh the same. In this case, the person with higher body fat will metabolize alcohol more slowly.
Food
People who eat before they drink will metabolize alcohol faster than those who fast. Studies show that this happens because food increases levels of ADH, one of the enzymes that breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde and acetic acid.
Medications
Some drugs feature side effects that can reduce ADH’s ability to break down alcohol. These medications include pyrazoles, isobutyramide, methanol, and ethylene glycol.
Liver Disease
Studies have found that heavy drinkers metabolize alcohol faster than people who drink moderately. However, this effect is reversed when liver disease comes into the picture. Advanced liver disease decreases the rate of alcohol metabolism.
Time
The faster someone drinks alcohol, the more their blood alcohol levels increase, and the harder the body has to work to eliminate it. The time between drinks may not directly impact the rate of alcohol metabolism, but it will increase the time needed to break down the ethanol in your bloodstream.
What Is Flushing Alcohol from Your System?
‘Flushing alcohol from your system’ is what people mean by detoxing from alcohol quickly. Often, people want to flush alcohol from their system fast in preparation for a breathalyzer, urinalysis, or blood or hair test for alcohol.
People have come up with many ideas to detox from alcohol faster. They include drinking more water, taking certain supplements, or eating particular foods. Unfortunately, these tactics do not speed up alcohol metabolism.
What these tips may do is help people sober up faster. However, those looking for ways to detox for an alcohol test should know that abstaining from drinking beforehand is always the best strategy.
How to Flush Alcohol Out of Your System and Sober Up
People looking to flush alcohol out of their systems faster to overcome hangover symptoms are in luck. The following strategies can help people feel more awake and less hungover after drinking.
Drink More Water
Drinking plenty of water before, during, and after consuming alcohol may reduce the symptoms of or even prevent hangovers. After all, dehydration contributes to hangover symptoms like fatigue and headaches.
This strategy works because water is a primary component of the blood. It can also help the kidneys remove toxins from the bloodstream, including alcohol.
Eat Certain Foods
Another way to avoid severe hangover symptoms is to consume more salt. Eat tomatoes or drink vegetable juice or bone broth. These foods and drinks contain mineral salts to restore electrolytes and prevent dehydration.
Other foods that are safe and even beneficial to enjoy after a night of heavy drinking include:
- Leafy greens
- Antioxidant-rich berries
- Whole grains
- Cayenne pepper
- Fatty fish
These ingredients are rich in nutrients like vitamins and minerals, fibre, antioxidants, and complex carbs to nourish the body. These foods can also help regulate the GI tract, helping with digestive symptoms and stomach pains.
Also, consider incorporating foods rich in zinc, potassium, and iron. These beneficial minerals support a robust immune system, help with dehydration, and energize people to go about their day feeling less hungover.
Avoid Other Ingredients
Here’s another common tip about sobering up that is actually false: eating a greasy hangover meal will sober you up faster. The truth is that foods high in fats do more harm than good. The same is true of added sugars.
Unhealthy fats (and even healthy fats when consumed in excess) can be hard on digestion. It may prevent the digestive system from processing alcohol as quickly, resulting in longer-lasting effects.
Added sugars may not be as damaging to digestion, but they will cause blood sugar spikes. Hypoglycemia may contribute to certain hangover symptoms. Avoiding this ingredient can reduce tiredness, weakness, and mood swings.
Try Green Tea
Green tea may help flush out alcohol for a few reasons. First of all, it is rich in antioxidants, which nourish the body and help with digestion.
Additionally, some of the compounds in green tea may help with certain hangover symptoms. Studies show that green tea reduces headaches, nausea, and decreased focus after binge drinking.
Take a Probiotic
Alcohol is known to alter the gut microbiome. Meanwhile, people use probiotics to restore this aspect of gut health. For this reason and others, probiotic supplements and foods are the best-kept secret for fighting hangover symptoms.
Does Water Flush Out Alcohol?
Yes, water does flush out alcohol, though it will not make your body metabolize it any faster. Instead, water helps to support liver and kidney function, encouraging the body to eliminate already broken-down alcohol more quickly.
Tips on How to Get Alcohol Out of Your System Fast
Again, it is impossible to speed up alcohol metabolism after a single drinking session. The only way to ever increase the rate of alcohol metabolism is to drink regularly, which is not advisable for many reasons.
The fastest way to get alcohol out of the system is not to drink at all. Unfortunately, that can be challenging for some. Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) are prevalent in Canada.
People with AUDs may want to quit drinking. They may even try to. Yet, the symptoms of the disorder, which include intense alcohol cravings and painful withdrawal symptoms from not drinking, may prevent them from succeeding.
Luckily, there is hope for people who want to get and stay sober. An alcohol addiction treatment centre offers detox and inpatient programs to make getting clean and staying clean easier. That’s where Simcoe rehab comes in.
Get Help for Alcohol Addiction in Ontario
Once someone drinks alcohol, forcing their body to break it down any faster is impossible. Still, there are some things people can do to feel less hungover and more energized after a heavy drinking session.
Are you tired of wondering how to get alcohol out of your system? Simcoe Addiction and Mental Health in Ontario offers alcohol programs for individuals and their loved ones.
Browse our website for more resources like this one, and contact us to learn more about our powerful alcohol use disorder treatment program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Didn’t find the answers you were looking for in our guide? Then check out our FAQ section for more tips and advice.
Yes, alcohol does dehydrate you. It is a diuretic, meaning it causes the body to excrete more water. Without replacing these lost fluids with more water, alcohol can lead to dehydration.
This effect can worsen when people drink on an empty stomach. Luckily, drinkers can prevent dehydration with a few strategies. Eating a nutritious meal and consuming electrolytes are two to reduce dehydration from alcohol.
The best way to stop diarrhea after drinking alcohol is to prevent the causes of diarrhea from alcohol. Here are some tips for doing just that:
- Avoid beer, wine, and mixed beverages
- Drink water between each alcoholic beverage
- Consume alcohol slowly to prevent digestive stress
- Stay away from caffeine, a diuretic
- Always eat a nutritious meal before consuming alcohol
Finally, don’t drink to excess. Canada’s low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines recommend no more than two standard daily drinks. A standard drink is equivalent to a bottle of beer, a glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.
Yes, alcohol can cause inflammation. However, studies show this effect may only occur when someone drinks excessively. Following Canada’s low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines can prevent this effect.