Alcohol consumption is a pastime activity of many people after work. In moderate amounts, alcohol can help them feel relaxed. However, excessive intake can severely impair a person, resulting in drastic consequences like road or workplace accidents. Thus, a thorough understanding of how alcohol affects the body can significantly improve personal safety. “How long does alcohol stay in the blood?” is a common question. Knowing the answer can help prevent road accidents or drink driving charges. Additionally, many factors affect how the body reacts to alcohol. For example, two people consuming the same drink can experience different alcohol effects.

Knowing how long alcohol stays in the blood can help people decide if they can safely drive. The high alcohol content in the blood can affect vital functions such as vision, hearing, reasoning, reflexes, and coordination. The impaired capability can linger for hours to days, depending on the intake. Therefore, it is essential to monitor alcohol consumption to avoid severe intoxication. Nowadays, many people use alcohol testers to check their blood alcohol levels. Devices such as the BACtrack breathalysers from Breathalysers Australia help individuals manage their consumption. Moreover, breathalysers can measure the exact Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) within seconds.

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in the Blood?

People can control their alcohol intake and intoxication level by learning about how long does alcohol stay in the blood. Despite how the body swiftly absorbs alcohol, it breaks down alcohol at a fixed rate of 0.016 BAC per hour. This is equal to one standard drink, an amount that may vary depending on the type of alcoholic beverage. Moreover, the more a person consumes alcohol, the higher their BAC level will rise. High BAC levels will stay longer in the system. Thus, a person may continue to feel intoxicated for several hours to one day. In addition, the liver breaks down around 95% of alcohol, while the remaining 5% exits the system through breath, urine, or sweat. Many people wait for several hours after consumption to see if they are fit to drive. Consequently, even a minimal alcohol content poses significant road hazards. Therefore, assigning a non-drinking driver when going out for drinks is ideal. 

Factors Affecting the Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

Many people consume alcohol and feel the intoxicating effects right away. On the other hand, it may take longer for others to feel inebriated due to several factors. Therefore, it is essential to know how long does alcohol stay in the blood to help moderate consumption. Alcohol is a volatile substance rapidly absorbed in the bloodstream and vital organs. It enters the lungs, brain, kidneys, and liver, where it stays for definite periods. As a result, they can elevate the mood, lower inhibitions, or alter body functions within minutes. Also, it takes 30 to 45 minutes after one standard drink to peak in the blood. The BAC level of an individual depends on the following variables:

• Physical composition (body fat percentage, weight, body type) 
• Age
• Gender 
• Food and water intake while consuming alcohol
• Metabolism rate
• Medications taken for health conditions
• Alcohol concentration of the drinks
• Total amount consumed

Methods That Measure How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Blood

What are the methods to measure how long does alcohol stay in the blood? The BAC increases quickly when a person consumes alcohol in a short time. Many people consider the beverage type and the alcohol content in a drink to monitor their alcohol level. Furthermore, various methods can detect alcohol, such as urine, saliva, blood, hair, and breath tests. Tests can trace alcohol in the samples for the following periods:

• Blood: 4 weeks
• Urine: 24 to 72 hours
• Saliva: 12 hours
• Breath: up to 24 hours
• Hair: up to 90 days

A urine or saliva test is commonly used in professional environments. However, there are more efficient methods for checking the increase or decrease of the BAC, such as using breathalysers. Rather than relying on guess estimates, an alcohol breath testing device can accurately measure the BAC level. A breath test is the most non-invasive method to test for alcohol, and it gives instant results. Therefore, it is efficient in monitoring the BAC. These devices can trace alcohol levels in real time. It is a quick method of determining the BAC level that police officers also use during roadside screening.

Breath Testing Devices at Breathalysers Australia

Each breathalyser utilises a sensor to calculate the amount of alcohol in the breath. Most alcohol testers at Breathalysers Australia use fuel cell sensor technology, which is highly efficient and accurate in measuring the BAC. Fuel cell sensors undergo an oxidisation process when in contact with alcohol in the breath. Moreover, it only interacts with ethanol and does not react with other substances. Thus, it is less likely to produce false positives, especially for people with diabetes or on a low-calorie diet. Users do not need to assume, “How long does alcohol stay in the blood”. Additionally, individuals may choose a device based on their particular needs and their preferences. Breathalysers Australia offers the following devices:

• Keychain – the BACtrack Go is the smallest precise alcohol tester on the market. It is suitable for alcohol screening to identify if a person consumes alcohol or not.
• Smartphone – the breathalysers connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth. The BACtrack C6, C8 Smartphone, and Mobile Pro can deliver the BAC results directly on the mobile phone. It also lets individuals save their results through the app for tracking. In addition, the BACtrack app features the ZeroLine technology, which quickly estimates how long it will take before the BAC returns to 0.00% from the last consumption. 
• Pro-grade – the BACtrack Pro series utilises the Xtend fuel cell sensor technology with enhanced linear response. The BACtrack S80 Pro, Trace Pro, Scout, and Mobile Pro can accurately detect alcohol across a complete BAC range. 

Conclusion

Alcohol has different effects on the body depending on various factors. Without BAC monitoring, a person can quickly become impaired and not realise what their intoxication level is, which poses safety risks. Therefore, a personal breathalyser like BACtrack helps moderate consumption. Additionally, many people use a breathalyser to help stay within the legal limits while driving. In Australia, drivers must not exceed 0.05% BAC to avoid drink driving. Police officers perform roadside screening with a police breathalyser to determine if a driver is impaired. Likewise, workplaces conduct breath tests to avoid accidents or injuries. Thus, more people check their BAC with a breathalyser before driving or working to protect themselves and others. Undoubtedly, devices from Breathalysers Australia help secure safety and promote alcohol awareness. Lastly, people do not need to go through the process of guessing “how long does alcohol stay in the blood” with a BACtrack breathalyser.