If you’re in a situation where abstinence from alcohol is required, you may be asked to take an EtG test. Before you take this type of test, it can be important to understand how it works and what its parameters are. For example, how long does an EtG test detect alcohol, what are its limitations, and could anything cause it to return a false positive?
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What Is an EtG Alcohol Test?
An EtG alcohol test is a drug screen that can determine if a person has consumed alcohol in the previous few days. EtG stands for ethyl glucuronide, which is a metabolite, or byproduct’ that is created when a person’s liver breaks down alcohol to prepare it for elimination.
Drug screens are commonly set up to detect byproducts such as ethyl glucuronide, as they are evidence that a person has recently ingested a particular substance, even if the actual substance is no longer present in their system. In a sense, metabolites function somewhat like fingerprints. They can prove that someone (or, in this case, something) was once in a certain location, even if it’s no longer there.
Unlike blood alcohol content (BAC) analyses, EtG tests do not measure how impaired a person is. Instead, they focus on determining if a person has consumed alcohol recently.
EtG tests are most commonly used in situations where abstinence from alcohol is mandatory, such as drug treatment programs, sober living residences, and probation offices.
Some professionals are required to take EtG or similar tests as a condition of their employment or to retain their certification. Also, patients who have incurred serious liver damage may need to take an EtG alcohol test to confirm their eligibility for a transplant if another organ becomes available.
How Long Does EtG Detect Alcohol?
Now that we’ve established what an EtG alcohol test does, let’s take a look at its parameters. For example, how long does EtG detect alcohol?
This question unfortunately doesn’t have a precise answer that applies to everyone who takes an EtG alcohol test. Factors that can influence the timeframe (or potentially trigger a false positive) include:
- The person’s age, gender, weight, and metabolism
- How much alcohol they had used
- If they have used products such as mouthwash that contain alcohol
- If they’ve ingested certain dietary supplements
- If they have diabetes or some other co-occurring medical concerns
Taking these factors into consideration, here are estimates of how long an EtG can detect alcohol:
- EtG tests are most reliable for determining if someone has been drinking in the past 24 hours.
- Most sources report that EtG tests can typically detect alcohol for up to 80 hours (or more than three days) after a person’s last drink.
- In some cases, an EtG test may be able to detect alcohol for up to five days after an individual has stopped drinking.
EtG tests typically analyze urine samples. Ethyl glucuronide can be found in the blood and saliva, but it is usually present for a longer period of time in urine.
Advantages of EtG Alcohol Tests
From a tester’s perspective, EtG alcohol screens offer a variety of benefits, such as:
- They are simple to administer. Just dip the test strip into a urine sample for a few seconds and wait a few minutes for the results.
- They are quick. It usually takes about five minutes for a test strip to confirm the presence or absence of alcohol in a sample.
- The tests don’t have to be sent to a lab for processing.
- They are relatively inexpensive.
From the perspective of a person who is taking the test, the benefits of EtG alcohol screens can include:
- The testing process doesn’t require a significant time commitment.
- EtG tests are reliable ways to prove that you are remaining abstinent from alcohol.
- The tests can be excellent tools for promoting personal responsibility and accountability.
What Happens if I Can’t Stop Drinking?
To pass an EtG alcohol test, you basically have to avoid alcohol for five to seven days. For many people, this is a minor inconvenience at worst. But for some, going a week without alcohol can be virtually impossible.
If you’re not able to stop drinking long enough to pass an EtG alcohol test, that could be a sign that you’ve developed alcohol use disorder, which is the term clinicians use to describe alcohol addiction or alcoholism.
Symptoms of alcohol use disorder include:
- Often drinking more or for a longer period of time than you intended
- Having powerful cravings for alcohol
- Spending substantial amounts of time using alcohol or recovering from its effects
- Continuing to drink even after incurring some type of harm due to prior use
- Minimizing or ending your participation in important activities because of your drinking
- Failing to meet personal or professional responsibilities as a result of your alcohol use
- Becoming tolerant of alcohol’s effects, which means you need to drink more in order to feel the effects you’re seeking
- Develop withdrawal symptoms when you try to reduce or stop alcohol use, or when you’re unable to drink for a certain period of time.
- Wanting to quit drinking, but being unable to do so
If these symptoms sound familiar to you, you should consider scheduling an assessment with your primary physician or another qualified healthcare professional. After receiving an evaluation and diagnosis, you’ll be better prepared to seek appropriate treatment.
When you’re trapped in the darkness of active alcohol addiction, escaping can seem impossible. Please know that this isn’t true. When you get the care you need and the support you deserve, you can end your alcohol use and pursue a much healthier future in recovery.
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Don’t let compulsive alcohol abuse rob you of another day. To learn more about how we can help, or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Admissions page or call us today.