Can You Flush Out Alcohol With Water?

02/25/2021

Can You Flush Out Alcohol With Water?

Find Out If Hydration Can Help Rid Your System of Alcohol Sometimes, it’s necessary to get alcohol out of your body as quickly as possible. Whether you’re just trying to prevent nausea and sober up or you’re fighting something more serious like vomiting or alcohol poisoning, it’s always helpful to know how to flush alcohol out of the system.

Alcohol’s Effect on the Body

Alcohol is a depressant that causes lots of changes in our bodies and behaviors. Since alcohol isn’t metabolized or digested in the same way as food, it has to be released differently. Instead of going into the digestive tract, alcohol goes through the bloodstream. It is then carried through the body and into the brain. This means that there are toxins throughout your entire system that need to be cleared out.

Symptoms of Having Too Much Alcohol in the Body

Alcohol and its toxins can come with a variety of effects. A few symptoms of over-drinking may include:

Lowered inhibitions
Slurred speech
Confusion
Difficulty concentrating
Vomiting
Headaches
Dizziness
Weakness
Liver damage
Alcohol poisoning

These symptoms are clearly undesirable and potentially dangerous. But how long exactly will you have to worry about them?

How Long Does Alcohol Stay in The System?

The answer to this question depends on your individual BAC, or blood alcohol content. Your BAC depends on a variety of factors, from age & weight to what you most recently drank. However, alcohol is still metabolized at a set rate: 20 milligrams per deciliter per hour. So one glass of wine, for example, would most likely metabolize in about three hours. Alcohol can also stay in different areas of the body for certain amounts of time. It remains in the blood for about three hours after drinking. Alcohol could still be in the breath, urine, or saliva or 12-24 hours. Its particles could also stay in hair for up to 90 days. So is there a way to make it go away more quickly?

Ways to Rid the Body of Alcohol

While there is no way to necessarily speed up the metabolization of alcohol, there are ways to alleviate the symptoms and keep your body functioning at a more normal pace. Here are some things that may help:

Sleeping it off – give your body some rest
Exercising – do a light exercise routine to sweat out the toxins
Fasting – if you’re having trouble keeping food down, it might help to do a 1-day fast
Herbal remedies – these can help clean the liver
Drinking fluids – consume lots of vegetable & fruit juices, herbal teas, and (of course), water

Flushing Out Alcohol With Water

Flushing alcohol out of your system with liquids can help cleanse and detoxify the body. Just a few ounces of water can start to remove poisons, toxins, and debris. It is recommended to drink eight cups of water a day; but if you’ve been drinking alcohol, you should try to have more than that if possible.

Preventing Alcohol Poisoning & Hangovers

Sleeping it off – give your body some rest
Exercising – do a light exercise routine to sweat out the toxins
Fasting – if you’re having trouble keeping food down, it might help to do a 1-day fast
Herbal remedies – these can help clean the liver
Drinking fluids – consume lots of vegetable & fruit juices, herbal teas, and (of course), water

Preventing Alcohol Poisoning & Hangovers

Alcohol could be life threatening if not released from the body. Signs of an alcohol overdose include, but aren’t limited to, loss of consciousness, clammy skin, low body temperature, and a slow heart rate. These instances are unfortunately very common, so it’s important to try to stop them before they start. If you or a loved one has experienced any issues from drinking alcohol, including alcohol poisoning, contact our team of substance abuse professionals by visiting us here or calling 267.209.7313.