The form found in most alcoholic beverages is known as ethyl alcohol, which is produced during the fermentation process. The half-life of alcohol is four to five hours, which represents how long it takes your body to get rid of half of the alcohol you have consumed. It takes five half-lives for your body to metabolize all of the alcohol you’ve had, anywhere between 20 to 25 hours on average. If you want to flush out alcohol from your body on your own, be prepared to do a lot of work.
Ways to Detox Your Body After Drinking
This can be trickier to do if you are drinking at a bar or restaurant, but you can use the above as a guideline. Alcohol, commonly referred to in medical and scientific ways to flush alcohol out of your system communities, is known as EtOH. The “Et” stands for the ethyl group (C2H5) and OH represents the hydroxyl group (OH), which together form ethanol (C2H5OH).
Strategy 1: Hydration and Diet
Tomato juice is rich in sodium and is a good source of potassium, two electrolytes needed for hydration. The juice also packs antioxidants like lycopene, as well as vitamins to help replenish the body, Enright adds. Antioxidants are artificial or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage that lead to chronic illnesses. One of the main things that antioxidants do is offset free radical damage. Free radicals cause oxidative stress, which can trigger cell damage.
- If possible, allow yourself adequate time to get a good night’s sleep so your body can recover.
- Proper hydration can help negate some of the negative effects of drinking, including hangovers.
- When you first start drinking, you will begin to experience mild signs of impairment.
- You’ve finally decided that you’re too old to drink or have realized that your body can no longer handle alcohol.
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If you have any concerns about your health and diet, talk to a healthcare provider. Trying certain popular detox diets without a doctor’s supervision can lead to malnutrition. A detox is a way to get rid of toxins from your body and lose weight.
- Eating before, during, and after drinking can help slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.
- In addition, she is a wife, mother, and the successful founder and CEO of Amy Myers MD ®.
- We will make the process easier by administering medications and therapies and ensuring 24-hour supervision in a peaceful environment.
- Withdrawal progress is monitored through frequent check-up appointments within outpatient clinical settings (e.g., doctor’s office), allowing for the level of care to be escalated if needed.
- A balanced diet not only supports your body’s detoxification processes but also improves your overall health, making it easier to recover from alcohol consumption.