Unfortunately, nothing lowers your BAC or sobers you up. The only solution to sobering up is to wait for your body to metabolize the alcohol consumed. However, there are many myths out there about sobering up fast.
It can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours or longer for your body to process the alcohol out of your system from one serving. The more servings that are in a beverage means you will need more time to sober up from that drink.
618/536-4441 Our bodies can only metabolize, or get rid of, approximately 1 standard drink of alcohol per hour. Contrary to popular belief, caffeine, exercise, taking a shower or drinking water won't help you sober up. There is no way of speeding up this process.
More than 90% of alcohol is eliminated by the liver; 2-5% is excreted unchanged in urine, sweat, or breath. The first step in metabolism is oxidation by alcohol dehydrogenases, of which at least four isoenzymes exist, to acetaldehyde in the presence of cofactors.
Considering all the factors that contribute to being drunk, the effects will usually wear off in about six hours on average. The longest someone can be drunk for is about 24 hours, as long as they don't drink twice in that time period. But, again, this is just a general range.
Caffeine has no effect on the metabolism of alcohol by the liver and thus does not reduce breath or blood alcohol concentrations (it does not “sober you up”) or reduce impairment due to alcohol consumption.
Weight of the person. Sometimes, the weight of the person plays a huge role in vodka tolerance. The more is your weight, the more vodka you will be able to drink without feeling drunk. This is also a reason women start to feel intoxicated more in few shots than most men.
Do true feelings come out when you're drunk? True feelings may come out when you're drunk, but this isn't necessarily true all the time. Instead, alcohol can make people make fake stories and react with emotions they don't feel.
If you are drinking alcohol, ensure you drink plenty of water too—just alternate drinks. This will allow your liver to better process the alcohol and reduce damage.
Alcohol detection tests can measure alcohol in the blood for up to 6 hours, on the breath for 12 to 24 hours, urine for 12 to 24 hours (72 or more hours with more advanced detection methods), saliva for 12 to 24 hours, and hair for up to 90 days. The half-life of alcohol is between 4-5 hours.
So, while a cold shower may make sobering up a cleaner experience, it has no effect on the rate of lowering the blood alcohol level.
Electrolyte solutions (such as sports drinks) and bouillon soup are good for replacing the salt and potassium you lose from drinking alcohol.
Most recovering alcoholics drink coffee for its stimulatory effects, and smoking reduces feelings of depression, anxiety and irritability, the researchers noted. "Normally, coffee drinking and cigarette smoking go together," said lead researcher Dr. Peter R. Martin, director of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center.
If the person is not in need of medical attention and is going to "sleep it off," be sure to position the person on his/her side placing a pillow behind him/her to prevent them from rolling out of this position. This is important to help prevent choking if the person should vomit.
Because alcohol metabolizes at a rate of around 0.016% per hour after a person stops drinking, it takes the average person around the legal limit anywhere between 4 and 8 hours to completely process the alcohol in their system and be completely free of the effects of alcohol.
Alcohol Elimination
About 10 per cent of alcohol is eliminated as is, through urine or perspiration. It can also be eliminated through the breath, since the bloodstream carries it to the lungs. This is why a breathalyzer can measure your blood alcohol level.
Generally, a breathalyzer test can test positive for alcohol for up to 12 hours after consuming one alcoholic drink. The average urine test can also detect alcohol 12-48 hours later. If your BAC is 0.08, it will take approximately 5 hours to metabolize the alcohol completely before you can become “sober” again.
Remember, when someone has had too much to drink, their judgement might be impaired, so don't get angry with your friend. Get them a glass of water or a soft drink, or even order them some food. This will stop them drinking and give their bodies time to process the alcohol.
to my (laymans) knowledge, adrenaline doesn't sober you up at all, but just focuses the part of your brain that the alcohol makes fuzzy. it can feel like sobering up but the alcohol is still in your system and you'd feel just as drunk once the adrenaline leaves your system.