Alcohol & Your Health

Alcohol and Urine Screens

If someone has been drinking alcoholically and stops for treatment, how long after stopping will it (alcohol) continue to show up in urine screens?  Thank you.

The ethanol disposal rate in a 150-pound human is about 0.5 ounce of ethanol per hour, which corresponds to 12 ounces of beer (1 can), 4 ounces of wine (1 glass), or once ounce of hard liquor (one shot).  So, depending on how much you've had to drink, you can calculate how long it will take to clear the alcohol so that it doesn't show up in a urine screen.

-- Dr. Ken Krul

Kudzu vs. RU-21

I have been told that Kudzu root is effective in metabolizing alcohol.  Do Kudzu and RU-21 work the same?

No -- Kudzu (which is an obnoxious, fast-growing weed) is antagonistic to RU-21.  RU-21 works to reduce the levels of acetaldehyde in the blood, thereby reducing the toxic effects of alcohol.  Kudzu causes the acetaldehyde to collect and remain in the system longer - in hopes that the sickness from the toxicity will keep the person from drinking further.  Obviously, the thought of voluntarily doing something that allows a potent toxin like acetaldehyde to collect in your body (when there are other, safer ways to curb drinking) is idiotic.

-- Dr. Ken Krul