drinks
1 standard drink = 14g pure alcohol
Enter number of drinks (0–40)
lbs
Used to estimate alcohol processing rate
Enter weight (80–400 lbs)
Affects alcohol metabolism rate
Hydration affects urine EtG concentration
Estimated EtG Detection Window
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⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: This tool provides estimates only. Actual detection times vary based on individual physiology, lab sensitivity, and other factors. Do not use this to circumvent drug testing programs.
How EtG Detection Works
EtG (ethyl glucuronide) is a direct metabolite of ethanol formed in the liver. Unlike measuring alcohol in the blood or breath, EtG lingers in urine long after the alcohol itself has cleared — making it a highly sensitive marker for recent alcohol consumption.
Standard urine alcohol tests measure ethanol directly and only detect drinking within the past 6–12 hours. An EtG test is 4–5× more sensitive and can detect alcohol use within the past 24–80 hours, depending on how much was consumed.
Estimation Formula
Base Hours = Drinks × 10 × Sex Factor × Hydration Factor
Sex factor: Male = 1.0 | Female = 1.15 (women metabolise alcohol more slowly on average). Hydration factor: Well hydrated = 0.85 (diluted urine clears faster in concentration) | Dehydrated = 1.15. Weight adjustment: lighter individuals metabolise alcohol more slowly per drink. Heavy drinking (5+ drinks) can extend detection to 72–80 hours regardless of other factors.
💡 Pro tip: The only reliable way to reduce EtG is time. Drinking water does not flush EtG faster — it only dilutes urine temporarily. Labs check creatinine levels to identify diluted samples.
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Frequently Asked Questions
EtG is typically detectable in urine for 24–80 hours after drinking, depending on the amount consumed, individual metabolism, hydration, and body weight. Heavy drinking can push detection past 80 hours.
Most labs use a cutoff of 500 ng/mL for a positive EtG result. Some monitoring programs use a stricter 100 ng/mL threshold. A result above the cutoff is reported as positive.
Heavy water intake can dilute urine and temporarily reduce EtG concentration, but it does not speed up EtG elimination from the body. Labs check creatinine levels to flag diluted samples, so this strategy is unreliable.
Yes. A breathalyzer measures current BAC and only detects drinking within 6–12 hours. EtG is a metabolite that persists in urine for up to 80 hours, making it a far more sensitive marker of recent alcohol use — even when no impairment is present.
Yes, alcohol-containing products like mouthwash, hand sanitizer, or certain cold medications can produce low EtG elevations. Most monitoring programs consider readings below 100–200 ng/mL as potential incidental exposure and do not count them as violations.