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“Driving under the influence” charges, or DUIs, are seen more frequently than we think, often seeing them on TV when watching cop shows or the local news. Whether you’ve directly had a DUI, know someone who’s had one, or seen it on your favorite cop show, these charges affect thousands of people and are especially common for those battling alcohol addiction. In fact, heavy and binge drinkers report higher numbers of drinking and driving episodes than others.

A common way to assess alcohol addiction is using an alcohol test, but have you ever had alcohol testing explained? When you get pulled over or need to pick a family member up from jail because of a DUI, do you know how alcohol testing works? Or maybe you or someone you know is in rehab and is required to take alcohol tests frequently, or you need to take one during a legal battle to regain custody of your child.

Regardless, having alcohol testing explained can help you better understand the drinking habits of you or someone you know, identify alcohol abuse and alcoholism, and be more prepared during an alcohol test.

Master Center has over a dozen experienced medical providers and medical assistants who accurately administer and conclude alcohol tests to ensure the best possible results for thousands of individuals battling addiction. They’re here to provide you with the information you need, no matter what the situation you or someone you know is in.

Why Do People Use Alcohol Tests?

Alcohol testing is required for many reasons, most commonly for addiction treatment and legal charges. You may know someone who needs to take a test when they get in trouble with the law, like being arrested for a DUI or other legal reason, or maybe you’re required to take one by your probation officer. Some common reasons include:

• Assessing blood-alcohol content (BAC) when pulled over for drunk driving or any other potential legal trouble.

• Addiction treatment program requirements and sobriety monitoring.

• Meeting probation and parole requirements.

• Substance use disorder (SUD) evaluations.

• Required in legal/custody battles.

Much like having drug testing explained, the purpose of alcohol testing is to ensure the safety of both you and others. It’s also an important part of addiction treatment; Master Center offers alcohol testing for substance use evaluations, sobriety monitoring, and probation and parole adherence. Our medical assistants and providers are trained in administering these tests and ensuring the most accurate results.

Alcohol Testing Explained: 2 Types of Tests

The testing used to identify excessive alcohol consumption depends on its purpose. There are two types of tests that can be used: direct markers and indirect markers.

1. Direct Markers

These are very specific to alcohol use, as they look for the direct compounds related to alcohol in the hair, blood, and urine. These direct tests look for the following 3 things: 

• EtG (Ethyl Glucuronide or ethanol): This is produced through the liver and appears in blood, urine, and hair up to an hour after alcohol use.

• FAEE (Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters): This is found only in hair and shows long-term alcohol use (10 months to 2 years).

• Phosphatidylethanol (PEth): This is only produced when someone has had alcohol and uses a blood or urine sample to obtain it.

Direct markers are also the most accurate and reliable alcohol test, as they’re only produced when someone has consumed alcohol specifically. This is important to know when taking a test, because it can help establish drinking patterns more reliably.

2. Indirect Markers

Indirect markers are produced as a response to the toxicity of alcohol and focus particularly on impairment of the liver, such as long-term liver damage. These markers include:

• Carbohydrate-deficient Transferrin (CDT): This is shown in the liver, and the presence of it indicates whether or not alcohol has been consumed.

• Liver Function Test (LFT): This indicates the possibility of long-term liver damage by testing a range of compounds in the liver.

• Full Blood Count (Mean Conspicuous Volume – MCV): This uses blood testing to identify recently ingested alcohol.

If you’ve ever taken a breathalyzer test, you’ve taken an indirect marker test. However, these markers can be influenced by other factors and don’t always respond to excessive alcohol use, making them a less accurate type of alcohol test.

The Best Alcohol Test: An Alcohol Profile of Both Markers

So, which test is best? It’s recommended to test for alcohol use by combining hair and blood alcohol tests. Using only blood tests or hair tests individually cannot usually be relied upon or provide the detailed information required for clear interpretation and meaningful recommendations.

This is what’s known as an Alcohol Profile, which uses these tests and a detailed drinking history to best evaluate casual drinking from alcohol abuse and alcoholism. This profile can be used to cover the previous 3-, 6-, or 9-month history. It also provides sufficient information to make a recommendation as to whether further testing is required, and if so, provides a guide for the profile required and when this testing needs to be carried out.

However, according to data, the most accurate tests are:

• PEth testing (direct marker), with a sensitivity rate of over 99%.

• CTC (indirect marker), with a sensitivity rate of 77%.

Additionally, the least accurate test is Full Blood Count (MCV) with a sensitivity rate of only 44%.

Remember, though, that when assessing alcoholism, it’s best to use multiple tests and an alcohol profile to fully understand the drinking habits of you or someone you know.

Getting Help for Alcoholism

No matter the reason for an alcohol test, it’s an important part of getting help for alcoholism and addiction. Having alcohol testing explained can better help you or someone you know understand their drinking habits and be prepared for the next step. Whether you’re caught in a DUI or legal issues, need to get custody of your kids, or are undergoing an evaluation for addiction, alcohol testing is an important piece of getting the proper help needed.

Master Center offers alcohol testing and substance use evaluations to identify alcoholism quickly, accurately, and reliably. Our goal is to get individuals help as soon as possible when faced with addiction so that they can get started on a successful long-term treatment plan.

If you or someone you know might be struggling with alcohol addiction, call us today to schedule a consultation with an experienced medical provider and embark on the road to recovery.

About Master Center

Master Center is a groundbreaking addiction treatment program headquartered in Glen Allen, Va. Based on a vision of comprehensive outpatient care, Master Center was launched in 2016 and now includes locations throughout the Commonwealth.

Master Center offers a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach rarely seen in the outpatient setting, staffed by experienced addiction physicians, psychiatrists, counselors, therapists, and peer recovery coaches.