It takes about one hour for your liver to remove the alcohol of a standard alcoholic drink from your body, but is there a proven way to speed up the process? We’ve all heard of some techniques to “sober up quicker,” or perhaps even tried them ourselves - but do they actually work?
As a bartender or alcohol server, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your customers are enjoying alcohol safely and responsibly. Ensure that they aren’t taking any shortcuts when it comes to sobering up. Learn more about the common myths associated with sobering up, and whether these techniques actually flush out the alcohol from our bodies faster.
| Myth | Truth | Key takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Drink lots of water to make alcohol leave the body faster | Only a small amount of alcohol leaves the body through urine; water does not speed up removal, but helps prevent dehydration | Hydration helps symptoms, not sobriety |
| Drink coffee or energy drinks | Caffeine may make you feel more alert, but it does not remove alcohol or help you sober up | Feeling awake ≠ being sober |
| Throw up the alcohol | Removes alcohol still in the stomach, but not what’s already in the bloodstream | Ineffective once alcohol is absorbed |
| Eat fatty or greasy foods | Food may slow alcohol absorption, but does not remove alcohol already in the bloodstream | Eating doesn’t reverse intoxication |
| Take a cold shower | May increase alertness temporarily, but does not remove alcohol from the body | Temporary alertness only |
| Sweat out the alcohol | Alcohol is in the bloodstream, not sweat; sweating doesn’t remove it and can increase dehydration risk | Ineffective and potentially dangerous |
| Sleep it off | Sleep doesn’t speed up sobriety, but gives the liver time to process alcohol | Only time reduces intoxication |
Time is the only scientifically proven method of sobering up. As mentioned, it takes approximately an hour for the liver to break down the alcohol of a standard alcoholic drink. Taking shortcuts that don’t actually make you sober can lead to serious consequences, including accidentally hurting others while still intoxicated.
As an alcohol server, alcohol seller or bartender, it’s important that you know the techniques people may use to drink alcohol in an unsafe manner. Be familiar with the methods above so that you’re prepared to spot the signs of unsafe alcohol drinking.
Userve’s Alcohol Server Training provides you with the tools you need to spot these techniques and even handle potentially tense or uncomfortable situations with your customers.