Alcohol influences people in many ways. While not everyone who has a glass of wine occasionally ends up being a drunkard. However, some people lose all control over their drinking. Alcohol has been a part of the culture and society for hundreds of years. It is steeped in our customs and identity. However, there are also many negatives to alcohol use. The good news is that you can now get an alcoholism test if you doubt your loved ones are indulging in alcoholism. What starts as casual drinking advances into dependence and addiction over time. Here comes the role of alcohol testing. An alcohol detection test is a painless and convenient way to ensure your family & loved ones are free from alcohol abuse. Let’s jump into more details about an Alcohol Detection Test and how it works.
Signs of Alcohol Abuse Vs. Alcohol Detection Test
After a long day, many people choose to wind down with a beer or a glass of wine. But how much is too much? This question becomes even more concerning if your young ones or others are getting into alcohol addiction. Sure, you can resort to the alcoholism test, but let’s first understand the signs of alcohol use disorder (AUD).
- Interference with work, school/college, family, and/or other responsibilities
- Engaging in risky behavior after drinking, such as fighting, driving, swimming, etc.
- Over time, requiring more alcohol to achieve the desired intoxicating effects
- Worrying about when unable to have your next drink
- Sweating, nausea, or insomnia when you don’t drink
- Drinking alcohol, or wanting to, when you wake up in the morning
- Consuming alcohol regularly on your own or trying to hide it
- Fighting with friends and family about drinking
Regardless of the severity of alcoholism, it is often hard for anyone suffering from this condition to admit they have a problem. Once you notice these symptoms in your loved ones, you can take the help of an alcoholism test. Today, alcohol testing services can help you determine the history, frequency, and alcohol consumption patterns.
Hair Vs. Nail Alcohol Detection Test
To determine the most appropriate alcohol testing for your case, you need to decide what period of detection you wish to cover. When alcohol circulates in the bloodstream, a proportion of it and its metabolites become incorporated into the keratin that makes up hairs and nails. This tough, fibrous protein traps the biomarkers ready for detection. In the case of body hair and nail alcohol testing, only one long-term marker of alcohol called ethyl glucuronide (EtG) can be detected.
Hair Alcoholism Test:
Window of Detection: 3 – 6 months overview
Looking for the alcohol biomarkers in the hair, using a Hair Alcoholism test, can reveal a person’s alcohol consumption history for up to 6 months. For example, you take a 3 cm hair section from nearest to the scalp to get a 3months’ data with an alcohol detection test.
Our Hair Alcohol Testing services detects two metabolites of alcohol – EtG and EtPa (Ethyl Palmitate). Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEEs) are a group of more than 25 substances, including ethyl palmitate. These markers are incorporated into the hair through different routes: EtG via sweat and FAEEs via sebum (an oily substance secreted by glands on the scalp). Both EtG and FAEE markers are analyzed because they are affected by external factors in different ways.
Therefore, performing these two types of analyses can help to increase the degree of certainty in diagnosing chronic excessive alcohol consumption.
Even though head hairs are the most feasible and accessible samples for this test, other body hairs can also be used as samples for hair alcoholism tests, such as the chest, leg, arm, and beard hair(s). But what if cutting hairs is not ideal, or there are religious or health constraints? In such a condition, Nail Alcohol Testing services becomes a lifesaver; here’s how?
Nail Alcoholism Test:
Window of Detection: 12 months overview
In the liver, ethanol is converted to EtG and reaches the nails via the bloodstream, primarily through the nail bed capillaries. Nail keratin being 4x thicker, will often capture and retain alcohol biomarkers for a longer period. Alcohol Nail Testing is also done by analyzing EtG. EtG is a direct biomarker because it is produced when alcohol is metabolized in the body. In contrast to direct biomarkers like EtG and EtPa, indirect biomarkers such carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), etc, can measure the impact of alcohol consumption on health.
Hair Alcohol Detection Test may also have certain limitations. Due to excessive washing of the hair or chemically treating it, a major part of the alcohol biomarkers may get destroyed or lost. This can make the results of the alcoholism test, rather inconclusive or inaccurate. In nail alcohol testing, clipping of the nails should be as close to the nail bed as possible. If the nail length is 5 mm, a single nail clipping can suffice for the test. For shorter nails, it’s better to take nail clippings of 10 mg (approx.) for a conclusive result. You can either use fingernails or toenails, but never a mixture of both.
Why Choose DNA Forensics Laboratory for Alcoholism Test?
DNA Forensics Laboratory Pvt. Ltd. (DFL) is among the top companies to provide 100% accurate and reliable DNA test results for various purposes in India. Furthermore, we are the only company providing Legal DNA Testing Services for the courts.
We are now also offering alcohol detection tests for the first time in India at competitive prices.
We provide detailed information about alcohol consumption with a longer detection window for a 6 -12-month overview. With 400+ collection centers across India & abroad, you can visit our nearest center to give the samples or call our collection agents at your desired address.
Call us at +91 8010177771 or WhatsApp at +91 9266615552 to learn more or book Alcohol detection tests.
