Blood Alcohol Testing

Blood alcohol testing can be used for a variety of reasons, from helping authorities make crucial decisions about a child’s welfare, to family courts handling custody disputes.

Our blood alcohol testing is accurate and reliable based on the samples we receive at our laboratory.

Here are just a few more reasons you can trust the accuracy of our blood alcohol testing:

• Over 20 years’ experience providing court-admissible alcohol testing services
• All testing performed in-house at our state-of-the-art UK laboratory – so test samples are never sent abroad
• ISO 17025 UKAS-accredited testing laboratory (No. 2773)
• Lab 51 extension for toxicology samples
• We employ highly-skilled toxicologists with decades of collective experience
• All sample collections for legally-instructed tests are carried out by our professional clinicians, under chain of custody conditions
• Toxicologists work within the framework of Family Law/following Part 25 of Family Procedure Rules (2010)

A Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) test looks for the presence of PEth, a direct biomarker of alcohol, in a blood sample, and can provide an overview of historic alcohol consumption of up to four weeks.

We can also provide repeat PEth testing for up to 12 months for ongoing monitoring, if required. This includes a monthly sample collection, with a Certificate of Analysis provided free of charge. At the end of the monitoring period, a comprehensive Expert Report* is issued, detailing our findings for that period.

An abnormal phospholipid, PEth requires ethanol (the intoxicating agent in alcoholic drinks) for its production. This means that it is only present in the body when alcohol has been consumed.

One of the biggest benefits of PEth testing versus other alcohol blood tests (CDT, LFT and MCV), is that it can be used to detect chronic and single-drinking episodes.

Daily alcohol consumption of more than 60g of ethanol can be clearly distinguished from lower alcohol consumption, with PEth being detectable in the blood after 1-2 hours and for up to 12 days after even a single drinking episode.

PEth testing can also be used to monitor drinking behaviour/abstinence, to identify relapse, and to verify whether an individual has changed their patten of alcohol consumption.

PEth is also the only form of blood alcohol testing that is recommended to be performed during pregnancy or within two months of birth.

Unlike other laboratories, AlphaBiolabs’ finger prick PEth alcohol testing simply requires a few blood drops, collected using a finger prick device.

This means that no specialist phlebotomy or venepuncture skills are required to perform the collection, making the process much simpler and more cost-efficient for our customers. This virtually pain-free method of blood sample collection is also ideal for Sample Donors who are needle phobic or have poor vein access.

The table below shows the range of PEth levels that can be measured using an AlphaBiolabs’ blood alcohol PEth test.

*Additional fee applies.

Second only to PEth testing for its accuracy and reliability, Carbohydrate Deficient Transferrin testing is used to establish the percentage of transferrin in the bloodstream that is carbohydrate deficient.

Transferrin is a protein largely made in the liver that regulates an individual’s iron absorption into the blood. It attaches iron molecules and transports them to the bone marrow, spleen, and liver.

Alcohol consumption can significantly impact the levels of carbohydrate deficient transferrin in the body, meaning laboratory analysis can be used to measure these levels and draw a conclusion about alcohol use over a defined period.

People who do not drink, or drink moderately, will have lower CDT levels in their blood.

However, people who consume 50-80 grams of alcohol at least five days a week for two weeks prior to a CDT test will have significantly greater levels.

As with all blood alcohol tests, we would always recommend that CDT testing is used alongside other blood tests (including PEth) for the most accurate insight into an individual’s alcohol use.

This is because CDT is an indirect biomarker of alcohol, meaning that levels in the blood can be outside the normal range for other reasons, including liver disease, previous alcohol use, certain medications, or other underlying health conditions.

A Liver Function Test (LFT) is used to determine the health of the liver, by measuring certain enzymes and proteins created by the liver and found in the blood.

Alcohol can be toxic to the liver, meaning that a person who consumes excessive amounts of alcohol will damage this vital organ and may experience reduced liver function.

An LFT is used to assess liver damage that may have been caused by alcohol consumption, and by measuring three enzymes in the blood: aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT).

Because other factors such as certain medications and pre-existing medical conditions can affect the results of an LFT, the test should not be used in isolation to assess alcohol use.

We would always recommend that LFTs be used alongside other blood alcohol tests including PEth, CDT and MCV for a more complete picture of a person’s historic alcohol consumption.

A Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) test is used to measure the average size of red blood cells in a blood sample.

Red blood cells play a vital role in the function of organs and tissues, carrying oxygen in the blood to all parts of the body. If red blood cells are too big or too small, this can be an indicator of underlying health problems.

If the MCV marker in the blood is higher than normal, this can indicate enlarged red blood cells and, in turn, chronic and excessive alcohol consumption.

It takes several weeks of heavy alcohol consumption for MCV to become elevated, and it may also take several months before MCV returns to a normal level after abstinence.

However, there are many reasons why an MCV test might show abnormalities in the size of red blood cells, including the use of certain medications, vitamin deficiencies and other medical conditions.

This means that, as a standalone indicator of alcohol misuse, MCV has somewhat low sensitivity.

However, when combined with other blood tests, it can support a diagnosis of excessive drinking.

Blood alcohol tests can be used to detect chronic and excessive alcohol consumption or abstinence, depending on the test type.

• PEth testing is by far the most conclusive of all the blood alcohol tests and can be used to detect chronic and excessive alcohol consumption or abstinence.

  PEth is a direct biomarker of alcohol, meaning that it can only be made in the body when alcohol has been consumed. It can be detected in the blood after 1-2 hours and for up to 4 weeks prior to sample collection. It is so sensitive that it can be detected for up to 12 days after just a single drinking episode.

  Daily consumption of more than 60g of ethanol can also be clearly distinguished from lower alcohol consumption.

• CDT, LFT and MCV tests can only be used to draw conclusions regarding chronic and excessive alcohol consumption, not abstinence, and should be used to complement PEth testing and other alcohol tests (e.g. hair alcohol tests), for the most conclusive insights.

  This is because CDT, LFT and MCV are indirect biomarkers of alcohol, meaning that their levels in the body can be impacted by other factors besides alcohol consumption, such as underlying medical conditions.

Blood alcohol tests can provide an overview of up to 4 weeks for historic alcohol consumption.

Factors that can affect the results of a blood alcohol test include certain medications and pre-existing medical conditions.

Our sample collectors will always ask for additional information from the Sample Donor at the sample collection appointment, such as any medications they are currently taking, or whether they have any health conditions that could affect the results of the test. This is then taken into account when preparing the test results.

Blood alcohol tests are especially effective when performed in conjunction with hair alcohol tests.

A hair alcohol test can be used to determine chronic and excessive alcohol consumption, or abstinence.

Our Comprehensive Alcohol Analysis package combines blood alcohol testing with hair alcohol testing, for the best insight into an individual’s historic alcohol consumption.

Get a quote

The cost of a blood alcohol test varies depending on the requirements of the instructing party.

If you have received a quote for blood alcohol testing from another testing laboratory, we will match their price and reduce it by a further 10%. This makes AlphaBiolabs the most cost-effective solution for your legal alcohol testing needs.

To request a quote for blood alcohol testing, simply complete our online form, and a member of our Legal team will be in touch to discuss your needs.

You can also call 0333 600 1300 or email testing@alphabiolabs.com for more information.

What the results of a blood alcohol test will show depends on which test you choose.

• PEth testing will show whether a person is likely to have been drinking alcohol excessively, moderately, or to a low enough level to be considered abstinent up to 4 weeks’ prior to sample collection.
• CDT, LFT and MCV blood alcohol tests can only be used to draw a conclusion about chronic and excessive alcohol use and should be used in conjunction with PEth testing and/or other alcohol tests (such as hair alcohol testing) for the most conclusive insights into historic alcohol consumption.

See our other FAQs for more information about each of these tests.

We offer rapid results for blood alcohol testing, direct from our UKAS-accredited laboratory.

For more information, complete our online quote form, and a member of our New Enquiry team will be in touch to discuss your requirements.

Alternatively, call us on 0333 600 1300 or email testing@alphabiolabs.com.