Alcohol Testing - Blood Testing

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is alcohol tested in blood. PEth blood testing refers to the analysis of a specific biomarker called phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in a blood sample to monitor the alcohol use history. PEth is a direct metabolite of ethanol (alcohol) This means that unlike the other alcohol markers in blood, it will only be detectable if alcohol was consumed. PEth can serve as an indicator of alcohol consumption over a 4 week period immediately before the sample collection.

CDT testing, also known as Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin (CDT) testing, is a laboratory test used to assess the level of alcohol consumption whether it is social/ moderate or chronic alcohol consumption. It measures the levels of a specific form of transferrin, a protein found in the blood, which is modified due to heavy and prolonged alcohol use.

When individuals consume alcohol in excess over a few weeks, their body's ability to properly attach carbohydrate molecules to transferrin is compromised. As a result, the levels of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) increase in the blood.

Liver function tests (LFT) alcohol testing conducted to monitor the impact of alcohol on liver health. Alcohol consumption can have detrimental effects on the liver, leading to conditions such as alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic fatty liver disease, and cirrhosis. 

Liver function tests (LFT) are a group of blood tests that evaluate the levels of various enzymes, Gamma GT (GGT), Aspartate Transferase (AST) and Alanine Transferase (ALT), associated with liver normal function.These tests help experts assess liver function and identify potential alcohol-related liver problems. Unlike PETh, LFT alcohol testing is not a direct measure of alcohol consumption but rather evaluates the impact of alcohol on liver health. However, after the chronic consumption of alcohol for a prolonged period, this may lead to liver damage and therefore an elevation in the levels of LFT markers in blood.

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) part of our Full Blood Count (FBC) test to monitor long term alcohol abuse. MCV testing, refers to the analysis of blood parameters (such as e size and volume of a red blood cell) associated with alcohol consumption. The red blood cell size increases with the long term excessive alcohol intake.

While MCV tests can provide insights into certain effects of alcohol consumption on blood parameters, it does not directly measure alcohol levels or serve as a definitive alcohol testing method. Alcohol detection typically requires specific alcohol biomarkers or indicators and would always recommend using another testing method alongside any FBC test to determine consumption history.