U.S. doctors online nowAsk doctors free
FL
A 60-year-old female asked:

Can drinking lots of water before a saliva and urine test for alcohol produce inaccurate results? my sister who is an alcoholic and in court mandated treatment did this today and got a result that was negative. the family knows she has been drinking?

1 doctor answer2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Gurmukh Singh
Pathology 51 years experience
Diluting the urine by drinking water is detectable by urine examination. A good lab tests for other markers to rule out this gamesmanship. There are other tests than cannot be affected by drinking more water.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Jun 5, 2021

Disclaimer:

Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice in person because of anything on HealthTap. Call your doctor or 911 if you think you may have a medical emergency.