Posts by hcoker@dna-worldwide.co.uk
Drug testing: Drug Metabolites (Part 2)
In part 1 we touched on how metabolites assist in interpreting results, so this week we are going to look at this in more detail, and how a few common drugs and their metabolites can tell us about patterns of usage. We will follow this up in part 3 with a case study to illustrate how we at DNA... Read More
Drug testing: Drug Metabolites (Part 1)
What is a metabolite? When a drug has been consumed, the body breaks down the drug, in order to eliminate the drug from the body. During this “breakdown” chemical alteration to the main drug occurs and therefore creates a different substance; a metabolite. Drug metabolites are helpful in... Read More
Alcohol Blood Testing: Hair strand testing combined with PEth
Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in the blood is a highly specific, stable, and sensitive marker that is capable of distinguishing between teetotallers, social, chronic and excessive drinking behaviour. It is considered a direct biomarker of alcohol meaning it is only produced after someone has... Read More
Alcohol Blood Testing: Traditional Vs PEth Testing
Traditional Tests Include 1. Liver Function Testing (LFT) is a medical test used to assess the health of the liver. When chronic excessive alcohol levels have been consumed, it can cause the liver to be damaged. Therefore, analysing the health of the liver can help to determine whether an... Read More
EtG and FAEE, the Two Key Alcohol Markers
What is EtG? Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG) is a direct biomarker and is specific to alcohol; meaning it is only produced in the presence of alcohol. EtG is mainly incorporated into the hair and nails from the bloodstream via the hair bulb (for hair) and via the nail bed and nail root (for nails). This... Read More