Is it possible for a drug test to be positive for alcohol as a result of diabetes?
Yes, it is possible for a drug test to be positive for alcohol as a result of diabetes. Individuals who suffer from diabetes commonly exhibit renal malfunction that results in an excessive amount of glucose and protein in their urine. In the presence of yeast or bacteria, urinary glucose can be converted to alcohol by fermentation. Thus, a person with diabetes and who has a urinary tract infection might have alcohol in their urine in spite of an absence of alcohol consumption. A laboratory should test every specimen that is positive for alcohol for the presence of glucose and report the results of the test. When glucose is detected it is possible that the alcohol is a result of urinary glucose fermentation and not consumption. In the absence of the test for glucose or for bacteria, a simple procedure should be employed to test for fermentation; leave the specimen at room temperature for several hours and retest it. If the level increases, the specimen is undergoing fermentation.
