High Levels of Acetone?

[Doug Taylor]

Hey Walt-

Any insight on what type of a diet would cause this?

A little strange...

Airline blames diet for pilot breath test failure
Sat Apr 7, 2007 4:04 PM BST

LONDON, April 7 (Reuters) - An airline pilot arrested just before take-off on suspicion of being over the alcohol limit was not drunk and the diet he was on may have been to blame for the confusion, airline Virgin Atlantic said on Saturday.

Police arrested the 47-year-old pilot of a New York-bound Virgin Atlantic [VA.UL] plane at London's Heathrow airport last Saturday after being tipped off by security staff who thought the pilot had been drinking.

While an initial breath test showed the pilot to be over the alcohol limit, police told the pilot on Saturday that a blood test was negative, Virgin Atlantic spokesman Paul Charles said.

"The result showed the amount of alcohol in the blood was consistent with that of a non-drinker," he said.

No charges will be brought against the British pilot, whose name was not released. The pilot, suspended after the incident, will be able to resume his duties immediately, the airline said.

"He is elated with the news and is keen to resume his flying career as soon as possible," Charles said.

Charles said a diet the pilot had been on may have been the cause of the mistake. A laboratory that carried out a blood test on the pilot said some diets led the body to generate increased levels of acetone, he said. "It would smell like alcohol on someone's breath," he said.

[My Flight Surgeon]

A weight loss diet with low caloric intake and no carbohydrates. The other possibility is that he is diabetic. When one is on a strict weight loss program the breakdown products are ketones which can smell like alcohol on the breath.

[Doug Taylor]

So is it a possibility that some of the people that were caught with alcohol on the breath, but were later blood tested and determined NOT to have traceable amounts of alcohol been victim of this?

[My Flight Surgeon]

Yes, that can be true. See the comments I found.
Swedish researchers have discovered that a low-calorie diet can register a false positive on certain in-car ignition interlock devices that disable a vehicle if alcohol is detected on one's breath. The anomaly was discovered when a non-drinking airplane pilot reported the incident. Turns out the man was on a very restrictive diet that had him losing weight rapidly, which is what may have caused the false reading. As reported in the latest issue of the International Journal of Obesity, motorists on very low-calorie diets may release certain ketones that could be converted into a secondary alcohol known as isopropanol.

Police officials point out that false positives are eliminated in the field as breathalyzer tests are used in conjunction with secondary tests that focus on the type of alcohol and other factors. No citation for drunk driving would be issued in those situations. However, if you have one of these interlock devices on your car, your low-cal diet could spell the demise of your travel plans.

Also see http://www.mphlastala.com/Physiologi...20of%20ABT.pdf

I would never accept a breath test and would always ask for a blood alcohol. The Scottsdale link to this is the police chief's daughter was "intoxicated" on the breath test but was not "intoxicated" on the blood alcohol test.

[murl]

Say I go out and have three beers, and I do realize this varies with each individual, how long would it take on average for you to blow zero's on a breathalyzer vs. have a negative BAC test? Would you not take a breathalyzer because they are so innacurate? I have always heard if you have had anything at all to drink request a blood test instead. I guess I am just asking why this is? By the way I do not drink and drive and am by no means trying to figure out how much you can drink and still drive under the legal limit. I am just questioning the validity of each test.

[mojo6911]

Originally Posted by Doug Taylor

So is it a possibility that some of the people that were caught with alcohol on the breath, but were later blood tested and determined NOT to have traceable amounts of alcohol been victim of this?

A lot of diets, like Atkins, Keto, Southbeach, etc... are designed to put you into ketosis, which will cause that ketone breath.

[My Flight Surgeon]

To murl: the answer is if you get arrested for a breathalizer, request a blood alcohol to confirm it.

[murl]

I don't ever drive if I have had more than two. I am very conservative when it comes to that. I guess I could just read about this topic, I'm sure there is more than enough information on it if I just google it lol.

[Kristie]

there was a really good thread in the lav about how much alcohol one can consume and the wait time for it to wear off. probably back there a bit, maybe 2 months ago or so.

[murl]

Have any idea about the topics? If you just search "alcohol" in the "lav" lol, it's like typing xxx in google, not that I have done that before, maybe we should move this post to the lav ........

[Old Pete]

Also see http://www.mphlastala.com/Physiologi...20of%20ABT.pdf

Great link! I knew that studying Henry's Law in chemistry class would come in handy some day.

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

I would never accept a breath test and would always ask for a blood alcohol. The Scottsdale link to this is the police chief's daughter was "intoxicated" on the breath test but was not "intoxicated" on the blood alcohol test.

Be careful that "never accepting" a breath test is not considered a "refusal", in some states you must submit to a police officers request of a breath test before they are obligated to give you a test of your choice(a blood test). If you do not submit to their test, they have no obligation to allow you a test of your choice.
If by "never accept" you mean don't accept a failed breath test result with out requesting an addition blood test, I certainly agree.

Originally Posted by murl

Say I go out and have three beers, and I do realize this varies with each individual, how long would it take on average for you to blow zero's on a breathalyzer vs. have a negative BAC test? Would you not take a breathalyzer because they are so innacurate? I have always heard if you have had anything at all to drink request a blood test instead. I guess I am just asking why this is? By the way I do not drink and drive and am by no means trying to figure out how much you can drink and still drive under the legal limit. I am just questioning the validity of each test.

You must know your state's implied consent laws. And know the consequences of not complying with them. Some states you can refuse field sobriety tests, and the hand held breath tester, but not the more accurate breath tester back at the police station.

There are many BAC calculators out there. Do a Google search.

If you are a 180 lb male, and drink 3 beers, after 3hrs you should blow 0.0

Originally Posted by murl

I don't ever drive if I have had more than two. I am very conservative when it comes to that. I guess I could just read about this topic, I'm sure there is more than enough information on it if I just google it lol.

Don't think that just because you only had two, or blew well below the "legal limit" you won't be arrested. You can be arrested.

[TheWife]

I had a boss that's never even taken cold medicine let alone had any alcohol ever, but he always had that smell. His daughter told me it was something to do with liver or kidneys or something not filtering the right way? He had a normal diet, but health problems from his heart to his kidney stones.