Because it does most of the work metabolizing the alcohol, the liver is generally the organ that is most damaged by long-term alcohol abuse, taking the brunt of health risks associated with excess alcohol use. Most of the alcohol ends up in the liver. Once it is in your blood, alcohol is transported throughout the entire body, which explains why alcohol impacts so many different body systems. The remaining 80% is absorbed through the small intestine before traveling throughout the body. Once the alcohol is in the stomach, 20% of the alcohol is absorbed into the small blood vessels and distributed throughout the body. The final alcohol metabolites are not harmful, nor is the alcohol itself, however, the intermediate metabolite, acetaldehyde is the culprit in causing hangover effects. The scientific explanation is that your body metabolizes alcohol by oxidizing the ethanol to acetaldehyde (using alcohol dehydrogenase) to acetic acid to carbon dioxide and water.
In fact, over 90% of alcohol is metabolized in the liver, while 2-5% is excreted without any change from the body through sweat, urine, and breath. Alcohol is metabolized quickly and a high percentage of the amount consumed is actually metabolized. How Alcohol is ProcessedĪ healthy body has an effective system for processing alcohol. Staying below this legal limit is important when considering driving, as the presence of alcohol above this amount can cause impairment. A BAC of 0.08 is considered legally intoxicated. This is the most common measurement of how much alcohol is in a person’s body. However, there are some general facts that can help determine how long alcohol will stay in your system.īlood-Alcohol Concentration, or BAC, is quantified through the percentage of alcohol present in the blood. Factors that Determine How Long Alcohol Stays in Your Systemīody Differences that Affect Alcohol Processing Every person processes alcohol differently based on weight, age, gender, genetics, and overall health.
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