How does alcohol affect your small intestine?

Answer 1

When ingested, alcohol passes from the stomach into the small intestine, where it is rapidly absorbed into the blood and distributed throughout the body. Because it is distributed so quickly and thoroughly the alcohol can affect the central nervous system even in small concentrations. In low concentrations, alcohol reduces inhibitions. As blood alcohol concentration increases, a person's response to stimuli decreases markedly, speech becomes slurred, and he or she becomes unsteady and has trouble walking. With very high concentrations - greater than 0.35 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to 0.35 grams/210 liters of breath ) - a person can become comatose and die. The American Medical Association has defined the blood alcohol concentration level of impairment for all people to be 0.04 grams/100 milliliters of blood (equivalent to .04 grams/210 liters of breath). The following is a generally accepted guide to the effects of alcohol.

Answer 2

It may help to understand the meaning of absorption vs. metabolism since both take place within the digestive system. Absorption is the passage of digested food/drink into the blood stream, which takes place in the stomach, small or large intestines. Metabolism is, in this case, the breakdown of food/drink into energy, which takes place in the liver. The alcohol enters the digestive system at the mouth, passes through the esophogus and stomach, into the small intestine. A small amount of alcohol is absorbed as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract, but due to the very large surface area of the small intestine, a majority of absorption occurs there by simple diffusion into the blood. It is then passed through the blood to the liver, where it is metabolized (broken down) to be removed from the body via the urine (excretion). The liver can only metabolize a certain amount of alcohol per hour, regardless of how much has been consumed, which is why people become intoxicated as they drink more. There are a few factors that effect absorption, such as the amount of food in the digestive system, gender (females absorb and metabolize alcohol differently from men), the persons size, and even medications that the person may have taken.

Answer 3

Alcohol can irritate and inflame the lining of the small intestine, leading to increased gut permeability and impaired nutrient absorption. Long-term alcohol consumption can also disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, potentially leading to digestive issues like diarrhea and malabsorption of nutrients.