{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Glossary","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary","author_name":"Glossary","author_url":"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/author\/adminglossary\/","title":"Ethanol metabolism - Definition of Ethanol metabolism","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"82KolYGp79\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/ethanol-metabolism\/\">Ethanol metabolism<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/ethanol-metabolism\/embed\/#?secret=82KolYGp79\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Ethanol metabolism&#8221; &#8212; Glossary\" data-secret=\"82KolYGp79\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.healthbenefitstimes.com\/glossary\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","description":"Ethanol, once consumed, is absorbed by simple diffusion. The diffusion is affected by the amount of alcohol consumed, the regional blood flow, the surface area, and the presence of other foods. Absorption is fastest in the duodenum and jejunum; slower in the stomach, ileum, and colon; and slowest in the mouth and esophagus. The rate of absorption by the duodenum depends on gastric emptying time. Complete absorption may vary from two to six hours. The type of beverage can influence ethanol absorption. Ethanol in beer is absorbed slower than that found in whisky, which is slower than that in gin and red wine. Ethanol is water miscible and is rapidly distributed between the intracellular and extracellular compartments. The uptake of ethanol by the fat depots is minimal. Ethanol crosses the plasma membranes but, in so doing, changes them. When ethanol is in contact with a protein, it denatures it. Thus, large and frequent ethanol exposures result in damage to proteins both within and around the cells. The most damaged tissue is the liver since ethanol is carried directly to this tissue via the portal blood. While gut cells are also damaged, these cells have such a rapid turnover time (less than seven days) that damage due to intermittent ethanol consumption is not as long lasting as happens in the liver. Ethanol is metabolized to acetaldehyde. The acetaldehyde is converted to acetate, which can either be joined with a CoA or released to the circulation. If too much acetate is released, acidosis develops. Acetyl CoA can either be used for fatty acid synthesis or be shuttled into the mitochondria via carnitine to be oxidized as through the citric acid cycle. A fatty liver typifies the alcoholic. The fatty liver may progress to alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver failure, and death. The fatty liver is due to accelerated hepatic fatty acid synthesis as well as due to an ethanol-induced impairment in hepatic lipid output. If the hepatocyte accumulates too much lipid, the cell will burst and die. Dead tissue within the liver is known as cirrhosis. When too much tissue dies, the liver may cease to function and the alcoholic dies."}