What you will learn:
-
1. How alcohol breaks down in the body.
2. Alcohol's path through the body and how your stomach and liver help process alcohol.
3. The science behind rough mornings after drinking.
How Alcohol is Broken Down in The Body
Alcohol is broken down in the body in two steps. In order to complete those steps, we need two enzymes (molecules that drive a reaction forward).
- Alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde with an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (or ADH).
- Acetaldehyde is converted into acetate with an enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). It's important to note that acetaldehyde is a toxic byproduct, but acetate is innocuous!
How Alcohol is Broken Down in The Body
Alcohol is broken down in the body in two steps. In order to complete those steps, we need two enzymes (molecules that drive a reaction forward).
- Alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde with an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase (or ADH).
- Acetaldehyde is converted into acetate with an enzyme called acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). It's important to note that acetaldehyde is a toxic byproduct, but acetate is innocuous!
Alcohol's Path Through the Body and How Your GI-tract and Liver Help Process Alcohol
STEP 01:
The Mouth
Alcohol’s path through the body starts in the mouth.
Alcohol's Path Through The Body and How Your Stomach and Liver Help Process Alcohol
STEP 01:
The Mouth
Alcohol’s path through the body starts in the mouth.
STEP 02:
The Stomach
Your stomach is alcohol’s first stop in the body. About 20% of the alcohol is absorbed directly through the stomach lining. The more food you have in your stomach, the slower the alcohol is absorbed here, and the longer it takes to move into your intestines. This is often why people (including us!) recommend drinking on a full stomach.
STEP 02:
The Stomach
Your stomach is alcohol’s first stop in the body. About 20% of the alcohol is absorbed directly through the stomach lining. The more food you have in your stomach, the slower the alcohol is absorbed here, and the longer it takes to move into your intestines. This is often why people (including us!) recommend drinking on a full stomach.
STEP 03:
The Gut
After your stomach, alcohol heads into your small and large intestines (for simplicity, we’ll call this your “gut”), where most of the rest of the alcohol is absorbed through the intestinal lining. However, a small amount is directly metabolized by the microbes living in your gut before it can be absorbed. The microbes produce alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), but are not equipped to efficiently produce acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Therefore the breakdown of alcohol stalls at the first step, allowing toxic acetaldehyde to build up.
STEP 03:
The Gut
After your stomach, alcohol heads into your small and large intestines (for simplicity, we’ll call this your “gut”), where most of the rest of the alcohol is absorbed through the intestinal lining. However, a small amount is directly metabolized by the microbes living in your gut before it can be absorbed. The microbes produce alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), but are not equipped to efficiently produce acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Therefore the breakdown of alcohol stalls at the first step, allowing toxic acetaldehyde to build up.
STEP 04:
The Bloodstream
Most of the alcohol gets absorbed into your bloodstream, where it circulates throughout the entire body, including your brain, muscles, etc., creating the various effects you feel from drinking (intoxication, hunger, etc.) If you want to learn more about how alcohol affects your body, check out this blog post.
STEP 04:
The Bloodstream
Alcohol gets absorbed into your bloodstream, where it circulates throughout the entire body, including your brain, muscles, etc., creating the various effects you feel from drinking (intoxication, hunger, etc.) If you want to learn more about how alcohol affects your body, check out this blog post.
STEP 05:
The Liver
After the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, it makes its way to the liver. Your liver produces both of the enzymes necessary to metabolize alcohol: alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. As we described, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) converts alcohol to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) converts acetaldehyde into acetate, a harmless substance to the body (it’s essentially vinegar). As such, almost none of the acetaldehyde your body is exposed to is initially formed in the liver.
However, as mentioned in Step 3 above, the same is not true in the gut. Alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde by your microbiome, but not subsequently to acetate. So even though the gut is a much more minor site of alcohol breakdown than the liver, it ends up being the major source of acetaldehyde in the body.
STEP #5:
The Liver
After the alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, it makes its way to the liver. Your liver produces both of the enzymes necessary to metabolize alcohol: alcohol dehydrogenase and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. As we described, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) converts alcohol to acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) converts acetaldehyde into acetate, a harmless substance to the body (it’s essentially vinegar). As such, almost none of the acetaldehyde your body is exposed to is initially formed in the liver.
However, as mentioned in Step 3 above, the same is not true in the gut. Alcohol is converted to acetaldehyde by your microbiome, but not subsequently to acetate. So even though the gut is a much more minor site of alcohol breakdown than the liver, it ends up being the major source of acetaldehyde in the body.
The Science Behind Rough Mornings After Drinking
Acetaldehyde is highly toxic, and since the gut can efficiently convert alcohol into acetaldehyde but not subsequently into acetate there is a buildup of that acetaldehyde in the gut specifically. In fact, so much acetaldehyde is produced by your microbiome when you drink that gut acetaldehyde concentrations can reach levels 5-10x higher than in the rest of your body. But because acetaldehyde is highly soluble, while it initially forms in the gut, it is quickly absorbed out of the gut and into the bloodstream.
This isn’t without consequence. Circulating acetaldehyde from your gut wreaks havoc on your body and is a main culprit for some of that misery you might feel the day after drinking. ZBiotics’s Pre-Alcohol probiotic was inspired by our gut microbiome’s lack of efficient acetaldehyde metabolism. Our scientists engineered a microbe that better equips your gut to break down acetaldehyde. You can read more about acetaldehyde and the science underlying that first product here.
The Science Behind Rough Mornings After Drinking
Acetaldehyde is highly toxic, and since the gut can efficiently convert alcohol into acetaldehyde but not subsequently into acetate there is a buildup of that acetaldehyde in the gut specifically. In fact, so much acetaldehyde is produced by your microbiome when you drink that gut acetaldehyde concentrations can reach levels 5-10x higher than in the rest of your body. But because acetaldehyde is highly soluble, while it initially forms in the gut, it is quickly absorbed out of the gut and into the bloodstream.
This isn’t without consequence. Circulating acetaldehyde from your gut wreaks havoc on your body and is a main culprit for some of that misery you might feel the day after drinking. ZBiotics’s Pre-Alcohol probiotic was inspired by our gut microbiome’s lack of efficient acetaldehyde metabolism. Our scientists engineered a microbe that better equips your gut to break down acetaldehyde. You can read more about acetaldehyde and the science underlying that first product here.
Make Rough Mornings a Thing of the Past
ZBiotics® Pre-Alcohol Probiotic
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- HOW TO USE
- INGREDIENTS
- NUTRITION FACTS
1. Have a ZBiotics
For best results, make ZBiotics your first drink of the night.
2. Drink Responsibly
Pace yourself, hydrate, and get a good night’s sleep.
3. Enjoy Tomorrow
Wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
INGREDIENTS: Water, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Chloride, Bacillus subtilis ZB183™ Probiotic
No sugar, calories, or random plant extracts. We built this from scratch so you know exactly what you’re getting: just engineered probiotic, water, and natural flavor.
Patented Technology: US 10,849,938 B2.
FDA-compliant for safety*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.