Which statement is true regarding the absorption of alcohol?

Which statement is true regarding the absorption of alcohol?

• A. No digestion is needed in alcohol absorption
• B. It requires digestion in the stomach before absorption
• C. It is absorbed only after digestion in the small intestine
• D. It is excreted unchanged through the skin

Answer: (A)

Alcohol is absorbed without needing to be digested first. It crosses the lining of the stomach and small intestine by simple diffusion, a process that doesn’t require digestive enzymes to break it down. Most absorption happens in the small intestine due to its large surface area, but some can occur in the stomach as well, and there isn’t a prerequisite digestion step before absorption. The other statements aren’t accurate: absorption isn’t limited to after digestion in the small intestine, and alcohol isn’t excreted unchanged through the skin as a main route (while small amounts can be lost via sweat, the primary routes are breath and urine, with some metabolism occurring before excretion).

Alcohol is absorbed without needing to be digested first. It crosses the lining of the stomach and small intestine by simple diffusion, a process that doesn’t require digestive enzymes to break it down. Most absorption happens in the small intestine due to its large surface area, but some can occur in the stomach as well, and there isn’t a prerequisite digestion step before absorption.

The other statements aren’t accurate: absorption isn’t limited to after digestion in the small intestine, and alcohol isn’t excreted unchanged through the skin as a main route (while small amounts can be lost via sweat, the primary routes are breath and urine, with some metabolism occurring before excretion).