ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the use of alcohol and its fate in the human body. Ethanol is produced by enzymatic fermentation of starches and sugars in the absence of oxygen gas. Ethanol is normally not consumed pure but in the form of alcoholic beverages. There are indications that humans have a long history of preparing and enjoying alcohol. In fact, it has been suggested that our taste for alcohol is an evolutionary trait. Alcohol is readily absorbed unchanged from the stomach and the jejunum. The rate of absorption can vary, depending on a number of factors. Most consumed alcohol is metabolised in the liver, but a small amount may be metabolised as it passes through the stomach wall. A hangover is a combination of unpleasant symptoms following the consumption of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is evidently a risk factor for many disorders and chronic diseases. Health problems from alcohol usually arise in the form of acute and chronic conditions.
