Overview: how is alcohol metabolized by the body?
Alcohol is eliminated from the body by various metabolic mechanisms. The primary enzymes involved are aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1), and catalase. Variations in the genes for these enzymes have been found to influence alcohol consumption, alcohol-related tissue damage, and alcohol dependence. The consequences of alcohol metabolism include oxygen deficits (i.e., hypoxia) in the liver; interaction between alcohol metabolism byproducts and other cell components, resulting in the formation of harmful compounds (i.e., adducts); formation of highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (i.e., reactive oxygen species [ROS]) that can damage other cell components; changes in the ratio of NADH to NAD+ (i.e., the cell's redox state); tissue damage; fetal damage; impairment of other metabolic processes; cancer; and medication interactions. Several issues related to alcohol metabolism require further research.
Zakhari
Samir
S
Division of Metabolism and Health Effects, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
D000431:Ethanol; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase; D019392:Cytochrome P-450 CYP2E1; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2004 Jan;28(1):10-4
14745297
N Engl J Med. 1976 Jan 1;294(1):9-13
1244489
Semin Liver Dis. 1993 May;13(2):126-35
8337601
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2001 May;25(5 Suppl ISBRA):207S-217S
11391073
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1995 Dec;19(6):1494-9
8749816
Hepatology. 1994 Feb;19(2):360-6
7904979
J Biol Chem. 1990 Jan 25;265(3):1510-5
2295642
Free Radic Res. 2003 Jun;37(6):585-96
12868485
Am J Physiol. 1996 Sep;271(3 Pt 1):G494-500
8843775
Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev. 2001 Aug;20(3):133-59
11668864
Front Biosci. 1999 Jun 15;4:D541-50
10369807
Hepatology. 2006 Feb;43(2):352-61
16440362
Pathol Biol (Paris). 2001 Nov;49(9):703-9
11762132
Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2005 Apr;6(4):298-305
15768047
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1993 Dec;17(6):1337-44
8116851
Hepatology. 1996 Apr;23(4):872-80
8666344
Alcohol Res Health. 2003;27(4):277-84
15540798
Hepatology. 1989 Feb;9(2):302-6
2912830
Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1977;11(5):337-44
560303
N Engl J Med. 2001 Feb 22;344(8):549-55
11207350
Toxicol Lett. 2004 Apr 1;149(1-3):67-73
15093250
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1991 Feb;15(1):45-66
2059245
J Clin Invest. 2000 Oct;106(7):867-72
11018074
Int J Cancer. 2004 Feb 10;108(4):483-7
14696110
Ann Intern Med. 1997 Sep 1;127(5):376-9
9273829
Mutagenesis. 2004 Jul;19(4):291-8
15215328
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1996 Feb;20(1 Suppl):17A-21A
8659680
Biochim Biophys Acta. 1986 Jan 23;885(1):12-22
3942792
Alcohol Res Health. 2003;27(4):285-90
15540799
Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2003 Mar;33(3):111-21
12672787
Addict Biol. 1997 Oct;2(4):387-400
26735944
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1992 Oct;16(5):839-42
1443417
Nature. 2000 Feb 17;403(6771):795-800
10693811
Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2003 Jan-Feb;25(1):1-9
12633732
Hepatology. 2005 Feb;41(2):336-44
15660387
Gastroenterology. 2002 Jun;122(7):2049-63
12055609
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2004 May;28(3):453-64
15093951
Hepatology. 1997 May;25(5):1292-4
9141457
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1997 Oct;21(7):1272-7
9347089
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1990 Jun;14(3):438-43
2378429
Free Radic Biol Med. 2002 Feb 15;32(4):303-8
11841919
FEBS Lett. 2003 Jun 5;544(1-3):143-7
12782305
Pharmacogenet Genomics. 2005 Jun;15(6):427-31
15900217
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2001 Apr;25(4):502-7
11329488
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2002 Jul;283(1):G65-73
12065293
Hepatology. 1998 Nov;28(5):1318-26
9794917
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2002 Aug;26(8 Suppl):11S-14S
12198368
Alcohol Alcohol. 2004 May-Jun;39(3):155-65
15082451
Addict Biol. 2004 Mar;9(1):3-10
15203433
Lab Invest. 1999 Jul;79(7):799-806
10418820
Am J Clin Pathol. 1999 Oct;112(4):443-50
10510667
Annu Rev Nutr. 2004;24:55-78
15189113
J Gastroenterol. 2004;39(2):140-7
15069620
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2006 Jul;30(7):1132-42
16792560
Gut. 2002 Jul;51(1):132-9
12077107
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1996 Oct;20(7):1159-64
8904964
Liver. 1987 Dec;7(6):364-8
3125400
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1994 Feb;18(1):144-8
8198211
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2000 Apr;24(4):405-6
10798566
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Oct;83(20):7923-7
2429322
Alcohol Alcohol. 1990;25(5):509-17
1708257
Proc Natl Sci Counc Repub China B. 1995 Jul;19(3):129-36
7480358