How Alcohol Affects the Body
Alcohol passes down the food pipe (oesophagus) and into the
stomach.
When in the stomach, 20% of the alcohol gets into your blood
stream through the stomach walls. The other 80% passes
through the stomach, into the small intestines and then enters the
blood stream.
The liver cleans (processes) 1 unit of alcohol out of an adult
body every hour (see the 'units' section).
A young persons liver is not fully-grown and takes longer to
process alcohol. Therefore, the alcohol stays in their body longer
and causes more damage than it would in someone who is over 18.
Alcohol Poisoning »