Alcohol's Path Through Your Body

Alcohol is metabolized primarily in the liver through a two-step process. First, alcohol dehydrogenase converts ethanol into acetaldehyde — a toxic compound responsible for many hangover symptoms.

Some people (particularly those of East Asian descent) have a variant of aldehyde dehydrogenase that works slowly, causing acetaldehyde to accumulate. This produces the "Asian flush" — facial redness, nausea, and rapid heartbeat after drinking.