Which organ primarily metabolizes alcohol in the body?

• A. Heart
• B. Liver
• C. Lungs
• D. Kidneys

Answer: (B)

Alcohol is processed primarily in the liver because it contains the main enzymes that break it down: alcohol dehydrogenase converts ethanol to acetaldehyde, and aldehyde dehydrogenase then converts acetaldehyde to acetate, which feeds into energy metabolism. This two-step process in the liver handles the bulk of alcohol clearance from the bloodstream. Other organs don’t provide the primary metabolic pathway for ethanol—the heart, lungs, and kidneys don’t specialize in breaking down alcohol for energy or elimination. A small amount can be metabolized in the stomach or expelled through the lungs, but the liver does the vast majority of the work, making it the best answer.