Acetaldehyde

Colonic acetaldehyde can be locally much higher than circulating acetaldehyde after drinking. The article does not establish that reducing gut acetaldehyde with ZBiotics lowers long-term disease risks. Alcohol metabolism proceeds from alcohol to acetaldehyde and then to acetate. Acetaldehyde can bind DNA and proteins in ways described as inflammatory and damaging. Acetaldehyde is directly genotoxic and damages DNA. At higher alcohol volumes, acetaldehyde can accumulate because it is produced faster than it is converted to acetate. The article identifies acetaldehyde buildup, not alcohol itself, as the main mutagenic driver. The article portrays acetaldehyde as a major contributor to next-day discomfort after drinking, while not attributing every alcohol symptom to it. Acetaldehyde is a reactive aldehyde produced when ethanol is oxidized during alcohol metabolism.