What is the primary method by which alcohol is eliminated from the body?

The primary method by which alcohol is eliminated from the body involves both direct excretion and metabolism. Alcohol is metabolized primarily in the liver, where enzymes break it down into acetaldehyde and eventually into acetic acid, which is further metabolized into carbon dioxide and water. This metabolic process accounts for about 90% of alcohol elimination.

Additionally, alcohol can also be excreted directly through urine and, to a lesser extent, through sweat and breath. Direct excretion refers to the elimination of unmetabolized alcohol through the urine, but it plays a smaller role compared to metabolism. Although respiration, urination, and exhalation are means by which substances can leave the body, the combined process of metabolic breakdown and excretion provides the comprehensive understanding of alcohol elimination.

The other options focus on singular methods of elimination. For example, urination and exhalation, while relevant to the overall elimination process, do not encompass the significant metabolic aspect of how alcohol is primarily removed from the body. Therefore, the correct answer reflects the multifaceted approach to alcohol elimination, highlighting the importance of both metabolism and direct excretion.