system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why does a full stomach lessen the effects of alcohol?

Is it because the food absorbs the ethanol which lowers its effects on the body? Because that’s what I assumed.
gpt
I once read that it was because when your stomach is empty, the alcohol proceeds straight to the intestines to be absorbed into your blood stream.  But if there was solid food in your stomach, you stomach's sphincter would be closed, forcing the alcohol to wait there before being absorbed.  This spreads out the absorption time, reducing the intoxicating effects, like others said, but also gives time for some of alcohol to be broken down by enzymes in the stomach and be rendered non-intoxicating.