Simulation shows what happens when you drink alcohol on an empty stomach

Whether you were running late, didn't have an appetite, or simply thought it was a good tactic to get p*ssed promptly, there's still no good excuse to hit the town on an empty stomach.

Fuelling your body before an evening of drinking and debauchery is an essential part of the getting ready process, but a lot of boozers tend to skip this step in favour of getting to the bar sooner.

But after watching this graphic simulation depicting exactly what happens when you hit the hard stuff without lining your stomach with a slap-up meal first, it might make you think twice.

The team at Dandelion Medical Animation reckon that the world is 'moving more towards visualisation every day', so as a result, they believe that illustration is the best way to educate.

The YouTube channel, which boasts more than two million subscribers, uses animation to 'explain complex medical concepts in a clear, engaging, and accessible way' - so if you've ever got a weird health question, you know where to go.

In April 2022, they shared a simulation showing what happens inside you're body when you are drinking without having eaten first, from the moment a drop of alcohol passes your lips.

And it's safe to say that viewers were scared into submission after watching the short clip.

One person simply wrote: "Alcohol is not good."

Drinking without anything on your stomach is not a good idea (Getty Stock Photo)

Another said: "Very good video showcasing what happens within our body when consuming alcohol. More people need to realise it's not good in any way and should avoid alcohol altogether, it's just not needed at all for our day-to-day life."

A third, who clearly came to a sobering realisation, added: "Oh...."

And a fourth commented: "No wonder I’m in severe pain all the time."

Crikey - anyway, let's get down to what the experts at Dandelion Medical Animation divulged in the video. Take a look at it here:

While viewers watched a vivid simulation showing the inside of the human body, a voiceover explained: "After alcohol leaves the mouth, it flows down the oesophagus and into the stomach.

"If there is no solid food in the stomach, most of the alcohol moves down into the small intestine and will come into contact with the intestinal walls more easily and pass quickly into the blood.

"In this way, all the alcohol of one drink may be absorbed within 30 minutes."

As there is nothing in your stomach to soak up the booze, it has a direct route to your small intestine, where alcohol is absorbed the quickest - but food would slow down the rate of this absorption.

Essentially, you won't be completely rat-ars*d by 10pm after a couple if you've consumed some grub beforehand.

The health experts explained that food helps 'trap' the booze in your stomach, rather than letting it straight into the small intestine (YouTube/Dandelion Medical Animation)

The video continued: "If one drinks alcohol with food in the stomach, it will be trapped with the food in the stomach, where absorption is not very efficient. It can’t move into the small intestine immediately.

"This slows the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream considerably and the person will become impaired more slowly and will reach a lower peak alcohol concentration. Also, alcohol increases acid in the stomach, which in alcohol abusers can lead to severe stomach pain or sores in the intestines. This is why it is a good idea to eat a nice big meal while you are drinking.

"In fact, the presence of fatty meals can significantly reduce the peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC) up to 50 percent, relative to that produced when alcohol is consumed on an empty stomach."

So there you have it - remember, you had better eat your tea before you even think about having a tipple.