With reference to the consumption of alcohol, consider the following statements: I. Liver is able to synthesise fats from alcohol. II. Alcohol addiction results in the lowering of blood sugar. III. In the cirrhosis of liver, the liver cells are replaced by fibrous tissue. IV. In the liver, alcohol is converted into acetic acid. Which of these statements are correct?

Alcohol metabolism in the liver involves a multi-step oxidation process. Ethanol is first converted to acetaldehyde and then to acetic acid (acetate) by enzymes like alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase . The liver can synthesize fats (triglycerides) from the metabolic byproducts of alcohol, leading to hepatic steatosis or fatty liver. Chronic alcohol consumption inhibits gluconeogenesis, the process by which the liver produces glucose, often resulting in hypoglycemia or lowered blood sugar levels. Furthermore, prolonged alcohol abuse leads to cirrhosis, a pathological state where healthy liver cells are destroyed and replaced by permanent fibrous (scar) tissue, impairing organ function. Since all four statements regarding fat synthesis, hypoglycemia, fibrous tissue replacement in cirrhosis, and conversion to acetic acid are physiologically accurate, option 1 is the correct choice.

Sources

1. [1] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds > Formation of coal and petroleum > p. 71