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Animals have evolved over time to have working livers or at the very least liver enzymes that can metabolize alcohol. Afterall, some animals tend to eat fruits with simple sugars, and when they consume these sugars that naturally ferment and turn into alcohol, they experience alcohol intoxication. Studies have shown that the ability to metabolize ethanol may even be an evolutionary driver, as species not exposed to ethanol lost the ability to metabolize it.FGF21 is a hormone activated by our livers during ethanol intoxication. FGF21 thereby plays a role in serving as a hepatoprotective drug, meaning it protects the liver from adverse effects of ethanol. A group of scientists at the University of Texas, Southwestern have developed a pharmaceutical administration of FGF21.

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