Around 90 to 98% of alcohol is broken down by the body. Up to 5% is eliminated via the kidneys in urine. The rest leaves the body in sweat, breath and saliva (and in the breast milk of breast-feeding mothers).

However, if the body can't cope with all the alcohol in its system and the liver can't break it all down, then the person will fall into an alcoholic coma (which can be fatal).