Final answer:
Drinking alcohol with a fatty meal slows down the duodenal absorption of alcohol because high-fat foods delay gastric emptying and reduce peristaltic movements due to the secretion of gastric inhibitory peptide.
Step-by-step explanation:
Combining alcohol with a high-fat meal slows duodenal absorption. Specifically, foods high in fats delay gastric emptying, which means alcohol remains in the stomach for a longer period, and its progression into the small intestine is slowed. This effect can be attributed to a hormone known as gastric inhibitory peptide, which is released by the small intestine to reduce peristaltic movements, allowing more time for the fatty foods to be digested.
Furthermore, a full stomach also slows down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, which counters the potential for a rapid increase in blood alcohol levels. Similarly, while alcohol can irritate the gastric mucosa, leading to reflux, the presence of food, and fats specifically, can mitigate this irritation and hence may not significantly increase gastric reflux.