Red blood cell 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid following ethanol consumption in man.

The red blood cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) concentration is reported in 33 ethanol abusers, 16 healthy ethanol users and 14 non-users. The results demonstrate an ethanol-associated increase in DPG content which returns to normal exponentially in the week following alcohol withdrawal. As well as implying a significant degree of hypoxia in association with quite moderate drinking, the fact that ethanol is not catabolized in red cells indicates that this effect is transmitted there, and hence to the rest of the organism, by some other agent. Carbon dioxide in subnormal quantities has the necessary characteristics.