The 8-hour metabolic profile after drinking ethanol.

The acute metabolic changes after drinking ethanol have been studied in 11 fasting, healthy, nonobese, medical students, 6 of whom consumed 40 g ethanol diluted with 750 ml of a sugar-free soft drink over 1 h. The other 5 drank the same volume of soft drink alone. Blood levels of ethanol, glucose, immunoreactive insulin and growth hormone were measured over the ensuing 8 h, as well as the plasma concentrations of prolactin, cortisol and triiodothyronine. After ingesting ethanol, the mean plasma glucose concentration declined, but not to hypoglycemic levels (the nadir was 3.9 mmol/l at 6 h), insulin levels fell gradually and the mean growth hormone concentration showed a modest late rise. Other hormones did not change significantly. We conclude that, in the particular setting examined, the oral administration of ethanol does not cause hypoglycemia or other adverse effects on carbohydrate metabolism.