Hypothesis: factors involved in the mechanisms regulating food intake affect alcohol consumption.

In addition to being a pharmacological agent, alcohol (ethanol) can also be considered a food; the body can utilize effectively its calorific contribution. The consumption of alcohol has in many respects the same characteristics as the intake of food. In animal experiments, food intake decreases in relation to the calorific value of the alcohol consumed; in human studies, various results have been obtained from no compensation to full compensation for the contribution from alcohol. If a choice is possible, primarily the carbohydrate part of the diet is decreased for compensation to ethanol intake. Food, in turn, can influence alcohol consumption. There is evidence that it is the carbohydrate content of the diet which influences alcohol drinking. The daily intake of alcohol is equally or even better regulated than intake of carbohydrate, protein, or fat. There is a circadian rhythm of alcohol consumption which resembles the rhythm of food intake. However, the mechanism which regulates alcohol intake does not have a very strong influence on the behaviour of most animals or humans, and its control is often overpowered by outside factors. Nevertheless, it is important to identify the precise mechanism because a better understanding should provide valuable information for use in the search for risk markers and pharmacological treatments for alcoholism.