Moderate Ethanol Ingestion and Plasma Triglyceride Levels

doi:10.1059/0003-4819-80-2-143

Moderate Ethanol Ingestion and Plasma Triglyceride Levels

A Study in Normal and Hypertriglyceridemic Persons

Palo Alto, California

Abstract

Moderate amounts of ethanol were given three times daily for 7 days to nonalcoholic normal persons and hypertriglyceridemic persons, and plasma lipid, glucose, and insulin levels were measured. In the hypertriglyceridemic subjects, ethanol ingestion caused fasting plasma triglyceride levels to rise, from a control value of 338 ± 71 mg/100 ml to 498 ± 117 mg/100 ml (P < 0.05). There was no significant change in the fasting plasma triglyceride levels of the normal persons. The postprandial triglyceride response to ethanol rose 37% in the normal group and 44% in the hypertriglyceridemic group (P < 0.05 for both groups). There were no changes in the fasting or postprandial glucose and insulin levels during ethanol ingestion. The daily use of moderate amounts of alcohol seems to [1] significantly exacerbate preexisting hypertriglyceridemia, which should be considered when treating patients with this disorder, but [2] does not alter plasma glucose or insulin levels in the fasting or postprandial state.

Article and Author Information

▸From the Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine; and the Veterans Administration Hospital; Palo Alto, California.
Grant support: NHLI HL 08506, training grant Am 05021, NHLI H214174, career development award K3-HE 6003, and contract RR-70 from the General Clinical Research Center Branch; National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Ginsberg is a Resident Clinical Associate, Dr. Olefsky is a Research and Education Associate, and Dr. Reaven is a Medical Investigator at the Veterans Administration.
▸Requests for reprints should be addressed to Gerald M. Reaven, M.D., Palo Alto Veterans Administration Hospital, 3801 Miranda Ave., Palo Alto CA 94034.
- Received July 16, 1973.
- Accepted October 18, 1973.