Differences in the Rate of Ethanol Metabolism in Recently Drinking Alcoholic and Nondrinking Subjects

Abstract

The rate of ethanol metabolism was studied by the disappearance of ethanol from the blood and the appearance of expired ¹⁴CO₂ after ingestion of l-¹⁴C-ethanol. Recently drinking alcoholic subjects, free of overt liver disease, have a rate of blood disappearance twice that of control subjects. This rapid disappearance is not present in recently drinking alcoholics who have severe overt liver disease. Expired ¹⁴CO₂ appeared more rapidly in control subjects than in recently drinking alcoholics after intravenous administration of labeled acetate. It was concluded that recently drinking alcoholics show two differences from control subjects. First, there is a twofold increase in the removal of alcohol from the blood after oral ingestion and second the oxidation of acetate to carbon dioxide after intravenous administration is impaired.