Effect of Ethanol on Plasma Glycerol in Man

Abstract

To assess peripheral lipid mobilization, one of the mechanisms implicated in the pathogenesis of the alcoholic fatty liver, the effect of ethanol on plasma glycerol and free fatty acids (FFA) was investigated in five alcoholic volunteers. The subjects were healthy, well-nourished men who had abstained from alcohol for over 3 weeks. A 15% ethanol solution (in a noncaloric beverage) was fed at rest, after an overnight fast, at a rate of 1 g/kg per hr for 60 min, followed by two 30-min periods of 0.5 and 0.1 g/kg per hr, respectively. Sequential arterial blood samples during the first 30 min of ethanol administration revealed an abrupt simultaneous fall in plasma FFA (averaging 46% of base-line values;P < 0.02) and glycerol (averaging 36% of baseline values;P < 0.05). Plasma glucose levels remained unchanged. Since hepatic glycerol uptake has been reported to be depressed by ethanol and since renal excretion is small even with high blood glycerol levels, the lowering of plasma glycerol observed in the present study indicates an absolute decrease in adipose tissue glycerol release and thus supports the finding of a reduction in peripheral lipid mobilization after ethanol.