Alcoholic Diabetes

Abstract

Two patients demonstrated diabetes after the consumption of alcohol. Neither showed abnormality in glucose tolerance when abstinent. When the two patients were given alcohol by mouth in addition to a diet, in doses of 266 and 285 ml, respectively, over one day, they developed glucose intolerance. Four apparently healthy volunteers were similarly challenged with alcohol. One of these developed glucose intolerance. The glucose intolerance after alcohol administration was associated with an increase in the insulin response to glucose and a delay in the attainment of the peak insulin concentration. The effect of alcohol could not be attributed to its caloric value or to increased secretion of glucocorticoid or growth hormone. Two of the three subjects who responded to alcohol with glucose intolerance had close relatives with diabetes.