Search resultsDoes regular ethanol consumption promote insulin sensitivity and leanness by stimulating AMP-activated protein kinase?
Title
Does regular ethanol consumption promote insulin sensitivity and leanness by stimulating AMP-activated protein kinase?
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2001
Authors
Journal
Medical Hypotheses
Volume
57
Issue
3
Pagination
405 - 407
Date published
2001
ISBN
03069877 (ISSN)
Keywords
acetic acid, adenosine phosphate, alcohol, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, article, body composition, Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases, diabetes mellitus, enzyme activation, enzyme induction, Ethanol, human, Humans, hypothesis, insulin, insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity, lean body weight, muscle metabolism, nonhuman, obesity, oxidation, priority journal, protein kinase, Protein synthesis, skeletal muscle
Abstract
There is good reason to believe that regular moderate alcohol consumption promotes insulin sensitivity of skeletal muscle; conceivably, this benefits the protective effects of moderate drinking on vascular health and risk for obesity and diabetes. The mechanism responsible for alcohol's insulin-sensitizing activity remains obscure. As a working hypothesis, it is proposed that metabolism of acetate in peripheral tissues generates sufficient levels of AMP to temporarily stimulate the AMP-activated protein kinase, which in turn induces the synthesis of certain long-lived proteins that act to boost insulin sensitivity and possibly aid the efficiency of fat oxidation as well.