Search resultsGlucose tolerance during moderate alcohol intake: Insights on insulin action from glucose/lactate dynamics
Title
Glucose tolerance during moderate alcohol intake: Insights on insulin action from glucose/lactate dynamics
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2002
Authors
Journal
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume
87
Issue
3
Pagination
1233 - 1238
Date published
2002
ISBN
0021972X (ISSN)
Keywords
Adult, alcohol blood level, alcohol consumption, Alcohol Drinking, area under the curve, article, C peptide, cell function, controlled study, correlation analysis, Female, glucose, glucose homeostasis, glucose tolerance, Glucose Tolerance Test, homeostasis, human, human experiment, Humans, insulin, Insulin clearance, insulin sensitivity, intravenous glucose tolerance test, Kinetics, lactate blood level, lactic acid, male, normal human, pancreas islet cell, priority journal
Abstract
Moderate alcohol (ETOH) intake has been associated with a significant reduction in risk for infarction among general populations. In this study, we assessed the effects of low-dose ETOH (40 g over 3-h period as vodka) on the interaction between glucose (G), insulin, and lactate (L) during the insulin-modified frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) (0.3 U/kg body weight between 20-25 min) in eight normal volunteers. In the control (C) study, water was administered. An insulin-independent two-compartment model was used to describe G and L kinetics. Insulin sensitivity (S1) was significantly higher in the ETOH study than in the C study (2.49 ± 0.52 vs. 0.92 ± 0.20 10-4 min-1 μU-1ml, C vs. ETOH; P = 0.0391). No significant differences were observed in G effectiveness (0.029 ± 0.004 vs. 0.033 ± 0.004 min-1). Blood L levels were higher during FSIGT when ETOH was administered [area under the curve (AUC), 201 ± 16 vs. 123 ± 23 mmol/liter in 240 min; P = 0.0001]. The dynamic analysis of blood L concentrations showed that ETOH also significantly decreased L clearance (0.0016 ± 0.0011 vs. 0.0029 ± 0.0002 min-1; P = 0.0156), whereas no difference was observed for the fractional conversion of the rate of G disappearance to L (0.0033 ± 0.0012 vs. 0.0031 ± 0.0005 min-1). ETOH decreased baseline plasma FFA concentration; AUC of FFA was markedly reduced with ETOH (65 ± 14 vs. 109 ± 17 mmol/liter in 240 min; P = 0.0063) and inversely correlated with S1 (r = 0.693; P = 0.0029). The amount of C-peptide in 240 min as well as the amounts before and after insulin administration were not different between the two tests. We concluded that G and L kinetics derived from FSIGT shows that moderate ETOH intake: 1) improves insulin action; 2) decreases L clearance; and 3) does not affect β cell function. Because ETOH at moderate doses has a marked antilipolytic action, it might improve insulin action by improving substrate competition. The present findings suggest that moderate alcohol consumption in the diet should not be discouraged.