Moderate Ethanol Ingestion and Plasma Triglyceride Levels

Moderate amounts of ethanol were given three times daily for 7 days to nonalcoholic normal persons and hypertriglyceridemic persons, and plasma lipid, glucose, and insulin levels were measured. In the hypertriglyceridemic subjects, ethanol ingestion caused fasting plasma triglyceride levels to rise, from a control value of 338 ± 71 mg/100 ml to 498 ± 117 mg/100 ml (P < 0.05). There was no significant change in the fasting plasma triglyceride levels of the normal persons. The postprandial triglyceride response to ethanol rose 37% in the normal group and 44% in the hypertriglyceridemic group (P < 0.05 for both groups). There were no changes in the fasting or postprandial glucose and insulin levels during ethanol ingestion. The daily use of moderate amounts of alcohol seems to [1] significantly exacerbate preexisting hypertriglyceridemia, which should be considered when treating patients with this disorder, but [2] does not alter plasma glucose or insulin levels in the fasting or postprandial state.