title: Alcohol impairs insulin sensitivity in normal subjects.
abstract: The effects of alcohol on insulin action are not yet clearly established. To assess the effects of intravenously administered ethanol on insulin mediated glucose disposal, euglycaemic clamps at 3 different plasma insulin levels and insulin receptor binding studies on circulating monocytes after alcohol infusion were performed. Ethanol infusion leads to a significant reduction of insulin mediated glucose disposal (7.08 +/- 0.4 vs 8.6 +/- 0.6 mg/Kg/min; 9.8 +/- 0.7 vs 13.4 +/- 0.7; 14.7 +/- 0.7 vs 18.1 +/- 0.7 at 33, 73 and 760 mU/m2/min insulin infusion rate respectively). Monocyte insulin-receptor binding was decreased in all the subjects from 30 to 60% after ethanol infusion. These results demonstrate that alcohol can adversely influence the insulin mediated glucose disposal.
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D000431:Ethanol; D011972:Receptor, Insulin; D005947:Glucose