Alcohol enhances vitamin C excretion in the urine.
Urinary ascorbic acid excretion was measured on four consecutive days in 9 normal male volunteers for 4 hr before and after drinking nothing (control), 0.58 g alcohol/kg body wt as whisky or lager or water (11./70 kg body wt). The normal reduction in ascorbic acid excretion under control conditions was abolished by drinking water. Alcohol in either form produced a 47% increase in urinary ascorbic acid excretion. A similar ascorbiuresis in chronic alcoholics would be an additional factor in the causation of vitamin C deficiency in these patients.
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
D000431:Ethanol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid