Artificially sweetened versus regular mixers increase gastric emptying and alcohol absorption.
BACKGROUND
Mixed alcoholic drinks are increasingly being consumed in "diet" varieties, which could potentially empty more rapidly from the stomach and thereby increase the rate of alcohol absorption when compared with "regular" versions containing sugar.


METHODS
We studied 8 healthy males twice in randomized order. On each day, they consumed an orange-flavored vodka beverage (30 g ethanol in 600 mL), made with either "regular" mixer containing sucrose (total 478 kcal), or "diet" mixer (225 kcal).


RESULTS
Gastric half-emptying time measured by ultrasound (mean+/-standard deviation) was less for the "diet" than the "regular" drink (21.1+/-9.5 vs 36.3+/-15.3 minutes, P <.01). Both the peak blood ethanol concentration (0.053+/-0.006 vs 0.034+/-0.008 g%, P <.001) and the area under the blood ethanol concentration curve between 0 and 180 minutes (5.2+/-0.7 vs 3.2+/-0.7 units, P <.001) were greater with the "diet" drink.


CONCLUSIONS
Substitution of artificial sweeteners for sucrose in mixed alcoholic beverages may have a marked effect on the rate of gastric emptying and the blood alcohol response.
Wu
Keng-Liang
KL
Department of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Australia.
Chaikomin
Reawika
R
Doran
Selena
S
Jones
Karen L
KL
Horowitz
Michael
M
Rayner
Christopher K
CK
D000042:Absorption / Q000187:drug effects; D000328:Adult; D001628:Beverages / Q000032:analysis*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005746:Gastric Emptying / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013395:Sucrose / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013549:Sweetening Agents; D000431:Ethanol; D013395:Sucrose