The Inhibition of Gluconeogenesis Following Alcohol in Humans
Abstract
Accurate quantification of gluconeogenic flux following alcohol ingestion in overnight-fasted humans has yet to be reported. [2-13C1]glycerol, [U-13C6]glucose, [1-2H1]galactose, and acetaminophen were infused in normal men before and after the consumption of 48 g alcohol or a placebo to quantify gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, hepatic glucose production, and intrahepatic gluconeogenic precursor availability. Gluconeogenesis decreased 45% vs. the placebo (0.56 +/- 0.05 to 0.44 +/- 0.04 mg. kg-1. min-1 vs. 0.44 +/- 0.05 to 0.63 +/- 0.09 mg. kg-1. min-1, respectively, P < 0. 05) in the 5 h after alcohol ingestion, and total gluconeogenic flux was lower after alcohol compared with placebo. Glycogenolysis fell over time after both the alcohol and placebo cocktails, from 1.46-1. 47 mg. kg-1. min-1 to 1.35 +/- 0.17 mg. kg-1. min-1 (alcohol) and 1. 26 +/- 0.20 mg. kg-1. min-1, respectively (placebo, P < 0.05 vs. baseline). Hepatic glucose output decreased 12% after alcohol consumption, from 2.03 +/- 0.21 to 1.79 +/- 0.21 mg. kg-1. min-1 (P < 0.05 vs. baseline), but did not change following the placebo. Estimated intrahepatic gluconeogenic precursor availability decreased 61% following alcohol consumption (P < 0.05 vs. baseline) but was unchanged after the placebo (P < 0.05 between treatments). We conclude from these results that gluconeogenesis is inhibited after alcohol consumption in overnight-fasted men, with a somewhat larger decrease in availability of gluconeogenic precursors…
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Alcohol consumption may have profound effects on glucose homeostasis, especially in the fasting state, but its effects on metabolism the following day do not appear to have been tested.
“Alcohol consumption may have profound effects on glucose homeostasis (Shelmet et al. 1988;Siler et al. 1998), especially in the fasting state, although the effects of alcohol consumption on metabolism the following day do not appear to have been tested.”
From Glycaemic index methodology (2005) · cites this paper as Siler et al. 1998
48 g of alcohol can suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis by as much as 45%.
“It has been found that 48 g of alcohol, which is a little over three standard drinks, can suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis by as much as 45% [19].”
From Non-Diabetic Hypoglycemia: Evaluation and Management in Adults (2025) · cites this paper as [19]
Cites
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Non-Diabetic Hypoglycemia: Evaluation and Management in Adults
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“It has been found that 48 g of alcohol, which is a little over three standard drinks, can suppress hepatic gluconeogenesis by as much as 45% [19].”
- Authors
- Siler, S. Q., Neese, R. A., Christiansen, M. P., & Hellerstein, M. K.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- ORCID
- Hellerstein, Marc K.
- Venue
- American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism
- Publisher
- American Physiological Society
- Published
- 1998-11-01
- Volume
- 275
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- E897-E907
- ISSN
- 0193-1849 (ISSN-L)
- 1522-1555
- OpenAlex
- W2109906490
- Cited by
- 141
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 1.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1r03aa010693-01, 2m01rr000083-41)
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (1 RO3 AA10693-01)
- National Center for Research Resources (RR 00083)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diet, Metabolism, and Disease
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Metabolism, Diabetes, and Cancer
- Keywords
- alcohol, gluconeogenesis, hepatic glucose production, glycogenolysis, gluconeogenic precursors, glucose flux, overnight fasting, paracetamol, galactose, glycerol
- MeSH terms
- Acetaminophen, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Ethanol, Blood Glucose, Deuterium, Fasting, Galactose, Gluconeogenesis, Glucose, Glucuronates, Glycerol, Humans, Infusions, Intravenous, Kinetics, Liver, Liver Glycogen, Male, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Models, Biological
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