Skip to main content
Gut logoLink to Gut
. 1979 Aug;20(8):688–692. doi: 10.1136/gut.20.8.688

Effect of ethanol upon gastric emptying.

S E Kaufman, M D Kaye
PMCID: PMC1412536  PMID: 39879

Abstract

The effect of ethanol upon gastric emptying in healthy human subjects was studied by measuring the gastric emptying rates of three 750 ml meals, the osmolalities, energy densities, and pH of which were similar. Meal A, which contained 80 ml alcohol, emptied more rapidly than meal B, which contained 40 ml ethanol and 63.3 g dextrose; and meal B emptied more rapidly than meal C, which contained 126.6 g dextrose but no ethanol. The slower rate of emptying of the dextrose meal (C) was not due to an increased gastric secretory rate, as serial measurements of gastric pH were substantially and significantly higher with this than with the other two meals; nor was it due to a greater degree of duodenogastric reflux, as serial measurements of gastric bile acid concentrations were similar for the three meals. We conclude that the duodenal osmoreceptor mechanism is relatively insensitive to ethanol; that the relationship between energy density and gastric emptying rate does not hold in the case of ethanol; and that the gastro-oesophageal reflux which occurs in response to ethanol is not due to impairment of gastric emptying.

Full text

PDF
690

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BONNICHSEN R. K., THEORELL H. An enzymatic method for the microdetermination of ethanol. Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 1951;3(1):58–62. doi: 10.3109/00365515109060572. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cooke A. R., Birchall A. Absorption of ethanol from the stomach. Gastroenterology. 1969 Sep;57(3):269–272. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cooke A. R. Ethanol and gastric function. Gastroenterology. 1972 Mar;62(3):501–502. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cooke A. R. The stimultaneous emptying and absorption of ethanol from the human stomach. Am J Dig Dis. 1970 May;15(5):449–454. doi: 10.1007/BF02283874. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Demers L. M., Hepner G. Radioimmunoassay of bile acids in serum. Clin Chem. 1976 May;22(5):602–606. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. George J. D. New clinical method for measuring the rate of gastric emptying: the double sampling test meal. Gut. 1968 Apr;9(2):237–242. doi: 10.1136/gut.9.2.237. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. HOGBEN C. A., SCHANKER L. S., TOCCO D. J., BRODIE B. B. Absorption of drugs from the stomach. II. The human. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1957 Aug;120(4):540–545. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Harichaux P., Capron J. P., Lienard J., Freville M. Influence de l'éthanol sur l'évacuation gastrique: étude clinique et expérimentale. Lille Med. 1970 Aug-Sep;15(7):1059–1065. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hogan W. J., Viegas de Andrade S. R., Winship D. H. Ethanol-induced acute esophageal motor dysfunction. J Appl Physiol. 1972 Jun;32(6):755–760. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1972.32.6.755. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hunt J. N., Knox M. T. The slowing of gastric emptying by nine acids. J Physiol. 1969 Mar;201(1):161–179. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008749. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hunt J. N., Pathak J. D. The osmotic effects of some simple molecules and ions on gastric emptying. J Physiol. 1960 Dec;154(2):254–269. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1960.sp006577. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hunt J. N., Stubbs D. F. The volume and energy content of meals as determinants of gastric emptying. J Physiol. 1975 Feb;245(1):209–225. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1975.sp010841. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kaufman S. E., Kaye M. D. Induction of gastro-oesophageal reflux by alcohol. Gut. 1978 Apr;19(4):336–338. doi: 10.1136/gut.19.4.336. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Konturek S., Grossman M. I. Effect of perfusion of intestinal loops with acid, fat, or dextrose on gastric secretion. Gastroenterology. 1965 Nov;49(5):481–489. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. SIRCUS W. Studies on the mechanisms in the duodenum inhibiting gastric secretion. Q J Exp Physiol Cogn Med Sci. 1958 Jan;43(1):114–133. doi: 10.1113/expphysiol.1958.sp001296. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Simmonds W. J., Korman M. G., Go V. L., Hofmann A. F. Radioimmunoassay of conjugated cholyl bile acids in serum. Gastroenterology. 1973 Nov;65(5):705–711. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Gut are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES