Effect of moderate white wine consumption on serum IgA and plasma insulin under fasting conditions.

Background/aims: The present study aims to investigate the contribution of alcohol toxicity to the development of malnutrition by assessing the effect of consuming a moderate amount of white wine on plasma insulin and serum IgA under fasting conditions.
Methods: A total of 5 non-alcoholic males aged between 19 and 22 years participated in the current investigation. The experimental procedure required participants to undergo a 6-hour fast before ingesting 4 standard units of alcohol (40 g) in the form of white wine over a 120-min period. The level of blood alcohol, plasma insulin and serum IgA was assessed at 30-min intervals across the 120-min experimental period.
Results: Consuming alcohol promotes a significant increase in serum IgA in the absence of any change in plasma insulin or ketone production in fasted individuals.
Conclusion: White wine prior to a meal does not promote glucose metabolism and utilization and may increase the risk of developing a transient diabetic condition due to an alteration in energy metabolism.
(Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.)