ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES PRODUCED BY ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION BUT NOT BY DISTILLATION ARE POWERFUL STIMULANTS OF GASTRIC-ACID SECRETION IN HUMANS

Background-The effect of commonly ingested alcoholic beverages on gast ric acid output and release of gastrin in humans is unknown. Aim and M ethods-In 16 healthy humans the effect of some commonly ingested alcoh olic beverages produced by fermentation plus distillation (for example , whisky, cognac, calvados, armagnac, and rum) or by alcoholic ferment ation (beer, wine, champagne, martini, and sherry) on gastric acid out put and release of gastrin was studied. Gastric acid output was determ ined by the method of intragastric titration. Plasma gastrin was measu red using a specific radioimmunoassay. Results-None of the alcoholic b everages produced by fermentation plus distillation had any significan t effect on gastric acid output and release of gastrin compared with c ontrol (isotonic glucose and distilled water). Alcoholic beverages pro duced only by fermentation significantly (p<0.05) increased the gastri c acid output by 57% to 95% of maximal acid output (MAO) and release o f gastrin up to 5.1-fold compared with control. If beer, wine, and she rry were distilled, only their remaining parts increased gastric acid output by 53% to 76% of MAO and increased release of gastrin up to 4.3 -fold compared with control. Conclusions-(1) Alcoholic beverages produ ced by fermentation but not by distillation are powerful stimulants of gastric acid output and release of gastrin; (2) the alcoholic beverag e constituents that stimulate gastric acid output and release of gastr in are most probably produced during the process of fermentation and r emoved during the following process of distillation.