The effect of a moderate level of white wine consumption on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis before and after a meal

The nutritional status of the individual at the time, of alcohol consumptio n may mediate the rate of alcohol absorption and metabolism, thus influenci ng the systemic effect of alcohol on the body. The aim in the present inves tigation was to assess the effect of moderate white wine consumption on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis under variable nutritional condi tions. Seven males aged between 19 and 22 years participated in all aspects of the current investigation. The experimental procedure for the fasting t rial required participants to ingest either 4 standard units of alcohol (40 g) or the equivalent amount of placebo over a 135-min period before consum ing food for 45 min. Alternatively, in the feeding trial, food was consumed for 45 min prior to participants ingesting either 4 standard units of alco hol (40 g) or the equivalent amount of placebo over a 135-min period. Blood alcohol, salivary cortisol, and salivary dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (D HEAS) levels were assessed at 45-min intervals during the 180-min experimen tal periods.: The results demonstrated a significant alcohol-induced decrea se in salivary cortisol irrespective of nutritional status and a significan t decrease in salivary DHEAS when alcohol is consumed alone under fasting c onditions only. It was concluded that moderate white wine consumption may p romote a transient alteration in the functioning of the HPA axis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.