Effects of increasing the rate of alcohol metabolism on plasma acetate concentration.

Plasma acetate concentration is increased during alcohol metabolism. However, measures which increase the rate of alcohol metabolism do not always increase plasma acetate concentration. Plasma samples from normal male subjects who had been given alcohol and then either fructose or glucose were analysed for acetate. Although each of these carbohydrates increased the mean rate of alcohol metabolism, only fructose increased the plasma acetate concentration. It was concluded that the further metabolism of acetate produced from alcohol may be increased by glucose.