Do alcoholic beverages have an additional effect on the postprandial gastrin response in humans?

The hormone gastrin plays an important role in the regulation of acid secretion in the stomach which, in turn, stimulates the digestion of food. Previous studies reported that administration of beer and wine but not ethanol and spirits increases gastrin secretion in fasting volunteers. It is not known whether alcoholic beverages combined with a normal meal have an additional effect on the postprandial gastrin response. We therefore measured the gastrin response in eight volunteers who received either alcoholic beverages (40 g alcohol) in the form of beer, red wine or spirits, or mineral water as control in combination with a dinner. Two glasses were drunk before the meal, two glasses during the meal. Plasma gastrin concentrations were twofold increased at one hour after the dinner as compared to predinner values. However, no additional effect of beer, wine or spirits on this postprandial response was seen. The present study does not support the hypothesis that the consumption of beer or wine during a meal has a positive effect on the release of gastrin and therefore most probably does not contribute to an improved digestion of food by stimulation of acid secretion.