Acute biochemical responses to moderate beer drinking

The consequences of drinking 6 pints of beer (3.3 l) over 3 hours were investigated in 6 healthy men. The expected rise in plasma osmolality, fall in plasma vasopressin concentration, and increase in free water clearance occurred; these variables had returned to normal by 9 hours. There was a small but significant fall in plasma concentrations of urea and creatinine accompanied by a rise in plasma potassium concentration. Serum activities of alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, creatinine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase did not change, and there was no alcohol-induced hypoglycaemia. All subjects had a slight hangover, but none was fluid depleted. It is concluded that, apart from inducing changes in water balance, alcohol in this form causes remarkably little metabolic disturbance.