Abstract
INTOXICATION with alcohol is frequently associated with diarrhoea, and disturbances of intestinal function have been reported to be common in chronic alcoholics studied shortly after drinking-bouts1–5. Because the normal diet of alcoholics is characteristically poor, it is not clear whether the transient malabsorption frequently found can be attributed to a direct toxic effect of ethanol on the small intestine, or to a nutritional deficiency. We therefore studied the effects of the experimental ingestion of ethanol in man on vitamin B12 absorption under controlled metabolic ward conditions in the absence of nutritional deficiency.
References
Roggin, G. M., Kater, R. M. H., Tobon, F., and Iber, F. L., Ann. Int. Med., 70, 1070 (1969).
Small, M., Longarini, A., and Zamcheck, N., Amer. J. Med., 27, 575 (1959).
Halstead, C. H., Griggs, R. C., and Harris, J. W., J. Lab. Clin. Med., 69, 116 (1967).
Tomasulo, P. A., Kater, R. M. H., and Iber, F. L., Amer. J. Clin. Nutr., 21, 1340 (1968).
Thomson, A., Baker, H., and Leevy, C. M., Amer. J. Clin. Nutr., 21, 537 (1968).
Lieber, C. S., and Rubin, E., Amer. J. Med., 44, 200 (1968).
Lindenbaum, J., and Lieber, C. S., New Engl. J. Med., 281, 333 (1969).
Schilling, R. F., J. Lab. Clin. Med., 42, 869 (1953).
Lau, K., Gottlieb, C., Wasserman, L. R., and Herbert, V., Blood, 26, 202 (1965).
Curzon, G., and Walsh, J., Clin. Chim. Acta, 7, 657 (1962).
Chang, T., Lewis, J., and Glazko, A. J., Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 135, 1000 (1967).
Israel, U., Salazar, I., and Rosenmann, E., J. Nutrit., 96, 499 (1968).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
LINDENBAUM, J., LIEBER, C. Alcohol-induced Malabsorption of Vitamin B12 in Man. Nature 224, 806 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/224806a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/224806a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
