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Alcohol tolerance lowered with RYGB in women
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Women who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, or RYGB, reported a greater feeling of drunkenness in half the number of drinks compared with women who did not undergo RYGB, according to recent study findings published in JAMA Surgery.
“Although RYGB surgery causes a marked reduction in food intake and induces remission of food addiction, it is associated with an increased risk of developing alcohol use disorders,” the researchers wrote. “It is likely that RYGB-related changes in gastrointestinal anatomy alter the pharmacokinetics and subjective effects of ingested alcohol, which contributed to the increased risk of alcohol use disorders.”
Marta Yanina Pepino, PhD, of the Washington University School of Medicine, and colleagues evaluated eight women who underwent RYGB within the last 1 to 5 years and nine women scheduled for RYGB surgery to determine the effect of surgery on the response to alcohol.
Marta Yanina Pepino
Researchers evaluated response to alcohol or a nonalcoholic beverage during two sessions about 1 week apart.
Compared with the group who did not undergo RYGB, the RYGB group had faster increasing blood alcohol concentrations, twofold higher peak blood alcohol concentration, a 1.5 times larger total blood alcohol concentration area under the curve and a greater feeling of drunkenness.
“The results from our study demonstrate that RYGB increases the rate of delivery of ingested alcohol into the systemic circulation, resulting in both earlier and higher [blood alcohol concentration] peaks and a greater feeling of drunkenness,” the researchers wrote. “The alteration in alcohol pharmacokinetics means that the peak in [blood alcohol concentration] observed after consuming approximately two drinks in women who have had RYGB surgery resembles that observed after consuming approximately four drinks in women who have not had surgery.”
The researchers add that these findings have important safety and clinical implications.
“These data underscore the need to make patients aware of the alterations in alcohol metabolism that occur after RYGB surgery, to help reduce the risk of potential serious consequences of moderate alcohol consumption,” the researchers wrote. – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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