ALCOHOL ENHANCES VITAMIN C EXCRETION IN THE URINE

Urinary ascorbic acid excretion was measured on four consecutivedays in 9 normal male volunteers for 4 hr before and after drinkingnothing (control), 0.58 g alcohol/kg body wt as whisky or lageror water (11./70 kg body wt). The normal reduction in ascorbicacid excretion under control conditions was abolished by drinkingwater. Alcohol in either form produced a 47% increase in urinaryascorbic acid excretion. A similar ascorbiuresis in chronicalcoholics would be an additional factor in the causation ofvitamin C deficiency in these patients.