Relationship between response of gamma-glutamyltransferase to alcohol consumption and levels of fasting plasma glucose.

To examine whether the response of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) to alcohol consumption differs among individuals, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 6100 men with a body-mass index below 24 who did not take medication for diabetes. Information regarding current medication and lifestyle habits was obtained by a self-reported questionnaire. The subjects were divided into four groups according to their level of alcohol consumption: non-drinkers, light drinkers (1-188ml/week), intermediate drinkers (189-377ml/week), and heavy drinkers (>or=378ml/week).

[Amounts of sweat and salt loss due to sweating during a three-hour badminton practice in summer].

In 7 men and 5 women, we measured the amounts of sweat and fluid intake, and the ionic composition of sweat during a 3-hour badminton practice in summer. The amount of sweat was calculated as follows; body weight before practice (g)--body weight after practice (g)--urine volume (ml) +fluid intake (ml). We collected sweat by covering the non-dominant forearm with a plastic bag.

[Quantification of urinary hemoglobin by an immunological method].

The quantification method of urinary hemoglobin has not been established. We examined whether a reagent (Eiken, Tokyo) used to immunologically assay fecal hemoglobin could be utilized to quantify urinary hemoglobin. The coefficients of variation were 2.

Relationship between genetic polymorphisms of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and changes in risk factors for coronary heart disease associated with alcohol consumption.

Background: There are large individual variations in the responses of risk factors for coronary heart disease to alcohol consumption. To clarify the factors responsible for these individual variations, we studied the relationship between blood pressure, serum lipids, and uric acid and the genetic polymorphisms of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) 2 and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) 2 in alcohol drinkers.

Methods: We examined 133 male workers who drank >300 g of alcohol per week.