Acute alcohol intoxication can lead to acidosis. The physiological pH in blood should be maintained between 7.35 and 7.45. If the pH reduces below this level, it is known as acidosis. In this article, we discuss how acute alcohol intoxication can lead to acidosis. Alcohol by itself does not have a significant effect on the pH value. However, the metabolic pathways which it goes through, can produce acids.
Alcohol is metabolized in the body in 3 ways.
- By alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH)
- Microsomal oxidizing system (10%)
- Peroxisome catalase (10%)
In acute alcohol intoxication, alcohol is metabolized by ADH.ADH 7 is the main ADH in the liver.
Alcohol intoxication is not due to alcohol, but is due to products of its catabolism. In this reaction, NADH and acetyl co A are produced and these affect various metabolic reactions.
Due to the increase in NADH, forward reaction occurs, producing more lactate. (NADH is an allosteric activator) and increase in lactic acid leads to lactic acidosis. Acetyl co A produced in alcohol breakdown is a precursor of ketone body synthesis. Furthermore, an increase in NADH inhibits Glyceraldyhyde-3-P- dehydrogenase, thereby reducing glycolysis. Therefore, pyruvate reduces. And acetyl co A accumulates more.
Ketone bodies are normally buffered in blood, but when excess is produced it leads to
ketoacidosis.
