Study of Blood Markers to Understand Alcohol Use Patterns Including Controlled Alcohol Intake and Natural Drinking Observation

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying how a blood biomarker called Phosphatidylethanol PEth can be used to better identify the amount and patterns of alcohol use. The study aims to understand individual differences in biological factors affecting PEth formation and improve how alcohol consumption is characterized through this marker. Results may help develop future alcohol prevention and treatment programs to benefit others. Participants will take part in three related experiments. First, up to 40 healthy volunteers will consume alcohol in a lab to reach a blood alcohol concentration of 0.06%, with blood samples collected over 6 hours. Then, they will abstain from alcohol for 10 days with blood collected 4 times. After this, participants will drink normally outside the lab for 28 days, providing weekly blood samples. A second group of 40 participants will join only the natural drinking part with weekly blood collections over 28 days. During the study, participants will provide blood samples at specific times to measure PEth levels, breath alcohol concentration, red blood cell count, and other biological variables. They will also report their alcohol use during the natural drinking phase. The main outcomes include changes in PEth concentrations and self-reported drinking patterns. The study includes safety monitoring and may last up to 28 days for naturalistic drinking plus additional days for lab visits.

Phosphatidylethanol and Other Ethanol Consumption Markers