Why does alcohol consumption (drinking) induce hunger?

(edheee shpjegimi logjik pse sherbehet mezja me pije alkoolike...

The body maintains an adequate level of glucose in the blood using various mechanisms, one of which is gluconeogenesis in the liver.  Gluconeogenesis is particularly significant at hours distant to meals when glucose released to the bloodstream from the liver is more prominent than dietary intake.

Biochemically, pyruvate and oxaloacetate at the initials steps of the gluconeogenesis pathway are shunted away due to increased levels of NADH that occur as a result of alcohol comsumption, so these molecules cannot be utilized to form new molecules of glucose.

On the other hand, glycolysis, which uses the available glucose for production of energy and several other purposes, is also prevented by the same high levels of NADH.

Alcohol consumed, namely ethanol is metabolised by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase.  This enzyme uses NAD as a cofactor to oxidise ethanol and produce acetaldehyde while NAD is reduced to NADH.
(ethanol + NAD --> acetaldehyde + NADH + H)

In other words, your body on alcohol is in a state where it can neither use its available glucose nor create more glucose for use.  This may lead to hypoglycemia or a less severe drop in blood sugar.  Less sugar, and you feel hunger.

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