Circulating triglycerides (TG) show a strong, positive correlation with both ethanol and fat intake and thus may serve as a common link between these two ingestive behaviors. Triglycerides packaged as chylomicrons invariably rise in proportion to the amount of fat consumed (Bahceci et al., 1999; Schrezenmeir et al., 1997) and can be lowered by fibrate drugs such as gemfibrozil (Lopid) (Donnelly et al., 1994; Frick et al., 1987). These lipids are raised by acute or chronic fat exposure (Chang et al., 2007b; Wortley et al., 2003), which in the short term may have a stimulatory effect on ethanol consumption (Carrillo et al., 2004). Circulating TG are positively correlated with acute and chronic ethanol consumption in animals and humans (Chang et al., 2007a; Contaldo et al., 1989; Goude et al., 2002), perhaps due to a reduced clearance of TG from the blood (Baraona et al., 1983; Siler et al., 1998) and a decrease in fat oxidation (Siler et al., 1998). This stimulatory effect of ethanol on circulating TG may contribute to the enhanced fat consumption seen in ethanol drinkers compared to
