Caloric regulation of 3.2% ethanol consumption by rats

Increasing the caloric density in an ethanol containing drinking fluid from that of 3.2% ethanol alone, 0.18 kcal/ml, 2.33-fold to 0.42 kcal/ml with the addition of lactose and glycerol, did not significantly alter ethanol consumption. Increasing the caloric density of the drinking fluid to 0.56 kcal/ml significantly reduced ethanol consumption. The decrease in ethanol consumption was neither due to the taste of the added glycerol and lactose nor to the total caloric content of the solution but rather to an interaction between ethanol and caloric density. Increasing the caloric density of the solid diet and adding a feeding stimulant, sucrose, significantly decreased 3.2% ethanol consumption.