Urinary 5‐Hydroxytryptophol: A Possible Marker of Recent Alcohol Consumption

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Abstract
Urinary 5‐hydroxytryptophol (5‐HTOL) is currently being evaluated as a marker of recent alcohol consumption. To compensate for urinary dilution, the molar ratio between 5‐HTOL and 5‐hydroxyin‐ dole‐3‐acetic acid (5‐HIAA) is used. The 5‐HTOL/S‐HIAA ratio showed a satisfactory degree of individual stability when it was followed in a group of teetotallers for 1 month. The mean value of 5‐HTOL/5‐HIAA in a group of 69 persons abstaining from alcohol was 7.6 (pmoles 5‐HTOL/nmoles 5‐HIAA). Ninety‐seven percent had values ranging from 4 to 17, with no value exceeding 20. A group of healthy volunteers were tested 12 hr after alcohol consumption and showed a dose‐dependent and statistically significant elevation in the 5‐HTOL/5‐HIAA ratio. Four regular alcohol consumers who were followed during a period of 3 months of drinking had elevated values of the 5‐HTOL/5‐HIAA ratio in 60% of their urine samples. The present study indicates that urinary 5‐HTOL/5‐HIAA is a sensitive and reliable marker of recent alcohol consumption. We propose that a 5‐HTOL/5‐HIAA ratio >20 (pmoles/nmoles) can be used to indicate recent alcohol consumption. This limit gives a low frequency of false positives; the statistical probability of having a value >20 during abstinence from alcohol was calculated to be <0.001.