Taurine homeostasis is perturbed after acute and chronic ethanol administration. An oral dose of ethanol, (0.8 g / kg) significantly decreased the plasma taurine content 90 minutes after its administration, while glutamic acid content increased significantly at 30 minutes. Chronic alcohol abusers, showed significant increases in plasma taurine content 7 days after alcohol withdrawal. In 50% of these patients the taurine levels exceeding the reference range and correlated with the elevated levels of plasma glutamic acid. In addition in these patients there was also a significant decrease in anxiety score, CIWA Ar, (p<0.01). Although the correlation between taurine and glutamate has been described in other diseases this is the first time that such changes have been reported after acute or chronic ethanol administration.