In a randomized double‐blind, cross‐over experiment, 0.5 g/kg of ethanol in the form of white wine and 3 g of L‐carnitine by intravenous infusion were administered to 15 healthy volunteers. Ethanol and acetate plasma levels and the urine concentrations of acetylcarnitine were determined. Administration of ethanol induced a significant increase of both plasma ethanol and acetate, lasting 6–8 hr. The concomitant administration of carnitine resulted in a significant decrease of plasma acetate, whereas plasma ethanol levels remained unmodified. Urinary acetylcarnitine content significantly increased following administration of ethanol plus carnitine, but not when L‐carnitine alone was administered. The resulting conclusion is that administered L‐carnitine might trap excess acetyls derived both from free acetate, formed by ethanol oxidation, and from acetyl coenzyme A, accumulated as a result of the ethanol‐induced decrease in the Krebs cycle flux.