Two groups of alcohol addicts (total of 14 subjects), were submitted to Traditional Manual Acupuncture and pituitary hormone plasma levels, including B-Endorphin (B-EP), were measured in basal condition and after 1, 5, 20 and 60 minutes from needle withdrawal. Group A patients had a polarity towards negative affective tone presenting signs of dysphoria while group B was composed of the so-called "social drinkers". No difference existed in basal hormonal values, except slightly elevated plasma B-EP levels in group A. No significant responses to TMA were recorded in plasma ACTH, Cortisol, Prolactin or GH levels in groups A and B. Social drinkers showed an increase of B-EP plasma levels in response to TMA (128 +/- 62.1%, mean +/- SD) which on the contrary was absent in dysphoric alcoholics (2.8 +/- 38.6%, p less than 0.01). The same was true for B-Lipotropin plasma levels. These preliminary results suggest that different fashions of alcohol abuse may be associated with different reactivity of the endogenous opioid system.