Jl. Gonzalezcalvin et al., MINERAL METABOLISM, OSTEOBLASTIC FUNCTION AND BONE MASS IN CHRONIC-ALCOHOLISM, Alcohol and alcoholism, 28(5), 1993, pp. 571-579
The role of ethanol as a risk factor for osteopenia was studied in alc
oholic subjects without liver cirrhosis. The study was carried out in
58 male subjects classified into three groups: (1) 26 heavy drinkers,
alcohol intake more than 100 g ethanol/day for more than 10 years; (2)
13 moderate drinkers, 60-100 g ethanol/day; (3) 19 healthy non-drinke
rs who served as control subjects. None of the drinkers had liver cirr
hosis (normal clinical and biochemical data and/or liver biopsy). Mine
ral metabolism and serum bone Gla-protein (BGP) were studied while the
y were active drinkers and after they had abstained from ethanol for 7
days. Bone mineral density (BMD) was determined at the beginning of t
he study. Osteopenia was observed in 23% of the heavy drinkers. We fou
nd a significant inverse correlation between BMD and an index of cumul
ative alcohol intake. Heavy and moderate drinkers had significantly lo
wer mean BGP values (1.6 +/- 0.4 and 1.9 +/- 0.3 ng/ml) (P < 0.01 for
both) than controls (3.5 +/- 0.4 ng/ml); these values increased signif
icantly (2.9 +/- 0.4 ng/ml; P < 0.01) after 7 days of abstinence. The
data show that chronic ethanol ingestion can induce osteopenia regardl
ess of the absence of liver cirrhosis, and that some relationship can
be expected between the amount and duration of ethanol consumption and
the degree of bone loss. The low serum BGP levels in drinkers are rev
ersible upon withdrawal of ethanol, suggesting that reduction of osteo
blastic activity is probably the main factor responsible for alcohol-a
ssociated bone disease.