Premium
Deranged Vitamin D Metabolism but Normal Bone Mineral Density in Finnish Noncirrhotic Male Alcoholics
Author(s) -
Laitinen Kalevi,
Välimäki Matti,
LambergAllardt Christel,
Kivisaari Leena,
Lalla Martti,
Kärkkäinen Merja,
Ylikahri Reino
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1990.tb01198.x
Subject(s) - medicine , bone mineral , endocrinology , osteoporosis , vitamin d and neurology , calcium , parathyroid hormone , forearm , bone remodeling , surgery
To study the effect of prolonged ethanol consumption on calcium metabolism and on the prevalence of osteoporosis we examined 38 Finnish noncirrhotic male alcoholics (30–55 years of age) with dietary interviews and biochemical measurements and by measuring the bone mineral content of the forearm using single photon absorptiometry (SPA) and the bone mineral density of the spine, humerus and proximal femur using nonquantified computer tomography (CT) and dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA). In comparison two groups of healthy controls were studied. The mean daily dietary intake of calcium was 1.3 g in the patients and 1.2 g in the controls. The dietary intake of vitamin D was equal in the study groups, too. The serum levels of calcium, phosphate and parathyroid hormone did not show any difference between the patients and controls but in the alcoholics the urinary excretion of calcium was reduced by 42% ( p < 0.0001) as compared to the controls. The serum levels of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D 3 , 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D 3 , and 24,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D 3 were reduced in the alcoholics by 40% ( p < 0.0001), 23% ( p < 0.01), and 48% ( p < 0.0001), respectively, as compared to the controls. The alcoholic men had normal levels of serum testosterone and they did not have hypercortisolism. The bone mineral content of the dominant forearm measured by SPA was similar in the study groups as were the bone mineral densities (BMD) of the lumbar and humeral areas measured by CT. The BMD at the lumbar, femoral neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter sites measured by DEXA did not differ, either. We conclude that bone mass is not reduced in noncirrhotic male alcoholics who have a high calcium intake and who are not hypogonadal. However, the metabolism of vitamin D is deranged by chronic ethanol consumption.