Year: 2001
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Long-term heavy alcohol drinking is associated with endocrinological abnormalities of which pseudo-Cushing´s syndrome, loss of sexual characteristics and function, and disturbances in bone metabolism are perhaps clinically the most prominent in women.In addition, alcohol intake has been associated with an increase in breast cancer.It seems reasonable to hypothesize that the mechanism of these effects would, at least in part, involve the effect of alcohol intake on the hormonal balance itself.The aim of the present work was to study the effects of alcohol on hormones in women and to elucidate mechanisms behind these effects.The effect of alcohol intake on the hormonal balance was studied in healthy premenopausal women using oral contraceptives as well as in female non-users during different dose and time conditions.Plasma hormone levels were determined by radioimmunoassays.Urine steroid conjugates and plasma ethanol levels were determined by gas-liquid chromatography and headspace gas chromatography, respectively.An acute increase in plasma testosterone was found after intake of alcohol.This increase was accompanied by decreases in plasma androstenedione and urine androsterone and etiocholanolone.The effect lasted throughout the elimination of ethanol and it was abolished during pretreatment with 4methylpyrazole, an inhibitor of alcohol dehydrogenase.The magnitude of the testosterone elevation was not dependent on the alcohol dose (0.34-1.02 g/kg p.o.) and the acute effect was not modulated by a one week period of alcohol intake (0.8 g/kg/day p.o.), although an elevation in testosterone during nonintoxicated time points was observed in the end of the period.Acute increases in prolactin and estradiol, and an acute decrease in progesterone were found after intake of alcohol.No acute effects of alcohol on plasma cortisol, DHEA, dihydrotestosterone, and ethinylestradiol were observed.Minor effects were observed in certain urine androgen and glucocorticoid conjugate ratios during and after the drinking period.In conclusion, the acute steroid effects are explained by a change in the metabolism of the steroids in the liver mediated by the alcohol induced shift in the redox state.The changes in the steroids observed during non-intoxicated time points may be explained by an effect of alcohol on the HPA-axis.The effect of alcohol on prolactin might involve the opioid peptides and dopamine in the hypothalamuspituitary.The effects on the urine steroid conjugate ratios suggest an effect of alcohol drinking on the steroid metabolizing enzymes in the liver.
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Taisto Sarkola
Language: English
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Samfundet Folkhälsan
OpenAlex ID: W2096473626