Effect of heavy alcohol consumption on serum concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins and selenium

We conducted a study of the serum concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3, retinol, retinol-binding protein (RBP) and selenium among 13 alcoholics and 19 control subjects, in relation to alcohol consumption and diet. The intake of ethanol last year was 178 +/- 116 g/d among the alcoholics and 3.7 +/- 4.5 g/d in the control group (p less than 0.002). The concentration of alpha-tocopherol was lower (37%) among the alcoholics, 15.2 +/- 4.4 mumol/l, compared to the controls, 24.2 +/- 4.2 mumol/l (p less than 0.002). Mean serum concentration of selenium was reduced by 25% in the alcoholics (1.2 +/- 0.3 mumol/l) as compared to the controls (1.6 +/- 0.2 mumol/l) (p less than 0.002). Fiftyeight per cent of the heavy alcohol consumers had a concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 below lower limit of reference (20 ng/ml). Serum level of retinol and RBP was similar in the two groups. Intake of vitamin E was reduced by 62% last month among the alcoholics compared to the controls, whereas no difference was found in intake of vitamin D. Of the alcoholics, 85% had increased serum activities of liver enzymes. In conclusion, heavy consumption of ethanol reduced plasma levels of alpha-tocopherol, selenium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. The two former of these observations may be of particular interest in view of the protective effect exerted by antioxidants towards cell damage. The latter observation may contribute to the high frequency of bone fractures and osteomalacia in alcoholics through disturbance of calcium and phosphate metabolism.