Chronic Alcohol Treatment Results in Disturbed Vitamin D Metabolism and Skeletal Abnormalities in Rats

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Abstract
The effect of chronic alcohol consumption on the skeleton was investigated in rats. The treated group received ethanol administered as 38% of caloric intake in a liquid diet (Sustacal) for 10 months. The control rats were pair weighted to the ethanol-treated animals throughout the study; the growth curves of the two groups were the same. The controls were given the same liquid diet except that dextrin:maltose (3:1) was substituted isocalorically for ethanol. Ethanol-treated rats did not differ from the pair-weighted controls in mean serum calcium, phosphorous, or creatinine. In contrast, serum magnesium was reduced (p < 0.02) in alcohol-treated rats. Ethanol treatment also resulted in changes in the serum concentrations of vitamin D metabolites; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was increased (p < 0.001), while serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was decreased (p < 0.01). Tibial length was reduced in ethanol-treated rats (p < 0.05) but there was no change in femoral length. Medullary area was increased in tibial diaphyses from alcohol-treated rats compared to weight matched control animals (p < 0.01), indicating a net increase in resorption. The cross-sectional area of the tibial diaphysis of ethanol-treated rats was the same as the matched controls. Trabecular bone was decreased in the tibial metaphysis of ethanol-treated rats compared to the matched controls (p < 0.05) indicating a net loss of trabecular bone. Ethanol treatment did not have an effect on the organic weight of the femur but the ash weight was reduced (p < 0.02). These studies demonstrate that chronic alcohol treatment in rats results in disturbed vitamin D metabolism, a net increase in bone resorption and decreased mineralization of bone matrix.