EFFECT OF ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION ON BLOOD ANTIOXIDANT NUTRIENTS AND OXIDATIVE STRESS INDICATORS

The effects of alcohol consumption on plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins (alpha-tocopherol and ascorbic acid), selenium, and markers of oxidative stress, especially malondialdehyde (MDA) and autoantibodies directed to MDA adducts to proteins (Ig-NH2-MDA) were investigated in a large population of 417 supposedly healthy men who consumed only low or moderate amounts of alcohol as compared with 102 alcoholic patients without severe liver disease, who were studied both before and after 21 d of withdrawal treatment. Plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, and selenium were lower in alcoholics than in men who drank low amounts of alcohol (P less than or equal to 0.001), whereas MDA and Ig-NH2-MDA were higher (P less than or equal to 0.001). Plasma concentrations of cu-tocopherol and selenium remained unchanged after the withdrawal period, whereas ascorbic acid (P less than or equal to 0.01), MDA, and Ig-NH2-MDA concentrations decreased (P less than or equal to 0.001). Adjustment of data for circulating lipids and nutritional intake suggests a specific effect of alcohol on antioxidant vitamins, independent of nutritional status.