Vitamin D supplementation protects against bone loss associated with chronic alcohol administration in female mice

10.1124/jpet.112.197038
Journal of Pharocology and Experimentgal Therapeutics August 14, 2012
Kelly E Mercer1, Rebecca A Wynne2, Oxana P Lazarenko2, Charles K. Lumpkin1, William R Hogue1, Larry J. Suva1, Jin-Ran Chen1, Andrew Z Mason3, Thomas M Badger1 and Martin J.J. Ronis1, ronismartinj at uams.edu
1 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences;
2 Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center;
3 California State University

Chronic alcohol abuse results in decreased bone mineral density (BMD) which can lead to increased fracture risk. In contrast, low levels of alcohol have been associated with increased BMD in epidemiological studies. Alcohol's toxic effects on the skeleton have been suggested to involve impaired vitamin D/calcium homeostasis. Therefore, dietary vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial in reducing bone loss associated with chronic alcohol consumption. Six week old, female C57BL/6J mice were pair-fed ethanol (EtOH)-containing liquid diets (10% or 36% total calories) for 78 days. EtOH exposure at 10% calories had no effects on any measured bone or serum parameter. EtOH consumption at 36% of calories reduced BMD and bone strength (p<0.05), decreased osteoblastogenesis, increased osteoclastogenesis, suppressed 1, 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) serum concentrations (p<0.05), and increased apoptosis in bone cells when compared to pair-fed controls.

In a second study, female mice were pair-fed 30% EtOH diets with or without dietary supplementation with cholecalciferol (VitD) for 40 days.

VitD supplementation in the EtOH diet protected against cortical bone loss, normalized alcohol-induced hypocalcemia, and suppressed EtOH-induced expression of Receptor of NF?B ligand (RANKL) mRNA in bone. In vitro, pre-treatment of 1,25(OH)2D3 in osteoblastic cells inhibited EtOH-induced apoptosis. In EtOH/VitD mice, circulating 1,25(OH)2D3 was lower compared to mice receiving EtOH alone (P<0.05), suggesting increased sensitivity to feedback control of VitD metabolism in the kidney. These findings suggest dietary VitD supplementation may prevent skeletal toxicity in chronic drinkers by normalizing calcium homeostasis, by preventing apoptosis and by suppressing EtOH-induced increases in bone resorption.

Received May 31, 2012., Revision received August 13, 2012, Accepted August 13, 2012.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

See also Vitamin D Life

• Overview Liver and vitamin D
• Alcoholics have osteoprorosis – Nov 2010
• Alcoholics with low vitamin D get more bone fractures – Jan 2011
• Magnesium and vitamin D Alcohol uses up Magnesium, which is needed for bone strength
• Hypothesis: Vitamin D would decrease alcohol problems – July 2013

See also Web

• PubMed Aug 2012 581 items – examples follow
• Role of obesity , alcohol and smoking on bone health 2012
• Association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with liver dysfunction and mortality in chronic liver disease – 2012
  die more quickly if so much alcohol that liver dysfunction and low vitamin D
• Assessing bone status in patients awaiting liver transplantation – 2011 88% had low vitamin D levels