Alterations in complete blood counts due to low to moderately high levels of dietary ethanol.
The effects of low to moderately high levels of dietary ethanol on complete blood counts over a 40-month period were examined in 15 primates divided into 3 treatment groups: Controls fed an isocaloric chemically defined liquid diet, and Low and High animals given diet with vodka substituted isocalorically for carbohydrate at 12 and 24% of total calories. Significant decreases (P less than 0.05) were noted in the High Ethanol group's while blood cell and red blood cell counts, as well as significant increases in their mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. By contrast, a significant increase was seen in the white blood cell counts of animals receiving the 12% (Low) level of dietary ethanol. Analysis of plasma enzymes revealed no differences between the 3 groups in liver function. Results of this study suggest that moderately high levels (24%) of dietary ethanol in the absence of liver malfunction and nutritional deficiencies cause significant alterations in complete blood counts, while low levels (12%) of dietary ethanol cause increases in circulating white blood cell levels. Additional research is needed to determine why different doses of dietary ethanol have opposite effects on the white blood cell population.
Doyle
K
K
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Lowell, MA 01854.
Hojnacki
J
J
Cluette-Brown
J
J
Rencricca
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000032:analysis; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D012453:Saimiri
D000431:Ethanol; D002784:Cholesterol