title: Hyperhomocysteinemia in chronic alcoholism: correlation with folate, vitamin B-12, and vitamin B-6 status.
abstract: Serum homocysteine concentrations have been shown to be a sensitive functional indicator of intracellular folate, vitamin B-12, and vitamin B-6 status. Chronic alcoholism is known to interfere with one-carbon metabolism, for which the above vitamins serve as coenzymes. In the present study, these vitamins were assessed in 32 chronic alcoholics and 31 healthy volunteers by measuring blood vitamin concentrations as well as serum homocysteine concentrations. In chronic alcoholics, serum pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and red blood cell folate concentrations were significantly lower than in the control subjects (P < 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). Mean serum homocysteine was twice as high in chronic alcoholics than in nondrinkers (P < 0.001). Beer consumers had significantly lower concentrations of homocysteine compared with drinkers of wine or spirits (P = 0.05). These results suggest that by interfering with folate or vitamin B-6 metabolism, chronic alcohol intake may impair the disposal of homocysteine through the transmethylation or transsulfuration pathways.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Gastrenterologia e Laboratório de Biologia Molecular, Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cravo
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Glória
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selhub
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Nadeau
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Camilo
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Resende
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Mira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood*; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000097:blood*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D011736:Pyridoxine; D014805:Vitamin B 12