Alcohol decreases the nocturnal peak of TSH in healthy volunteers.
BACKGROUND
Studies of ethanol's effects on TSH carried out during the daytime, when its secretion is at its nadir, do not reflect the true action of alcohol on TSH secretion since TSH peak occurs at night.


OBJECTIVE
The present study investigated the effects of alcohol on the serum concentrations of TSH in healthy volunteers during a 26-h session.


METHODS
The trial included a 26-h session during which alcohol was administered at a rate similar to that found in heavy drinkers, i.e. 256 g per day and a 26-h placebo session. Volunteers functioned as their own controls, and we controlled for masking effects in both sessions.


RESULTS
The usual TSH circadian rhythm flattened during the alcohol session, and the usual peak in the middle of the night completely disappeared.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol dramatically decreased nocturnal TSH secretion in healthy volunteers.
Danel
Thierry
T
Service de Biochimie Médicale et Biologie Moléculaire, Faculté de Médecine Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France. t-danel@chru-lille.fr
Touitou
Yvan
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000438:Alcohols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood*
D000438:Alcohols; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D013972:Thyrotropin