The influence of chronic ethanol ingestion on the absorption of vitamin a by adult male rats

Abstract

To determine the effect of chronic ethanol ingestion on the absorption of vitamin A, adult male rats were given 10% ethanol in drinking water for one week, 20% for the next two weeks and 30% for the last three weeks plus rat chow ad libitum. Pair-fed controls received the same amount of rat chow as that consumed by the ethanol group, but the ethanol was substituted isocalorically with starch. Ad libitum controls received rat chow only. After six weeks on these diets the animals were given 750 μg of vitamin A by stomach tube and blood was obtained from the tail at 0, 1, 2, and 3 hours after administration of the vitamin. There were no significant differences in plasma vitamin A levels among the three animal groups at time 0 (Alcohol, 17.6 μg/100 ml; pair-fed, 25.8; control, 28.3). At 1 hour, the maximum mean plasma vitamin A rise was significantly lower in the alcohol group, (47.5 μg/100 ml) than in either the pair-fed (105.5) or the control group (105.6). The findings were similar at the 2 hour interval. At 3 hours the vitamin A levels declined substantially and were no longer significantly different among the three groups. The hepatic vitamin A levels were significantly lower in the alcohol group than in the ad libitum controls. Compared to the pair-fed controls, the liver vitamin A levels were not significantly lower in the alcohol group. These findings indicate that chronic alcohol consumption by rats reduces the rate of vitamin A absorption from a test dose administered intragastrically but does not significantly alter liver vitamin A stores when compared with pair-fed controls.