Alcohol Abuse: An Important Cause of Severe Hyperhomocysteinemia

Authors: Carmel R.; James S.J.

Source: Nutrition Reviews, Volume 60, Number 7, 1 July 2002 , pp. 215-221(7)

Publisher: International Life Sciences Institute

Buy & download fulltext article:

Price: $37.00 plus tax (Refund Policy)

Abstract:

Alcohol has complex direct effects on homocysteine metabolism, which are incompletely understood, and indirect effects mediated by interactions with vitamin metabolism and other factors. Both transmethylation and transsulfuration pathways are affected. Alcohol abuse is a common cause of hyperhomocysteinemia that often fluctuates and is sometimes severe. The causative role of alcohol in hyperhomocysteinemia is often overlooked by clinicians when evaluating patients and by investigators when conducting surveys. A married couple with severe hyperhomocysteinemia owing to surreptitious alcohol abuse, a case study illustrating many of these issues, is presented. A steep rise in S-adenosylhomocysteine as well as homocysteine levels was demonstrated with increased alcohol ingestion, with a decreased S-adenosylmethionine:S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio. Both patients had severe neurologic symptoms as well as macrocytic red blood cells, which, along with the high homocysteine levels, were misattributed to cobalamin deficiency, in one case despite serum cobalamin levels that were normal.

Keywords: ALCOHOL; HOMOCYSTEINE METABOLISM; TRANSMETHYLATION; TRANSSULFURATION; HYPERHOMOCYSTEINEMIA; S -ADENOSYLHOMOCYSTEINE

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2002-07-01

More about this publication?

This journal is now published by Blackwell Publishing. Current issues of this journal are available here. Backfile content is in the process of being reloaded by Blackwell and will shortly be removed from this page and available only from the Blackwell link above.
Information for Authors
Subscribe to this Title
Translation Request
ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites