Chronic ethanol consumption is associated with hypomagnesaemia and increased calcium-to-magnesium ratio in experimental rabbits

Abstract

Chronic alcohol consumption was strongly linked to several nutritional abnormalities though the specific concentrations that induce these states have not been specifically enumerated. This study evaluates the levels of zinc, copper, magnesium, calcium, phosphate and calcium-to-magnesium ratioin albino rabbits fed with different concentrations of ethanol. Animals were divided into 5 groups of six 6 each; a control group and test groups (A, B, C and D) fed with 4%,12%,20% and 40% ethanol concentrations) respectively. Commercially available colorimetric test kits were used to determine the concentrations of the measured elements. The levels of the measured variables were compared between the different groups and control using ANOVA while Pearson correlation coefficient was used to relate the concentrations of ethanol with measured parameters. Serum zinc (p<0.005), copper (p<0.005), magnesium (p<0.005), and calcium (p<0.005) were significantly lower in fed animals compared with controls especially those fed with >6% alcohol. Serum inorganic phosphate on the other hand, was significantly higher (p<0.005) in fed animals especially in those fed with 40% alcohol compared with controls. Serum zinc (r= -0.922; p< 0.005), copper (r=-0.705; p<0.005), magnesium (r=-0.824; p<0.005), and calcium (r=-0.704; p<0.005) correlated negatively with increasing concentrations of ethanol while that of calcium-to-magnesium ratio (r=0.819; p<0.001) and inorganic phosphate correlated positively (r=0.632; p<0.005). It is apparent from this study that alcohol especially in concentrations >6% lowered the serum levels zinc, copper, magnesium, calciumand increased calcium-to-magnesium ratio in the experimental animals.

Keywords: Serum calcium, copper, magnesium, zinc, ethanol and rabbits