ACUTE ETHANOL INTOXICATION DOES NOT INFLUENCE GONADOTROPIN SECRETION IN POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Acute effects of ethanol ingestion (1.0 g per kg body weight)on the serum levels of LH, FSH and prolactin were studied in10 postmenopausal women. Ethanol was administered during thefirst 3 hr of the experiment and the hormone concentrationswere monitored for 10 hr. Each subject served as her own controlin an identical experiment without ethanol. Blood alcohol concentrationreached its maximum 1.18 ± 0.02 g/l (mean ± S.E.M.)3hr after the start of the drinking. No changes were found inthe levels of LH and FSH during the experimental period. Theincrease of 80% in the mean concentration of prolactin at 4hrafter the start of drinking was not statistically significant.On the basis of these and previous results we conclude thatalcohol has no acute effects on the secretion of gonadotropinsin women.