Back to Search Start Over

Effects of Menstrual Cycle and Female Sex Steroids on Ethanol Pharmacokinetics

Effects of Menstrual Cycle and Female Sex Steroids on Ethanol Pharmacokinetics

Authors :
Joy L. Taylor
H. U. Fisch
Ruth O'Hara
Martin S. Mumenthaler
Jerome A. Yesavage
Source :
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 23:250-255
Publication Year :
1999
Publisher :
Wiley, 1999.

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of menstrual cycle and female sex steroid levels on ethanol pharmacokinetics. In a within-subjects design, 24 female volunteers each consumed 0.67 g kg -1 ethanol during the menstrual and luteal phases of their menstrual cycle. On each test day, we collected blood samples before ethanol administration to determine estradiol (E 2 ) and progesterone (P) levels and to confirm ovulation. We took 20 or more postdrink breath ethanol concentration readings and examined pharmacokinetic differences between the two phases, using classical pharmacokinetic measures, as well as Michaelis-Menten measures. Despite highly significant differences in measured E 2 as well as P levels on the 2 test days, and despite excluding subjects with anovulatory cycles from the analysis, there were no significant differences between menstrual and luteal phases for any of the pharmacokinetic variables. We found no correlation between E 2 or P levels and any of the pharmacokinetic measures. In summary, we found no evidence that the tested menstrual cycle phases or varying E 2 and progesterone levels significantly influence ethanol pharmacokinetics. Because previous studies about the topic have used few subjects and revealed controversial results, we consider our negative findings based on 24 subjects meaningful.

Details

ISSN :
15300277 and 01456008
Volume :
23
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........67f1c960a7a488a9492b0ae9ecd18eef
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1530-0277.1999.tb04107.x