Low serum osteocalcin in acute alcohol intoxication: a direct toxic effect of alcohol on osteoblasts

: A direct effect of alcohol on bone cells has not been convincingly demonstrated, but numerous studies have postulated that alcohol inhibits osteoblastic activity. Since osteoblasts synthesize osteocalcin, we studied the serum levels of this protein in 15 patients with acute alcoholic intoxication to determine if alcohol has an effect on these cells, whether direct or indirect. We found lower osteocalcin levels in our alcoholics than in 15 normal individuals of similar age and sex (3.1 +/- 1.0 vs. 6.6 +/- 0.8 ng/ml; P less than 0.0001), evidence of the influence of alcohol on osteoblasts. This effect seems to be direct rather than mediated.