Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Progesterone

“ Alcohol also increased pregnenolone (PREG) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) concentrations, while it decreased progesterone (PROG) and allopregnanolone (ALLO) concentrations, as well as ALLO/PREG and PROG/PREG ratios.”

“Among subjects not using oral contraceptives, progesterone levels decreased after intake of alcohol (0.5 g/kg).”

“ConclusionsThis is the first study to show that normal menstrual cycle fluctuations in progesterone , particularly during the late luteal phase, can modulate ethanol intake.”

“BACKGROUND Acute ethanol administration increases plasma and brain levels of progesterone and deoxycorticosterone-derived neuroactive steroids (3alpha,5alpha)-3-hydroxypregnan-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-THP) and (3alpha,5alpha)-3,21-dihydroxypregnan-20-one (3alpha,5alpha-THDOC) in rats.”

“Furthermore, it has been reported that plasma levels of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone increase during alcohol treatment in the midluteal phase, while gonadotropins tend to decrease.”

“The presence of 1-8% (vol/vol) ethanol enhanced specific LH binding to macaque luteal particulates under steady state conditions (25 C, 20-h incubation), with a maximal effect at 8% ethanol (166% of control uptake; P less than 0.05).”

“ Ethanol lowered the mean testicular concentrations of testosterone (by 63–74%), androstenedione (49–81%), 17‐hydroxyprogesterone (60–76%), progesterone (29–67%) and pregnenolone (12–25%).”

“One well-controlled study in 1987 did generate renewed interest in the area with the paradoxical finding that progesterone actually enhanced alcohol elimination at low blood concentrations (<.025%).”

“These studies, emanating from the same laboratory, found that alcohol elimination increased, by about 14%, during the luteal phase compared to other phases of the cycle.”

“ Ethanol concentrations at 34.6 and 69.2 mmol/L significantly increased and progesterone concentration at 32 mumol/L significantly decreased the monoamine oxidase activity.”