(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research conducted in mice suggests taking zinc
supplements may prevent some of the damage to an unborn child caused by
excessive alcohol consumption.
However, while the finding may eventually have implications for women who
inadvertently engage in binge drinking before they even know they are pregnant,
it does not mean women may one day be able to drink safely while carrying a
child.
"We have not determined whether zinc protects against all of the possible
negative outcomes from alcohol exposure in pregnancy," study author Peter Coyle,
associate professor at the Hanson Institute in Adelaide, Australia, was quoted
as saying. "Nor would we recommend that makers of alcoholic beverages include
zinc in their product so that women can drink while pregnant. Indeed, we take
the conservative stand of a 'no alcohol policy' during pregnancy."
In
the study, Coyle and his colleagues injected pregnant mice with either alcohol
or a saline solution on day eight of their pregnancies. That roughly corresponds
to weeks three-eight in women, a time when many women have yet to determine they
are pregnant. All the mice were on either a regular or zinc supplemented diet
throughout their pregnancies.
Results showed zinc supplemented diets prevented fetal abnormalities caused by
the alcohol injection. The researchers believe zinc helps prevent these problems
by counteracting the drop in zinc that occurs in women's blood in response to
alcohol. This prevents zinc deficiency, and thus, the problems for the fetus
that go along with it.
Why not just give all women zinc supplements to ensure these problems don't
arise? The authors go on to note zinc can have unwanted side effects, including
anemia if taken in excess, and scientists have yet to determine the appropriate
dose for pregnant women. They also emphasize their study was conducted in mice,
not humans, and much more work is needed before applying the information to
women.
SOURCE: Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, published online February
2, 2009
