This review outlines the endocrine and metabolic effects of acute and chronic alcohol abuse. Effects of alcohol on endocrine organs can be a direct toxic effect or an indirect effect through metabolism of hormones in associated liver and nutritional disorders, which are seen in chronic alcoholics. Alcohol, endocrine effects, hypogonadism, pseudo-Cushing's, alcoholic hypoglycemia.
Alcohol addiction is a major health and social problem in the United States.
Close to 18 million Americans are habitual drinkers. The effect of alcohol on major organs is well known. Practically, alcoholism damages all organs, the important ones being the liver, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, pancreas, and heart. The endocrine effects of alcohol are acute or chronic, and can be contributed indirectly to be existing malnutritiontion and liver disease. At the pituitary level, one of the actions of alcohol is to decrease the release of vasopressin.