ABSTRACT

The effect of alcohol intake on serum ALT,AST, ALP, OK, protein, urea cholesterol HCO3and C1 of adolescent girls of between 17 to 20 years of age were evaluated and compared with normal controls of same age and sex. Each girl in the test (group) consumed approximately 320m1s of alcoholic beverage (7%) daily for 7 days excluding the control (group ii). Both test and control groups were neither on drugs or any other substance that could affect the results of this study. Blood samples were taken at the last day. The result shows that the liver enzymes activity AST level ranged between 17.60±1.88 for table I as compared to; table II, ALT level 15. 07 ± 1.94 and table Ill, ALP level 33.40 ± 2.41 respectively. The cholesterol control increases slightly while the electrolytes were not markedly affected. The increased enzymes activity was attributed to possible alcohol impairment of the liver. However the- recorded effect seems to have been due to sustained alcohol intake over a long time since the test volunteers conferred being regular consumer of alcohol, though at controlled doses. It was therefore concluded that sustained excessive alcohol intake was harmful to the liver hence increase enzyme activity. This study recommended therefore adolescents should retrain from excessive alcohol consumption where possible. A further test of the same effect with different alcohol form as Gin Brandy, Whisky etc was advocated.