A study on the effects of parental alcohol consumption on offspring recently took a turn, leading researchers down an unexpected and unexplored research avenue. Using antioxidants to reduce oxidative stress in their male subjects, researchers from Texas A&M University realized that offspring born to the men were displaying skull and facial differences.
Specifically, the antioxidant associated with the facial deformities was N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), which is widely used and included in many multivitamins—and even prescribed to treat male infertility.
“We know alcohol causes oxidative stress and we were looking to push back on it by adding a supplement known to lower oxidative stress,” said study author Michael Golding, a professor at Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “When we realized that offspring born to males that had only been given NAC were displaying skull and facial differences, it was a surprise because this molecule is universally thought to be good.”
It is already well established that high doses of antioxidants can have negative impacts; research has proven that antioxidants can diminish the effects of exercise in athletes, for example, and lead to negative outcomes in performance metrics. This new study showed, for any man, regularly consuming high doses of NAC negatively influences sperm DNA.
“Sperm health is another performance metric,” said Golding. “It’s just not one we think about in everyday life.”
According to the study, published in Animals, offspring of male mice exposed to antioxidants for six weeks exhibited skull and facial shape differences, even while the father’s health didn’t change. Interestingly, female offspring exhibited significantly closer-set eyes and smaller skulls—which are also symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Golding explained there is a truism in pediatric medicine that the face mirrors the brain since they form at the same time. So, when the face migrates during gestation, it’s using clues from the brain to know where to go. If the two things are not aligned, there’s either a delay or some kind of abnormality in brain development.
“If you see abnormalities in the midline of the face, you’re probably going to see midline abnormalities in the brain,” said Golding.
Whether the offspring in this research will exhibit central nervous dysfunction as they age will require further study. Regardless, the study makes clear that there can, in fact, be too much of a good thing.
“If your vitamins are providing 1,000% of the recommended daily amount, you should be cautious,” said Golding. “If you stick to the 100% range, then you should be okay.”