Alcohol Addiction GI Connection
Dr. Dalal Akoury
Alcohol Addiction GI Connection
Alcohol addiction plays a significant role in the creating damage to the GIT. This distorts the anatomical and physiological functions of the GIT that support the extended functions of the GIT in absorption and digestive processes on the body. The metabolic processes occur first through the activity of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. The GIT and Liver have different Alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzymes.
The chronic alcoholism however leads to advanced effects such as promoting the change in the phylogenetic genes in the body through the epigenetic process by the interference of the methylation processes. The main adverse effects have been associated with the alcohol and acetaldehyde metabolic products which promotes the oxidative processes through the formation of peroxides and superoxide ions. The stomach is also affected greatly through the alteration of gastric secretion, induction of acute gastric mucosa and interference with gastric mucosa ad intestinal motility. This may also lead to atrophy of the gastric mucosa and decreased gastric secretory capacity.
This reduced production of the gastric acid reduces the stomach ability to destroy the harmful bacteria in the stomach favoring their colonization (Bode & Bode, 1992). Alcohol Addiction also leads to the impairment of the small intestines. The small intestine is the section of the body where most of the nutrients are absorbed into the blood stream. Alcohol itself is rapidly absorbed in the small intestine (See figure 1)
Figure 1
Alcohol Addiction GI Connection
Absorption of alcohol in the Jejunum is higher. Alcohol impairs intestinal enzymes through the cause of the mucosal injury (See figure 2). It also affects the intestinal permeability and in the population of the micro flora. Figure 1: anatomy of the small intestine Figure 2: Possible consequence of mucosal injuries Not many studies have been conducted on the large intestines but it has been shown that the administration of alcohol preventing motility and enhancing the propulsive motility (Mezey, 1985). It has also reduced the amplitude of muscle contraction in the segment of the muscle. This has been a lead cause of alcoholics.
Figure 2
Absorption Alcohol is a toxin agent in the body and hence when introduced in the body, it alters the normal function and structure of the GIT. The GIT plays a significant role in the absorption, metabolism and production of alcohol. Absorption is the beginning of the metabolic processes. This takes place through the simple diffusion. This relies of the difference in concentration gradient between the alcohol concentration gradients in the GI and adjacent blood vessels. The permeability of the lining of the small intestine is also another controlling factor on the rate of absorption, the rate of the blood flow in the region influences the rate at which the alcoholics eliminated from the region therefore controlling the permeability. Hence, there are higher the concentration of the alcohol at the mucosa lining, the higher the amount of alcohol that is absorbed in the body (Bujanda, 2000). It is on this basis that the presence of food in the small intestines and stomach that leads to the decrease of the rate of alcohol absorption. Other factors affecting the rate of absorption are the age, gender and body temperature, drugs taken and many other factors.
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English: Work in progress on a summary of major cellular metabolic processes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Alcohol Addiction GI Connection
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