Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Drug Addiction

Malnourishment is a serious factor in addiction and proper nutrition is necessary for rehabilitation. Vitamins are very essential.

The debate on addiction is endless and experts are beginning to believe that nearly everything can be addictive depending on how you use the element before you. And that is why careful attention needs to be taken in the prevention and treatment to bring the problem of addiction to manageable levels. In an effort to do this we will be discussing the use of vitamin therapy in rehabilitating the drug addicts. Generally food is a very key component in ensuring the proper functionality of the body. We all need food to give us the energy we need to function. The absence of food is disaster in the waiting and so good nutritious food is very instrumental in rehabilitating drug addicts.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Malnourishment and Drug Abuse

It is important that we define the word malnutrition for us to have a better understanding of what we are talking about. It is a serious condition that occurs when a person’s diet does not contain the right amount of food nutrients and it is a common side effect among alcoholics and substance abusers. Malnourishment occurs majorly among drug abusers due to the decreased food ingestion and in some cases impaired metabolism and absorption processes. Besides this it is also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies which can cause many serious health problems. Drugs like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamine are known to cause loss of appetite because of this drug abusers may stay up for days at a time on a binge and suffer dehydration and electrolyte imbalances as a result.

Malnourishment leads to a breakdown of basic bodily function and vitamin deficiencies. Vitamins are essential to maintaining growth and normal metabolism because they regulate many physiological processes. Fatigue, digestive problems, menstruation issues, tooth decay, aches and pains are often experienced by people who are malnourished. Additionally, people who suffer from malnutrition are vulnerable to infection. The nutrients from food are essential to the functioning of the effectiveness of the immune system. Without a properly functioning immune system one is easily susceptible to disease.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Vitamin Deficiencies and Drug Abuse

Alcohol consumers or those who take drugs are usually faced with vitamin deficiencies and in some cases are malnourished. These deficiencies usually occur as result of poor nutrition and a lack of good health. Long term, and in some case, irreversible health problems can occur when someone has a deficiency in an essential vitamin or mineral.
Thiamine deficiency is a very serious disorder that occurs as a consequence of poor nutrition and a lack of thiamine, or vitamin B1.

Individuals who suffer from chronic alcoholism are at risk of suffering from a very serious health condition known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, or Wet Brain Syndrome. Vitamin B1 is essential for brain function and the nervous system, flow of electrolytes in and out of cells, digestion and carbohydrate metabolism. Thiamine is found in many foods such as:

• Beef
• Wheat
• Milk
• Oranges
• Seeds and cereals

Majority of people today get the sufficiency of food nutrients they need from the good and adequate food they consume. Since we get these nutrients from food drug abusers may not get this benefit because they tend to neglect their diet and health, with this they are at risk of causing a deficiency in thiamine.

Liver disease is another consequence of poor health and inadequate consumption of essential vitamins. The luck of vitamin A and E in the body is as a result of poor nutrition and this can cause great damage to the functions of the body. The metabolism of vitamin A is affected by alcohol consumption which may end up in the damage to the liver.

Alcohol also affects the amount or quantity of calcium in the body and if this goes for a long time may lead to osteoporosis and other bodily health conditions. Calcium is an important nutrient for many body functions including among other uses:

• Vascular contraction and vasodilation
• Muscle function
• Nerve transmission
• Intracellular signaling
• Hormonal secretion along with bone strength

Research has established that chronic alcoholism interferes with vitamin D metabolism and this can result in inadequate absorption of dietary calcium and loss in bone mass and density.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Vitamin Therapy in Drug Abuse Treatment

Vitamin therapy is the use of high doses of vitamins to treat diseases and conditions. This alternative approach to health care has been found to provide impressive results in some cases for many different diseases, including alcoholism and substance abuse. Evidence has shown that vitamin therapy can aid in reducing withdrawal symptoms, increase the treatment retention rates and improve mental health. This may be because of the chronic deficiencies that some people have as a result of their long term drug or alcohol use and because of the healing properties that specific vitamins, such as vitamin C, have been found to induce.

Chronic depletion of vitamins and minerals should be considered in any health treatment for substance abuse. For alcoholics and drug addicts, nutrients commonly used in vitamin treatment include niacin; B complex vitamins especially B1, B5 and B6; antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E; calcium and magnesium. Each of these vitamins has been found to facilitate a large number of metabolic processes and their deficiencies can be associated with mental disturbances and chronic health problems.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Adverse Reactions to Vitamins

Experts through various studies have established that adverse effects from vitamin and mineral supplements are incredibly rare and levels of supplementing vitamins required to evoke a reaction are far higher than would be considered practical. Safety studies indicate that adverse effects from short-term use of high dose vitamins used during withdrawal or rehabilitation are negligible. With the exception of synthetic vitamin A, it is most likely that adverse events associated with high doses of a single vitamin are actually caused by resulting nutrient imbalances.

Finally we have been discussing vitamin therapy for rehabilitation drug addicts and it is clear that food nutrition plays an enormous role and so this must be encouraged by all means. While doing this it is also necessary that we seek the services of experts who have been in this discipline for in death understanding.   Dr. Dalal Akoury who is the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is an expert of over two decades and has been offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. With experts like doctor Akoury you will not only recover nutritionally but also physically you will regain yourself completely and live a life full of hope, satisfaction and free from any form of addiction.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Drug Addiction