General effects of Alcohol

August 13, 2014

General effects of Alcohol – Drug Addiction

Whatever the stage of alcohol addiction you’re in there is help and all is not lost. All you need to do is to reach out for it and your alcoholic state will be reversed

It all begins with an introductory simple sip which appears to be very harmless as it is taken then the simplicity gains momentum from the influence of your friends and it is no longer a simple sip but a simple drink and because you want to fit in and be counted, you join in the club of belonging. You are now accepted and you feel well placed and can be counted among your peers. However in doing all these you have just started the journey of health problems and complications which will also start in almost the same way you got into alcohol consumption. Health complications will also start in very simple ways and as you continue drinking they graduated from one level to another. My dear reader alcohol consumption is not good for your health. Don’t listen to what is called responsible drinking. There is nothing like that when it comes to addictive substance like alcohol. The effects of alcohol are very costly and complicated if you are not drinking please stay that way and if you are drinking already then you need to make that bold decision and stop what you call responsible drinking and move to responsible healthy living. Why am I saying all this, let us interrogate some of the effects of alcohol for better understanding of the magnitude.

Heart Disease and Stroke

When people drink moderately there is the possibility of some element of improvement of health by reduction of certain risk factors like increasing HDL i.e. good cholesterol levels. This is only minimal and it is subject to consuming like one or two units of alcohol daily. It is important to understand that this does not in any way indicate that drinking alcohol unilaterally reduce cardiovascular risk because excessive consumption will definitely affect your health negatively. Alcohol being a toxic substance has the ability to damage the heart muscles making heart disease to be the leading cause of death among alcoholics. Alcohol abuse increases levels of triglycerides (unhealthy fats) and increases the risks for high blood pressure, heart failure, and stroke. In addition, the extra calories in alcohol can contribute to obesity, a major risk factor for many heart problems. You can read more in our obesity segment.

Cancer

Alcohol abuse and dependence may increase the risk for certain type of cancers like mouth, throat, esophageal, gastrointestinal, liver, and colorectal, cancers. When it comes to some of these risks there is no safe limits and the dangers are realistic even with very minimal consumption having adverse effects on breast cancer. It is therefore important that alcohol consumption be avoided in totality for attainment of good health.

Effects on the Lungs

Pneumonia – Over time, chronic alcoholism can cause severe reductions in white blood cells, which increase the risk for community-acquired pneumonia i.e. pneumonia acquired outside of hospitals or nursing homes. When patients are inebriated they are also at risk for aspiration of mucus from the airways, causing pneumonia. Patients who abuse alcoholism have a greater risk for developing severe pneumonia. It is therefore advisable that patients with alcohol dependence receive an annual pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination and so when you start seeing signs like high fever, cough, and stabbing chest pains you must consult with your doctor immediately.

Skin, Muscle, and Bone Disorders

Severe alcoholism is associated with osteoporosis i.e. loss of bone density, muscular deterioration, skin sores, and itching. Women often seem to face a higher risk than men for damage to muscles, including muscles of the heart, from the toxic effects of alcohol.

Reproduction and Fetal Development

Sexual Function and Fertility – Alcoholism increases levels of the female hormone estrogen and reduces levels of the male hormone testosterone, factors that possibly contribute to erectile dysfunction and enlarged breasts in men, and infertility in women. Such changes may also be responsible for the higher risks for absent periods and abnormal uterine bleeding in women with alcoholism.

Drinking during Pregnancy and Effects on the Infant – there is no safe drinking when it comes to pregnant mothers. That which you call moderate amounts of alcohol is more than enough to cause damaging effects on the development of the fetus in several ways like low birth weight and an increased risk for miscarriage. High amounts can cause fetal alcohol syndrome a condition that can cause mental and growth retardation. Although there is no specific amount of alcohol intake, the risk of developing the syndrome is increased depending on the time of alcohol exposure during pregnancy, a pattern of drinking (four or more drinks per occasion), and how often alcohol consumption occurs.

Effect on Weight and Diabetes

Moderate alcohol consumption may help protect the hearts of adults with type 2 diabetes. Heavy drinking, however, is associated with obesity, which is a risk factor for this form of diabetes. In addition, alcohol can cause hypoglycemia, a drop in blood sugar, which is especially dangerous for people with diabetes who are taking insulin. Intoxicated diabetics may not be able to recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia.

Effect on Central and Peripheral Nervous System and Mental Functioning

Drinking too much alcohol can cause immediate mild neurologic problems in anyone life including insomnia and headache. Long-term alcohol use can physically affect the brain. Depending on length and severity of alcohol abuse, neurologic damage may not be permanent, and abstinence nearly always leads to eventual recovery of normal mental function.

Effect on Mental Functioning – Recent high alcohol use (within the last 3 months) is associated with some loss of verbal memory and slower reaction times. Over time, chronic alcohol abuse can impair so-called “executive functions,” which include:

Problem solving
Mental flexibility
Short-term memory and
Attention.

These problems are usually mild to moderate and can last for weeks or even years after a person quit drinking. In fact, such persistent problems in judgment are possibly one reason for the difficulty in quitting. Alcoholic patients who have co-existing psychiatric or neurologic problems are at particular risk for mental confusion and depression.

Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

People with alcoholism should be sure to take vitamin and mineral supplements. Even apparently well-nourished people with alcoholism may be deficient in important nutrients. Luck of vitamin B pose particular health risks in alcoholics. Other vitamin and mineral deficiencies, however, can also cause widespread health problems. The bottom line is that good and proper diet needs to be adhered to at all times.

Folate Deficiencies – Alcohol interferes with the metabolism of folate, a very important B vitamin, called folic acid when used as a supplement. Folate deficiencies can cause severe anemia. Deficiencies during pregnancy can lead to birth defects in the infant.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome – Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a serious consequence of severe thiamin (vitamin B1) deficiency in alcoholism. Symptoms of this syndrome include severe loss of balance, confusion, and memory loss. Eventually, it can result in permanent brain damage and death. Once the syndrome develops, oral supplements have no effect, and only adequate and rapid intravenous vitamin B1 can help rescue this serious condition.

Peripheral Neuropathy – Vitamin B12 deficiencies can also lead to peripheral neuropathy, a condition that causes pain, tingling, and other abnormal sensations in the arms and legs.

We have listed a number of health conditions critically affected by alcohol consumption and from our introduction, by now you must have realizes how gradual alcohol ruins peoples live. That is why doctor Akoury founded this facility (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) to professionally offer the much needed addiction treatment to all addicts. Under Doctor Akoury’s care and her able and experience team you will be treated in the best possible way which will not only be natural but also focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

General effects of Alcohol – Drug Addiction

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity

April 2, 2014

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Its Effects

alcohol consumption is a great contributor to malnutrition

Whichever way you look at it alcohol is the most abused drug and the most addictive of all known drugs in the world. The most surprising and interesting thing is that as toxic as it is, it is legalized and consumed freely. Its effect is felt in all homes directly and indirectly. Many alcoholics are malnourished, either because they ingest too little of essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins or because alcohol and its metabolism prevent their body from properly absorbing, digesting, and using those nutrients. As a result, alcoholics frequently experience deficiencies in proteins and vitamins, particularly vitamin A, which may contribute to liver disease and other serious alcohol–related disorders.

A complex interplay exists between a person’s alcohol consumption and nutritional status. Many people, including light to moderate drinkers who consume one to two glasses or less of an alcoholic beverage per day, consider those beverages a part of their normal diet and acquire a certain number of calories from them. When consumed in excess, however, alcohol can cause diseases by interfering with the nutritional status of the drinker. For example, alcohol can alter the intake, absorption into the body, and utilization of various nutrients. In addition, alcohol exerts some harmful effects through its breakdown (i.e., metabolism) and the resulting toxic compounds, particularly in the liver, where most of the alcohol metabolism occurs.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Nutritional Value of Alcohol

Alcoholic beverages primarily consist of water, pure alcohol (chemically known as ethanol), and variable amounts of sugars (i.e., carbohydrates); the content of other nutrients (e.g., proteins, vitamins, or minerals) is usually negligible. Because they provide almost no nutrients, alcoholic beverages are considered “empty calories.”) Therefore, any calories provided by alcoholic beverages are derived from the carbohydrates and alcohol they contain. The carbohydrate content varies greatly among beverage types.

At least under certain conditions, however, alcohol–derived calories when consumed in substantial amounts can have less biologic value than carbohydrate–derived calories, as shown in a study in the weights of two groups of participants who received balanced diets containing equal numbers of calories. In one of the groups, 50 percent of total calories were derived from carbohydrates, whereas in the other group the calories were derived from alcohol. The study participants were observed on the metabolic ward of a hospital during the experiments. The quantity of alcohol administered did not exceed the amount routinely consumed by these volunteers.

Although all participants received the same number of calories, those in the alcohol group exhibited a decline in body weight compared with those in the carbohydrate group. Moreover, when the participants received additional calories in the form of alcohol, they did not experience any corresponding weight gain. This suggests that some of the energy contained in alcohol is “lost” or “wasted” meaning, it is not available to the body for producing or maintaining body mass.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Nutritional Status

General observation suggests that many alcoholics do not consume a balanced diet; moreover, as mentioned earlier, excessive alcohol consumption may interfere with these alcoholics’ ability to absorb and use the nutrients they do consume. Accordingly, many alcoholics suffer from various degrees of both primary and secondary malnutrition. Primary malnutrition occurs when alcohol replaces other nutrients in the diet, resulting in overall reduced nutrient intake. Secondary malnutrition occurs when the drinker consumes adequate nutrients but alcohol interferes with the absorption of those nutrients from the intestine so they are not available to the body.

The most severe malnutrition, which is accompanied by a significant reduction in muscle mass, generally is found in those alcoholics who are hospitalized for medical complications of alcoholism (e.g., alcohol–related liver disease or other organ damage). If these patients continue to drink, they will lose additional weight; conversely, if they abstain from drinking, they will gain weight. This pattern applies to patients with and without liver disease.

Alcohol’s Effects on Digestion and Absorption of Essential Nutrients

Alcohol consumption, particularly at heavy drinking levels, not only influences the drinker’s diet but also affects the metabolism of those nutrients that are consumed. Thus, even if the drinker ingests sufficient proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, deficiencies may develop if those nutrients are not adequately absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, are not broken down properly, and/or are not used effectively by the body’s cells. Two classes of nutrients for which such problems occur are proteins and vitamins.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Amino Acids and Proteins

Proteins are essential components of all cells. They help maintain the cell’s structure, transport certain substances in and out of cells, and act as enzymes that mediate almost all biochemical reactions occurring in the cells. Proteins are composed of approximately 20 different building blocks called amino acids. Many of these amino acids can be produced by the body itself from various precursors or are recycled when proteins that are damaged or are no longer needed are broken down or degraded. Other amino acids however, must be acquired through diet. Alcohol can interfere with the uptake of these essential amino acids.

Patients with chronic liver failure also exhibit a number of defects in protein metabolism. These include decreased production of proteins in the liver that are secreted into the blood decreased urea synthesis, and decreased metabolism of a group of amino acids called aromatic amino acids. These defects have important clinical consequences:

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Vitamins

Vitamins are molecules that are present in small amounts in various foods and are essential for normal metabolism; insufficient vitamin levels in the body can lead to serious diseases. Alcoholics, even without liver disease, tend to have clinical and/or laboratory signs of deficiencies in certain vitamins, particularly vitamins B₁ (thiamine), B₂ (riboflavin), B₆ (pyridoxine), and C (ascorbic acid), as well as folic acid. The severity of these deficiencies correlates with the amount of alcohol consumed and with the corresponding decrease in vitamin intake.

A Person’s Nutrition Affects Liver Function

Malnutrition, regardless of its causes, can lead to liver damage and impaired liver function. For example, children in underdeveloped countries whose diets do not contain enough protein can develop a disease called kwashiorkor. One symptom of this disorder is the accumulation of fat in the liver, a condition known as fatty liver. Studies performed during and after World War II indicated that severe malnutrition also could lead to liver injury in adults. However, in these cases other factors, including exposure to certain toxins or parasites that are prevalent in war–ravaged or underdeveloped countries, may have exacerbated the relationship between liver injury and poor nutrition.

Because malnutrition also is common in alcoholics, clinicians initially thought that malnutrition, rather than alcohol itself, was responsible for alcohol–induced liver injury. Over the past 40 years, however, a more balanced view has evolved. Studies in humans, primates, and rodents have established that alcohol can cause liver damage even in well–nourished people.

It is becoming clear that nutritional effects and the toxic effects of alcohol often are intertwined at the biochemical level. For example, alcohol induces the MEOS to break down alcohol. Similarly, alcohol promotes the breakdown of nutrients such as vitamin A, of which alcoholics may already consume too little with their diet.

Alcohol causes malnutrition and liver toxicity-Its Effects

Tag Archives: Alcohol and nutrition