Alternative Approaches to end Alcohol Abuse

April 24, 2014

Alternative Approaches to end Alcohol Abuse-The HPA Axis

researches have been done and conclusions made. One of the Research fund that the “home” of alcoholism (alcohol) resides in the HPA (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) axis of the neuroendocrine system …

Alternative Approaches to end Alcohol Abuse-The Home of Alcoholism in the Body and Mind

Consumption of alcohol is a problem which has kept the global society thinking. There are two different schools of thoughts depending on the interest represented. The interest of health and that of generating revenue, for the purpose of this article we will focus on the interest of health and the possible solutions. Several researches have been done and conclusions made. One of the finds was that that the “home” of alcoholism resides in the HPA (hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal) axis of the neuroendocrine system, to this effect scientists have developed extremely sophisticated tests which monitor the performance of this axis under various conditions by measuring:

Dopamine
Serotonin, GABA
Glutamate
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
Norepinephrine (noradrenalin)
Cortisol
DHEA

These are the six big neurotransmitters and two key hormones which define either the health of the neuroendocrine system or its state and depth of illness. To better understand the root of this phenomenon we will go into it a little more detail regarding genetic addictive biochemistry and active addiction and how they affect the HPA axis.

Alternative Approaches to end Alcohol Abuse-The hypothalamus

The endocrine system is the network of glands in the body comprised of the hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, adrenals, thyroid, parathyroid and the sex glands; ovaries and testes. These glands secrete hormones throughout the body to each and every organ via the blood which are received by their complimentary receptors. Hormones are “messengers” which carry messages coded by our DNA with the intention of keeping an organ regulated and healthy, essentially functioning as it should. A hormone’s message will stimulate, suppress or maintain functional cell or tissue activity of the organ it is received by.

The hypothalamus is the center piece of the endocrine system and is located in the middle of the base of the brain. The purpose of hypothalamus’ is to establish and maintain homeostasis; balance within the body. It regulates all the functions of the autonomic system of breathing, heart rate, etc… but also hunger, thirst, sexual drive, sleep urination and metabolism which includes blood sugar control.

Although technically hypothalamus is part of the endocrine system it is really central to both the endocrine and nervous system; in fact, it is in the hypothalamus that these two extremely complex systems of the body intersect. As the Master Accountant, the hypothalamus performs checks and balances and responds to chemical messages of deficient or excess by sending various hormones and neurotransmitters to “adjust” to the requirements of your internal and/or external environments to maintain status quo. The hypothalamus is able to do this because it houses receptor sites for both hormones from the endocrine system and neurotransmitters from the nervous system and it utilizes the information it receives from those sites to do its job of not only controlling the entire endocrine system, including having a profound influence on the liver, heart and kidneys, but establishing healthy brain chemistry and nervous system performance by correcting neurotransmitter imbalances by either slowing production of what is in excess, ingesting or degrading them faster, or in cases of deficiency, producing and releasing them as required.

Alternative Approaches to end Alcohol Abuse-Addictive biochemistry

The door to addictive biochemistry opens when either the hypothalamus or one of the organs which serve the hypothalamus in accomplishing this job is injured, or if the nutrients required are not available. In any one of these conditions the entire system will fall off the “point zero” (homeostasis) that the HPA system tries to maintain, and the door for addictive biochemistry is opened. It is a well-known fact that addictive biochemistry and full out alcoholism are associated with over expression of the sympathetic nervous system; low serotonin, GABA, dopamine, endorphins and enkephalins and it is in the hypothalamus where the delicate job of balancing this network of hormones and neurotransmitters to achieve physical and mental health is supposed to be done whether it be directly from the hypothalamus or via the pituitary and adrenals under the control of the hypothalamus.

Alternative Approaches to end Alcohol Abuse-The difference between addictive biochemistry and alcoholism

The only difference between addictive biochemistry and full out alcoholism is that addictive biochemistry becomes aggravated, meaning that the deficient condition within the hypothalamus, pituitary or adrenals is made more profound by the damaging effects of alcohol toxicity and the medicating effects which, while drinking, overexpress serotonin, endorphins and dopamine which magnifies the negative impact of an already up-regulated brain chemistry. The symptoms the problem drinker experiences intensify in direct relationship to the diminishing health of the neuroendocrine system which further encourages the person to drink more thus causing even more damage. This cycle progressively intensifies until intervention which discontinues and heals the damage is required to stop it.

The pituitary gland is located below the hypothalamus and is directly connected to it via nerve and circulatory pathways. The hypothalamus regulates the function of the pituitary gland which in turn controls hormonal secretions of all other glands; however, specific to alcoholism we are concerned with the function of the adrenals and the secretion of cortisol which is under control of ACTH (adrenocorticotrophin) secreted by the pituitary, and epinephrine and norepinephrine which is also released by the adrenals due to a rise in CRH and/or signals from the sympathetic nervous system. In the case of cortisol release, when the hypothalamus registers low blood sugar it will send CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone) to the pituitary which then releases ACTH which will cause cortisol to be secreted from the adrenals. This chain of events will also cause the release of epinephrine and to a lesser degree norepinephrine. Prolonged increased levels of epinephrine will block insulin receptors which lead to insulin resistance and lowered serotonin, endorphin, enkephalin and GABA levels which impairs HPA functions and increases compulsive/addictive behavior.

The adrenals sit on top of the kidneys and are directly controlled by the pituitary gland. The adrenals are comprised of two sections; one is the medulla which is the inner core and the second is the adrenal cortex which is the outer layer. The medulla relates to the sympathetic nervous system and produces the catecholamine’s epinephrine and norepinephrine. The adrenal cortex produces sex hormones, aldosterone, and what we’re most concerned with cortisol.

The adrenals receive chemical messengers (hormones) from the pituitary and signal from the sympathetic nervous system which determines how much of its hormones it will release. However, if they are injured, diseased or fatigued they will not be able to keep up with the demands from the hypothalamus to maintain homeostasis and mild to severe mental disorders will surface as symptoms of compromised adrenal health.

Although it is hard to imagine because they are docked on our kidneys, adrenal health is fundamental to our mental health. Proper levels of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine are crucial to our mental well-being so concentrated focus needs to be applied to their health when healing addictive biochemistry and alcoholism. As you consider breaking way from addictive biochemistry and alcoholism, you need the help of an expert to take you through the healing process. Doctor Dalal Akoury is an expert who has the experience of over two decades and has been helping many get their life back globally by emphasizing on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE.

Alternative Approaches to end Alcohol Abuse-The HPA Axis

Obstacles of Alcoholism treatment

April 22, 2014

Obstacles of Alcoholism treatment-Drinking problems and denial

With alcohol abuse you can never be safe. Run from it and escape its result which is being alcoholic and suffer from alcoholism

Denial is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize drinking, even when the consequences are obvious. By keeping you from looking honestly at your behavior and its negative effects, denial also exacerbates alcohol-related problems with work, finances, and relationships.

If you have a drinking problem, you may deny it by:

Drastically underestimating how much you drink
Downplaying the negative consequences of your drinking
Complaining that family and friends are exaggerating the problem
Blaming your drinking or drinking-related problems on others

For example, you may blame an ‘unfair boss’ for trouble at work or a ‘nagging wife’ for your marital issues, rather than look at how your drinking is contributing to the problem. While work, relationship, and financial stresses happen to everyone, an overall pattern of deterioration and blaming others may be a sign of trouble.

If you find yourself rationalizing your drinking habits, lying about them, or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so defensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses.

Effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can affect all aspects of your life. Long-term alcohol use can cause serious health complications, affecting virtually every organ in your body, including your brain. Problem drinking can also damage your emotional stability, finances, career, and your ability to build and sustain satisfying relationships. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can also have an impact on your family, friends and the people you work with.

The effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse on the people you love

Despite the potentially lethal damage that heavy drinking does to the body including cancer, heart problems, and liver disease the social consequences can be just as devastating. Alcoholics and alcohol abusers are much more likely to get divorced, have problems with domestic violence, struggle with unemployment, and live in poverty.

But even if you’re able to succeed at work or hold your marriage together, you can’t escape the effects that alcoholism and alcohol abuse has on your personal relationships. Drinking problems put an enormous strain on the people closest to you.

Often, family members and close friends feel obligated to cover for the person with the drinking problem. So they take on the burden of cleaning up your messes, lying for you, or working more to make ends meet. Pretending that nothing is wrong and hiding away all of their fears and resentments can take an enormous toll. Children are especially sensitive and can suffer long-lasting emotional trauma when a parent or caretaker is an alcoholic or heavy drinker.

Getting help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse

If you’re ready to admit you have a drinking problem, you’ve already taken the first step. It takes tremendous strength and courage to face alcohol abuse and alcoholism head on. Reaching out for support is the second step.

Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programs, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential. Recovering from alcohol addiction is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. Without support, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns when things get tough.

Your continued recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making better decisions when dealing with life’s challenges. In order to stay alcohol-free for the long term, you’ll also have to face the underlying problems that led to your alcoholism or alcohol abuse in the first place.

Those problems could be depression, an inability to manage stress, an unresolved trauma from your childhood, or any number of mental health issues. Such problems may become more prominent when you’re no longer using alcohol to cover them up. But you will be in a healthier position to finally address them and seek the help you need.

Helping a loved one with alcoholism or alcohol abuse

If someone you love has a drinking problem, you may be struggling with a number of painful emotions, including shame, fear, anger, and self-blame. The problem may be so overwhelming that it seems easier to ignore it and pretend that nothing is wrong. But in the long run denying it will be more damaging to you, other family members, and the person with the drinking problem. So then what shouldn’t you do?

Don’t attempt to punish, threaten, bribe, or preach.
Don’t try to be a martyr. Avoid emotional appeals that may only increase feelings of guilt and the compulsion to drink or use other drugs.
Don’t cover up or make excuses for the alcoholic or problem drinker or shield them from the realistic consequences of their behavior.
Don’t take over their responsibilities, leaving them with no sense of importance or dignity.
Don’t hide or dump bottles, throw out drugs, or shelter them from situations where alcohol is present.
Don’t argue with the person when they are impaired.
Don’t try to drink along with the problem drinker.
Above all, don’t feel guilty or responsible for another’s behavior.

Dealing with a loved one’s alcohol problem can be an emotional rollercoaster. It’s vital that you take care of yourself and get the support you need. It’s also important to have people you can talk honestly and openly with about what you’re going through.

A good place to start is by joining a group such as Al-Anon, a free peer support group for families coping with alcoholism. Listening to others with the same challenges can be a tremendous source of comfort and support. You can also turn to trusted friends, a therapist, or people in your faith community.

You cannot force someone you love to stop abusing alcohol. As much as you may want to, and as hard as it is to watch, you cannot make someone stop drinking. The choice is up to them.
Don’t expect the person to stop drinking and stay sober without help. Your loved one will need treatment, support, and new coping skills to overcome a serious drinking problem.
Recovery is an ongoing process. Recovery is a bumpy road, requiring time and patience. An alcoholic will not magically become a different person once sober. And the problems that led to the alcohol abuse in the first place will have to be faced.

Admitting that there’s a serious problem can be painful for the whole family, not just the alcohol abuser. But don’t be ashamed. You’re not alone. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse affects millions of families, from every social class, race, and culture. But there is help and support available for both you and your loved one.

When your teen has a drinking problem

Discovering your child is drinking can generate fear, confusion, and anger in parents. It’s important to remain calm when confronting your teen, and only do so when everyone is sober. Explain your concerns and make it clear that your concern comes from a place of love. It’s important that your teen feels you are supportive.
Five steps parents can take:

Lay down rules and consequences: Your teen should understand that drinking alcohol comes with specific consequences. But don’t make hollow threats or set rules that you cannot enforce. Make sure your spouse agrees with the rules and is prepared to enforce them.
Monitor your teen’s activity: Know where your teen goes and who he or she hangs out with. Remove or lock away alcohol from your home and routinely check potential hiding places for alcohol in backpacks, under the bed, between clothes in a drawer, for example. Explain to your teen that this lack of privacy is a consequence of him or her having been caught using alcohol.
Encourage other interests and social activities: Expose your teen to healthy hobbies and activities, such as team sports, Scouts, and afterschool clubs.
Talk to your child about underlying issues: Drinking can be the result of other problems. Is your child having trouble fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress?
Get outside help: You don’t have to go it alone. Teenagers often rebel against their parents but if they hear the same information from a different authority figure, they may be more inclined to listen. Try seeking help from a sports coach, family doctor, therapist, or counselor.

We have been together trying to understand the real effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse and from the discussion it’s clear that this substance is a time bomb waiting to explode. Before it does you need to take percussions to be safe and your loved once. I want to make worthy recommendation to you that an expert opinion in all this will be very important. Seek help from doctor Dalal Akoury who is an expert in all sorts of addiction and substance abuse. With her you shall have made several steps inside lasting solution which is your ultimate goal.

Obstacles of Alcoholism treatment-Drinking problems and denial

NAD and Acetaldehyde and Alcoholism

April 21, 2014

NAD and Acetaldehyde and Alcoholism-Routes of Alcohol Ingestion

The attractive bottles of alcohol are only inviting you poor health and alcoholism

The only normal route of ingesting alcohol is drinking it–but this is not the only route possible. Other more exotic routes are used on occasion. Alcohol can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, injected, or given as an enema. Let us take a look at each of these methods:

Inhalation: AWOL (Alcohol without Liquid) is an alcohol inhalation device that has been released in the US and the UK. AWOL’s manufacturers claim that when alcohol is vaporized and inhaled it can lead to intoxication as much as 10 times as quickly as drinking and allows one to sober up with no hangover in an equally rapid time frame. Doctors are still debating the safety of AWOL. At least 22 states in the US have banned AWOL.

Injection: Some scientific researchers give alcohol injections to research subjects when they wish to bypass the stomach. It was the comparison of the effects of injected alcohol with orally ingested alcohol which led scientists to conclude that women have less alcohol dehydrogenase in their stomachs than men do. Self-administration of alcohol by injection is extremely dangerous and should never be attempted. The risk of death by alcohol poisoning is extremely high.

Alcohol enema: This is another rather dangerous and sometimes deadly form of alcohol administration. If the internet is to be believed then alcohol enemas are not uncommon at sex parties. A beer enema might be safe enough. However the simple fact is that alcohol is absorbed very rapidly through the large intestine and the rectum and there are no enzymes here to break it down. Thus the same dose of alcohol given by enema will produce a much higher BAC than if one drinks it. There was a famous case of death by sherry enema in Texas where the wife was acquitted of murder charges. And a vodka enema is silent but deadly for sure.

Transdermal: Alcohol can also be absorbed through the skin although this is quite a slow and impractical method of ingesting it.

NAD and Acetaldehyde and Alcoholism-Why Alcohol Has a Steady State Metabolism Rather Than a Half Life

When a drug like valium is broken down by the human body the resultant metabolites are harmless. It is for this reason that drugs like valium are broken down as quickly as the body can process them–and hence they have a half life. The half life of valium is 35 hours on the average. This means that if you take a 10 mg dose of valium, then 35 hours later half of it will have been metabolized and only 5 mg will remain. In another 35 hours half of this will be metabolized and only 2.5 mg will remain and so on. When we plot the metabolism of valium on a graph we get an exponential curve–in other words–drugs which have a half life have an exponential rate of decay. Chemists refer to this as a First Order Reaction.

Alcohol, on the other hand, shows a steady state metabolism not an exponential metabolism. The body of the average human metabolizes around 13 ml of alcohol per hour regardless. When we plot the metabolism of alcohol on a graph we get a straight line–in other words the rate of decay of alcohol is linear. Chemists refer to this as a Zero Order Reaction. The reason why alcohol has a steady state metabolism rather than a half-life metabolism is because the primary decay product of alcohol metabolism–acetaldehyde–is poisonous. The body must eliminate the acetaldehyde produced by the breakdown of alcohol before any more alcohol can be processed in order to avoid acetaldehyde poisoning. This slows down the rate of alcohol metabolism to a Zero Order Reaction rather than a First Order Reaction.

NAD and Acetaldehyde and Alcoholism-Why do humans have a way to break down alcohol

Practically every animal from the fruit fly to the elephant has a way to break down ethyl alcohol because ethyl alcohol is found everywhere in nature. Every time you eat a piece of fresh fruit, drink a glass of fresh orange juice, or have a slice of freshly baked bread then chances are that you are getting trace amounts of alcohol along with it. It is not uncommon to see intoxicated birds which have eaten fermented fruit. Monkeys are known to seek out fermented fruit for the intoxicating effect and Indian elephants have been known to break into breweries or wineries to drink up what is stored there.

Not only are we constantly ingesting alcohol along with the food we eat, our own bodies produce alcohol as a part of the digestive process. Our digestive tracts contain millions of micro-organisms which are necessary for us to properly digest our food. Among these micro-organisms are yeasts which produce alcohol from sugars within our own bodies.

With alcohol so omnipresent in nature it is necessary that animals have a way to break alcohol down, otherwise it would just accumulate in the body and no animal could function properly because the animals would always be constantly intoxicated.

Other alcohols such as methyl alcohol (wood alcohol) and isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) do not normally occur in nature. This is why we do not have a mechanism to break them down and why they are poisonous.

NAD and Acetaldehyde and Alcoholism-Poisonous Alcohols

The difference between wood alcohol–also known as methyl alcohol or methanol–and ethanol is that wood alcohol has one less carbon and two less hydrogen atoms. The chemical formula for ethanol is C2H6O whereas the formula for methanol is CH4O. Alcohol dehydrogenase converts methanol into formaldehyde (CH2O) and aldehyde dehydrogenase turns this formaldehyde into a formic acid radical (CH2O-). Both formaldehyde and formic acid are highly poisonous and quickly dead to blindness and death.

Another highly poisonous alcohol is ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) which is used in antifreeze. A metabolite of ethylene glycol is the highly poisonous oxalic acid.

Rubbing alcohol (C3H8O)–also known as isopropyl alcohol–is more poisonous than ethanol but not as poisonous as methanol. Some chronic alcoholics turn to drinking rubbing alcohol when ethanol is unavailable–and some even come to prefer it.

NAD and Acetaldehyde and Alcoholism-Alcohol and Blood Sugar

Although alcohol may cause a slight rise in blood sugar levels when initially ingested–the overall effect of alcohol is to cause a drop in blood sugar. The more you drink the more the blood sugar drops. Eating before, during or after drinking can help to alleviate this blood sugar drop somewhat. Drinks with lots of carbs like beer or mixed drinks with sugary mixers can lead to blood sugar spikes preceding the blood sugar drop.

Because of alcohol’s effect on blood sugar people with diabetes are recommended to have no more than one or two standard drinks per day and to avoid drinks high in carbs. Untreated diabetes can lead to severe consequences including blindness, amputation of limbs affected by gangrene and even death–so diabetics are recommended to be especially cautious about their alcohol intake.

NAD and Acetaldehyde and Alcoholism-Routes of Alcohol Ingestion

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

Breast Cancer and Alcohol; Role of Alcohol

March 17, 2014

Breast cancer and Alcohol-Role of alcohol

Breast cancer and Alcohol-Definition

Alcohol has great effect on the causes of cancer, keep health by a voiding alcohol

Breast cancer is that which forms in tissues of the breast. The most common type of breast cancer is ductal carcinoma, which begins in the lining of the milk ducts (thin tubes that carry milk from the lobules of the breast to the nipple).

Another type of breast cancer is lobular carcinoma, which begins in the lobules (milk glands) of the breast. Invasive breast cancer is breast cancer that has spread from where it began in the breast ducts or lobules to surrounding normal tissue. Breast cancer occurs in both men and women, although male breast cancer is rare.

Breast cancer and Alcohol-Potential link between alcohol consumption and the cancer

Scientists looking at particular enzyme found a biological molecule that accelerates chemical reactions known as CYP2E1. Their findings offer a possible target to improve outcomes for patients in the later stages of the disease.

This enzyme, known as CYP2E1, has been implicated in various liver diseases linked to alcohol consumption, Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD), as well as diabetes, obesity and cancer. That is Breast Cancer and Alcohol are closely linked.

They wanted to understand why an enzyme known to function mainly in the liver was found to be heavily present in some types of breast cancer tissues. They also wanted to explore what other activities this enzyme might have that control the development of breast cancer. Their findings revealed that the enzyme breaks down various molecules within cells, including alcohol. The by-products of this metabolism include reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in something called oxidative stress, in normal physiological conditions this aids cellular functions, whereas when concentrations of ROS are high or oxidative stress becomes chronic, cells can be seriously damaged. Breast Cancer and Alcohol are closely related.

Previous studies have shown that the enzyme is most strongly expressed in early stages of breast tumors rather than more developed tumors and scientists believe that it contributes to the progression of breast cancer.

The study, published in Breast Cancer Research, found that depending on the stage of the breast cancer, high levels of the enzyme can help cells survive during stress. It was also found that inhibiting the activity of the enzyme in cells with high migratory potential promoted cell migration a process linked to cancer spreading known as metastasis.

Breast cancer and Alcohol-Causes and risk factors

We have not fully understood the causes of breast cancer, as a result of this may be difficult to say with certainty why one woman may develop breast cancer and another may not. However the risk factors are known, some of these can change the likelihood that someone may develop breast cancer. There are some factors you cannot do anything about, but there are some you can change.

Alcohol

Your risk of developing breast cancer can increase with the amount of alcohol you drink. Research shows that, for every 200 women who regularly have two alcoholic drinks a day, there are three more women with breast cancer compared with women who do not drink at all. That study confirms that Breast Cancer and Alcohol has a cause and effect relationship.

Age

The risk of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. Breast cancer is most common among women over 50 who have been through the menopause. 8 out of 10 breast cancer cases occur in women over 50.

All women between 50 and 70 years of age should be screened for breast cancer every three years as part of the NHS Breast Screening programme. Women over the age of 70 are still eligible to be screened and can arrange this through their GP or local screening unit. Currently, there are ongoing pilot studies looking at widening the screening age range to 47-73.

Family history

If you have close relatives who have had breast cancer or ovarian cancer, you may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. However, as breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, it is possible for it to occur more than once in the same family by chance.

Most breast cancer cases are not hereditary. However, particular genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2, can increase your risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer. It is possible for these genes to be passed on from a parent to their child. If you have, for example, two or more close relatives from the same side of your family who have had breast cancer under the age of 50, you may be eligible for surveillance for breast cancer or for genetic screening to look for the genes that make developing breast cancer more likely.

Previous diagnosis of breast cancer

If you have previously had breast cancer or early non-invasive cancer cell changes contained within breast ducts, you have a higher risk of developing it again, either in your other breast or in the same breast again.

Previous benign breast lump

A benign breast lump does not mean you have breast cancer, but certain types of lump may slightly increase your risk of developing it. Certain benign changes in your breast tissue, such as atypical ductal hyperplasia (cells growing abnormally in ducts) or lobular carcinoma in situ (abnormal cells inside your breast lobes), can make getting breast cancer more likely. If you drink alcohol specially more than 2 glasses per day it will increase your risk to develop breast cancer. Breast cancer and alcohol go hand in hand.

Breast density

Your breasts are made up of thousands of tiny glands (lobules), which produce milk. This glandular tissue contains a higher concentration of breast cells than other breast tissue, making it denser. Women with denser breast tissue may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer because there are more cells that can become cancerous. This is specially true if you drink alcohol regularly. Breast cancer and alcohol have been closely associated.

Dense breast tissue can also make a breast scan (mammogram) harder to read because it makes any lumps or areas of abnormal tissue harder to spot. Younger women tend to have denser breasts. As you get older, the amount of glandular tissue in your breasts decreases and is replaced by fat, so your breasts become less dense.

Being overweight or obese

Breast Cancer and Alcohol; The role of Alcohol is more pronounced if you have been through the menopause and are overweight or obese, you may be more at risk of developing breast cancer. This is thought to be linked to the amount of estrogen in your body, as being overweight or obese after the menopause causes more estrogen to be produced.

Being tall

If you are taller than average, you are more likely to develop breast cancer than someone who is shorter than average. This may be due to interactions between genes, nutrition and hormones, but the reason is not fully understood.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer. Both combined HRT and estrogen-only HRT can increase your risk of developing breast cancer, although the risk is slightly higher if you take combined HRT. When you are considering HRT pay attention to the fact that Breast Cancer and Alcohol may play a role in Breast cancer development with HRT.

It is estimated there will be an extra 19 cases of breast cancer for every 1,000 women taking combined HRT for 10 years. The risk continues to increase slightly the longer you take HRT, but returns to normal once you stop taking it.

Breast cancer and Alcohol-Role of alcohol

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