Vitamin Supplements for Alcoholism

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Alcoholics often suffer from multiple vitamin deficiencies. The most unsafe deficiencies are from vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, and vitamin C.  

While vitamin supplements for alcoholism would certainly help from a health perspective, it seems that dietary imbalances are more common than major vitamin deficiencies among alcoholics. 

Alcoholism, Nutrition, and The Results of Liver Disease

For the most part, the lack of nutrition is associated with the organs damaged by heavy drinking. 

For instance, alcohol-related liver disease results in the following:

• amino acid imbalance
  
  
• failure of protein synthesis
  
  
• poor digestion
  
  
• reduced storage of zinc, vitamin B6 and vitamin A
  
  
• an increased rate of metabolism

Alcoholism, Vitamin Deficiencies, and Health Issues

Alcoholics frequently experience multiple vitamin deficiencies. The most unhealthy deficiencies are from folic acid, vitamin C, and from vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), and B6 (pyridoxine).  Other vitamins which may be deficient in alcoholics are B12, folate, niacin, vitamins D, and vitamin K. 

It may be noted that for maximum absorption, alcohol-dependent people may be given B1 by injection.  Furthermore, when alcohol amounts to a large percentage of total caloric intake, high protein diets are frequently recommended.

Good health can be restored, especially for the moderate alcoholic, if the person abstains from alcohol and starts taking vitamin and protein supplements.  If abstaining is not attainable, however, a well-balanced diet consisting of 2,000 calories per day reinforced by protein and vitamin supplements is the usual recommendation. 

It is important to point out that not all alcoholics develop vitamin deficiencies.  Perhaps the main reason for this is how well they eat. This is frequently related cultural and socio-economic circumstances.  Additionally, a tendency to develop some deficiencies such as a thiamin deficiency, may be inherited.

Hangovers that take place after excessive drinking are partially due to dehydration and to a change in blood acid levels.  It is therefore incorrect to associate hangovers to a vitamin deficiency.  And it is equally incorrect to propose that vitamin supplements for alcoholism can solve the problem.

Alcoholism Damages Important Organs of the Body

Excessive drinking also damages the pancreas which, similar to a damaged liver, leads to poor digestion and undesirable changes in metabolism.  Drinking too much alcohol can also damage the lining of the intestinal tract, a condition that negatively affects the absorption of nutrients.  To put things rather bluntly, excessive drinking can damage the liver, pancreas, and intestinal tract linings, which in turn, negatively affect the availability, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients. 

Vitamin Supplements for Alcoholism:  Conclusion

Many, if not most alcoholics suffer from vitamin deficiencies and dietary imbalances.  For the most part, however, the lack of nutrition experienced by alcoholics is associated with various organs that have been damaged by heavy drinking.

For instance, excessive drinking can damage the liver, pancreas, and intestinal tract linings, which in turn, negatively affect the availability, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients.  Consequently, vitamin supplements for alcoholism may help to a certain extent, but when the key health dangers are due to damaged organs, the absolute best remedy for an alcohol is this:  quit drinking.

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