Nutritional Problems in Alcoholism

Alcoholism or heavy alcohol consumption causes a constellation of physical problems for the alcoholic. I am going to address some of these problems in a general way right now. Later, I will address some of the more specific body systems that are altered and damaged due to the alcohol.

Alcoholics that are admitted to alcohol rehab are often surprised to hear of the high percentage of daily calories they are getting from their alcohol use. Sometimes, a person is consuming 70-80% of their calories through alcohol consumption! Obviously, alcohol is not like consuming V-8. It is not a very nutritious drink! It is generally what nutritionists call "empty calories", devoid of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

So one way that the alcoholic becomes nutritionally deficient is by consuming less calories through nutritious food and more empty calories through alcohol. That's the easy part to understand. As you look deeper, you see that alcohol damages the lining of the small intestine and stomach. These damaged cells can not absorb nutrients as well. Next, alcohol inhibits the breakdown of nutrients by decreasing the secretion of important digestive enzymes from the pancreas. So, even when the alcoholic is eating good food, they are less able to absorb the nutrients from it.

One of the nutritional deficiencies that occurs is with a B-complex vitamin called Folic Acid (Folate). As folate levels decrease, it alters further the cells of the small intestine such that even less folate can be absorbed along with other nutrients.

As you can see, one facet of alcohol addiction treatment and alcohol detox involves a nutritional re-feeding and vitamin supplementation. Any good holistic addiction treatment program will address nutritional deficiencies seen in alcoholism with a good dietary evaluation and treatment plan. There will be much more detailed information to follow in future posts!

John Neuhaus, M.D.