Vitamin Supplements as a Nutritional Strategy against Chronic Alcohol Consumption? An Updated Review PMC

Therefore, doctors may recommend nutrient supplementation as part of an individual’s detoxification and recovery process. Alcohol interacts with neurotransmitters including gamma-aminobutyric acid. Therefore, if individuals stop or reduce their alcohol intake, their brain must readjust, leading to withdrawal symptoms. Many holistic healers believe there is a link between sugar and alcoholism. That is, when alcohol is consumed there is an initial energy rush, followed by a severe drop in energy due to dropping sugar levels (blood glucose levels). While vitamin B12 and iron are two separate nutrients, they work together to produce healthy red blood cells.

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Drinking too much on a single occasion or over time can severely impact your health. When you drink, the process of metabolizing alcohol utilizes nutrients in your body. The liver breaks down most of the alcohol you drink so that it can be removed from the body.

Treatment for Vitamin Deficiency and Vitamin B Supplementation: Ensuring Safety Measures

When you call our team, you will speak to a Recovery Advocate who will answer any questions and perform a pre-assessment to determine your eligibility for treatment. If eligible, we will create a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is. Not getting enough of this vitamin can lead to anemia, depression, confusion, and a weak immune system. Poultry, fish, non-citrus fruit, and starchy vegetables such as potatoes are good sources.

How Does Nutritional Therapy Help?

If a person gets too much thiamine, the body simply gets rid of it through the call of nature. Shiling and Bebo pointed to the case of a patient who arrived at CeDAR severely intoxicated and exhibited “the classic triad of symptoms” of Wernicke encephalopathy, as Bebo put it. The patient multivitamin for alcoholics received IV thiamine treatment within one hour, helping to lead to a positive outcome. It’s difficult to identify definitively the benefits of the treatment, but for Shiling the “probable consequences” of thiamine deficiency have been on display during his seven years as a CeDAR nurse.

• However, some doctors dispute the use of vitamin C supplements and no official guidelines exist for treatment during alcohol withdrawal.
• People with alcohol use disorder are more likely to have a less nutritious diet, which exacerbates vitamin deficiencies.
• Niacin, or vitamin B3, can also be found in pork, as well as in fortified cereals, salmon, and swordfish.
• Limited information is available about whether selenium is helpful in those who struggle with alcohol or during alcohol withdrawal.

A U-shaped curve was also reported, in which the risk for type 2 diabetes was lower for small-volume drinkers than for nondrinkers, and the risk increased with increasing alcohol consumption [19]. Evidence for the health benefits of small amounts of alcohol consumption has remained controversial in recent years. All-cause mortality increased with increasing alcohol consumption, and only https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/6-ways-to-take-a-break-from-drinking-alcohol/ zero drinks minimized harm to overall health outcomes [20]. Thus, there is no basis for recommending small amounts of alcohol consumption to extend life expectancy, and the most important management of ALD is abstinence from alcohol. Chronic alcohol use can have devastating effects on the body, depleting essential vitamins and minerals and leading to serious health complications.

What are the Stats On Rehab and Recovery?

In addition, Shiling designed training in recognizing Wernicke encephalopathy for all CeDAR nurses and physicians and a tool for assessing the condition that is now in the Epic electronic health record. He also successfully advocated for adding thiamine to the initial order set for physicians. It eases inflammation and protects the thin layer that surrounds your brain cells, called the cell membrane. Canola, olive, safflower, sesame, and sunflower oils are good sources of healthy fats. That’s what evens out your moods, helps you sleep better, and soothes the urge for alcohol. Experts suggest a diet with lots of complex carbs like whole grains, veggies, peas, and beans.

Dual Diagnosis 101: How Mental Health Disorders and Substance Use Disorder Often go Hand in Hand

• If The Recovery Village is not the right fit for you or your loved one, we will help refer you to a facility that is.
• This significance of this finding is limited by small study size and the absence of blinding and a control group.
• However, heavy drinkers experiencing severe side effects might consider the following additional supplements.
• People with vitamin C deficiency or scurvy may also have issues with wound healing, swollen and bleeding gums, tooth loss, and jaundice.
• Frequent assessments of blood magnesium levels are recommended for patients with chronic alcoholism.

Therefore, long-term alcohol use leads to lower nutrient consumption and can affect how the body uses this limited supply of nutrients. As a result, many individuals who misuse alcohol may become malnourished. Long-term alcohol use can cause vitamin A levels to fall in the liver, the primary organ that breaks down alcohol and stores vitamin A. This occurs as both substances use similar pathways in the body to metabolize them. If someone regularly drinks more than the recommended amounts of alcohol — one drink daily for women and no more than two drinks daily for men — they may experience negative health consequences. For example, their body may become dependent on the alcohol, and their brain chemistry may change.

The case for vitamin C deficiency and alcohol

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