Deficiencies of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc are common in alcoholics, although alcohol itself does not seem to affect the absorption of these minerals (15).
Alcohol intake is also associated with low serum magnesium, selenium and zinc levels. Water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, B9 and C, and fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, E and K have also been reported to be deficient in alcoholics.
In alcoholics, several factors may contribute to thiamine deficiency. First, nutritional thiamine deficiency can occur in alcoholics because of their poor eating habits. Alcoholics may eat nothing for days, and when they do eat, their food often is high in carbohydrates and low in vitamins such as thiamine.
Alcoholics have been found to have deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Research shows that drinking alcohol itself does not limit the absorption of minerals, but alcohol-related problems do.
A common complication of chronic alcohol abuse is folic acid deficiency which can result from a direct effect of ethanol on folate metabolism, such as the acute decrease in serum folate levels58.
With heavy alcohol intake, there can be a loss of magnesium from tissues and increased urinary loss (Pasqualetti et al., 1987; Shane and Flink, 1991). Chronic alcohol abuse has been reported to deplete the total body supply of magnesium (Vandemergel and Simon, 2015).
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is typically associated with folate deficiency, which is the result of reduced dietary folate intake, intestinal malabsorption, reduced liver uptake and storage, and increased urinary folate excretion.
Include 250mg Vitamin C, 150mg magnesium, 1500mg calcium and 500 mg niacin from dietary sources each day. A good multivitamin/mineral supplement (like Centrum) is also recommended. Omega 3 fatty acids can help to minimize symptoms. Try including 3-4 ounces of fish 2-4 times per week or adding flaxseed to your foods.
Chronic alcoholic patients are frequently deficient in one or more vitamins. The deficiencies commonly involve folate, vitamin B6, thiamine, and vitamin A.
Proteins like meats, poultry, fish, beans, peas, eggs, nuts and seeds are rich in B vitamins, vitamin E, iron, zinc and magnesium, all of which are common alcohol-related deficiencies. Making sure to eat protein during your detox and recovery can help to replete your stores of these important nutrients.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including: High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems. Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
CeDAR nurse Gene Shiling developed a protocol to give vitamin B1 –to alcohol users to prevent a type of brain damage called Wernicke encephalopathy. It's vitamin B1, or thiamine, a substance that plays a key role in converting the foods we eat into energy.
An important mechanism in alcohol-induced injury is biomolecular oxidative damage. Folic acid is supplied to chronic alcoholic patients in order to prevent this situation, as this is the main vitamin deficiency that they suffer from.
A Norwegian study on chronic alcoholics suggested that Mg treatment over six weeks decreases abnormally high activities of three enzymes related to liver function: serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (S-GGT), aspartate-aminotransferase (S-AST) and alanine-aminotransferase (S-ALT), and increases handgrip muscle strength [3] ...
What is a banana bag? You might call it intravenous hangover relief. Named for their distinctive yellow color, banana bags consist of thiamine, folate, magnesium sulfate and multivitamins in a saline solution.
In patients at low risk (with uncomplicated alcohol dependence), oral thiamine 250-500mg/day should be given for 3-5 days, followed by oral thiamine 100-250mg/day.
If you drink heavily, you should consider adding a thiamine supplement to your daily diet to compensate for alcohol's deleterious effects on thiamine absorption, and to prevent the very scary consequences of serious thiamine deficiency.
Heavy drinkers may benefit from adding vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6, and B9 supplements as indicated by symptoms of deficiencies, and under professional medical guidance. Vitamin B1 deficiency can be treated by ceasing alcohol consumption (with professional help), improving nutritional factors, and taking B1 supplements.
Banana Bags are IV drips consisting of thiamine, folate, magnesium sulphate, and multivitamins in a saline solution. It is the combination of these electrolytes and B-complex vitamins which turns the solution yellow. The term 'Banana Bag' was coined in America.
Alcohol-related 'dementia' or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome will cause them to struggle with day-to-day tasks. This is similar to someone living with dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Generally, symptoms of alcoholic liver disease include abdominal pain and tenderness, dry mouth and increased thirst, fatigue, jaundice (which is yellowing of the skin), loss of appetite, and nausea. Your skin may look abnormally dark or light. Your feet or hands may look red.