By Dr. Dalal Akoury Dr. Dalal Akoury August 10, 2015

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition?

Food is very essential for anyone’s life and well-being. From the food stuff we eat we are able to get the constant supply of the energy we need to keep a float and to be productive in our daily undertakings. Even though when food is not taken the right way could also cause certain complications, it is very good and rich in nutrients which are the driving forces in the proper functionalities of our bodies. In one of the forums where doctor Dalal Akoury a veteran expert in addiction was addressing professionals in different health sectors, she posed a question that is malnutrition related to substance abuse? That question is going to form the focus of our discussion with a view of finding out the significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition. Ideally alcohol addiction and malnutrition are two different elements that must not be allowed to have any relationship let alone one being a victim of either or both. Therefore doctor Akoury is kicking off the discussion with finding out the nutritional status of what we feed on as follows.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: Nutritional status?

According to the experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility which was established by doctor Akoury the general observation suggests that many alcoholics in many cases do not actually feed on a well-balanced diet. And besides, 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, where primary malnutrition occurs when alcohol replaces other nutrients in the diet resulting in an overall reduction of 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). According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center if these patients continue with their drinking habits, the consequence would be that 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.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: 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 user takes in sufficient proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals, deficiencies may still develop if those nutrients are not adequately absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, are not broken down properly or are not used effectively by the body’s cells. Two classes of nutrients for which such problems occur are proteins and vitamins.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: 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:

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: 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.

Is malnutrition related to substance abuse: 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.

Doctor Akoury registers that 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 decades, 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.

In conclusion, doctor Akoury reports that it is becoming clear that nutritional effects and the toxic effects of alcohol often are intertwined at the biochemical level. Like for instance, 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. Therefore for us to be safe from all these malnutrition, our starting point should be the elimination of drug addiction from our societies and life system and that is where doctor Dalal Akoury a well-respected addiction expert of several decades come in. if this describes your situation, then it is important that you call doctor Akoury today to schedule or an appointment with her for the commencement of your addiction recovery treatment program today.