Download Alcoholism and Its Effects

Alcoholism
and Its Effects
Alcohol (ethyl alcohol or ethanol)
consumption has a social aspect to it,
but it is often abused. The effect of
alcohol consumption on the body
depends on how often it is consumed,
how much, and the alcohol content of
the drinks.
Frequent alcohol use may encourage
alcohol dependence or alcoholism.
Alcoholism is a chronic disease that
progresses and is often fatal.
It is a primary disorder and not only a
symptom of other diseases or
emotional disorders. Factors such as
psychology, culture, genetics, and
response to physical pain influence the
severity of alcoholism.
Special Concerns
Health Concerns Relating to Alcohol
Consumption
Alcoholic liver disease may occur with chronic
alcohol consumption.
This disease is manifested in three forms: steatosis
(fatty liver), alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
Alcohol abuse is responsible for 60% to 75% of
cases of cirrhosis, which is a major risk factor for
eventually developing primary liver cancer.
Alcohol may further compromise the
health of an individual through:
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Immune system suppression. People with alcoholism are prone to
infections, in particular, pneumonia.
Gastrointestinal problems; especially diarrhea and hemorrhoids.
Mental and neurological disorders. Chronic use eventually leads to
depression and confusion. In severe cases, gray matter in the brain
is destroyed, possibly leading to psychosis and mental
disturbances.
Alcoholism increases levels of the female hormone estrogen and
reduces levels of the male hormone testosterone, factors that
contribute to impotence in men.
Hypoglycemia (a drop in blood sugar) is particularly dangerous for
diabetics taking insulin.
Severe alcoholism is associated with osteoporosis.
Drug interactions.
Alcohol's Association
with Cancer
Alcohol consumption is an important
risk factor for many types of cancer
including cancer of the: pharynx,
larynx, mouth, breast, liver, lung,
esophagus, gastric, pancreatic, urinary
tract, prostate, and brain.
It also increases risk for ovarian and
colorectal cancer, lymphoma, and
leukemia.
The risk of breast cancer and
other cancers rises as
alcohol consumption
increases.
Approximately 75% of cancers of the
esophagus and 50% of cancers of the
mouth, throat, and larynx are due to
alcoholism.
Other research has demonstrated,
however, that wine poses less danger for
these cancers than beer or hard liquor.
Alcohol, when combined with
smoking, increases the chances of
developing mouth, throat, pharynx,
larynx and esophageal cancers
significantly.
For esophageal cancer, there is a 3
to 8 fold increase in risk for those
who drink 40-100 grams of alcohol
per day, and the risks are even
greater when smoking is added.
A 2004 study reported that moderate
wine consumption might have
protective effects against formation of
precancerous polyps in the colon, but
that people who drank heavily had a
much higher risk of developing
colorectal cancer.
Research has shown that women who
consume only one alcoholic drink per
day have a 30% higher risk of dying
from breast cancer than nondrinkers.
Even consuming small amounts of
alcohol may increase breast cancer
risk, particularly in postmenopausal
women due to increased hormone
levels circulating in the blood.
Cancer patients may find that alcohol
consumption interferes with the
effectiveness of anticancer therapy and
may cause them to become even
sicker.
Nutritional Impact
of Alcohol
Consumption
Even moderate alcohol
consumption can have
detrimental effects on the
health of cancer patients.
The body requires protein,
carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, and
minerals, but these often are
inadequate with heavy alcohol
consumption. Nutritional status is thus
further compromised in cancer patients
who abuse alcohol.
Like food, alcohol contains energy, or
calories. But alcohol does not contain
many of the nutrients required by the
body. Furthermore, because few
nutrients are provided in alcohol, the
vitamin and mineral content of the diet
may be poor, even if the total energy
intake is adequate.
Alcohol contains approximately 7
kilocalories (Kcal) per gram, while
carbohydrate or protein contain about
4 Kcal per gram. Thus, the nutrients
required by the body will not be
obtained if alcohol replaces food
intake to some extent.
In fact, alcohol interferes with the
body's mechanisms that regulate food
intake, and therefore food intake
decreases. When inadequate nutrients
are consumed, the body may become
weaker and less able to tolerate cancer
therapies.
As nutritional status declines, it
becomes more difficult to fight off
illness and infection. In addition, the
toxic effects of ethanol interfere with
the absorption, metabolism, and
storage of nutrients that are provided
in foods. Several organs can be
damaged in this process, primarily the
liver and brain, but also the
cardiovascular, endocrine, immune,
and hematopoietic systems.
Alcohol may further compromise
nutritional status of an individual through:
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malabsorption of vitamins and minerals,
particularly folate, thiamine, Vitamins B6 and B12,
calcium, magnesium, and fat-soluble vitamins (A,
E, and K)
inducing early satiation
reduced absorption of amino acids (the building
blocks of protein)
immune suppression
respiratory disorders
liver, gastrointestinal tract, and pancreas damage
Dietary Interactions
Relating to Cancer
Alcohol has numerous influences on
the nutritional status of the cancer
patient which often already is
compromised by the disease. Cancer
often increases the body's energy
(calorie) and protein requirements.
These increased needs may be due to
the effects of the tumor or the effects
of treatment (surgery, radiation, or
chemotherapy). At the same time,
cancer patients tend to decrease their
food intake, often due to anorexia,
which can be characterized as a loss of
interest in eating.
Anorexia, cachexia, and weight loss
are common side effects of certain
cancers and cancer therapies, so a
cancer patient who consumes alcohol
should be careful not to replace needed
energy and nutrients with too many
calories from alcohol.
Recommendations
Regarding Alcohol
Consumption
Although moderate alcohol
consumption is recommended to
reduce the risk of heart disease, other
lifestyle factors such as a healthy diet
and exercise reduce the risk of heart
disease and cancer.
Experts suggest that intake should be limited to no
more than an average of two drinks daily for
women and three drinks a day for men.
Research from Denmark in 2004 reported that
increased alcohol consumption in a woman's
50s also increased her risk for breast cancer.
Two of the most common forms of treatment
for alcoholics are cognitive-behavioral and
interactional group psychotherapy.
People with mild to moderate withdrawal
symptoms are usually treated in outpatient
programs through counseling, and/or
support groups.
Individuals may be treated in a general or
psychiatric hospitals or substance abuse
rehabilitation facility if they: possess coexisting
medical or psychiatric disorders; have a difficult
home environment; are a danger to themselves
or others; have not responded to other
conservative treatments.
Inpatient programs often include physical
and psychiatric development,
detoxification, psychotherapy or cognitivebehavioral therapy.
It is inevitable that all humans always have
some amount of alcohol in their bodies at
all times, even if they never drink alcoholic
beverages in their lives. This is because
of a process called endogenous ethanol
production. Many of the bacteria in the
intestines use alcohol fermentation as a
form of respiration.
This metabolic method produces alcohol as
a waste product, in the same way that
metabolism results in the formation of
carbon dioxide and water. Thus, human
bodies always contain some quantity of
alcohol produced by these benign
bacteria.
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Cardiovascular diseases:
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Coronary artery disease
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Stroke
Gastrointestinal disease:
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Gastritis and bacterial contamination
Pancreatitis
Peptic ulcer disease
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Hematologic diseases:
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Anemia
Thrombocytopenia
Hepatobiliary disease:
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Alcoholic liver disease
Gallstones
Gallbladder disease
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Neurologic disease:
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Brain development
Cognition
Dementia
Alzheimer’s Disease
Essential tremor
Myopathy
Neuropathy
Other diseases:
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Obesity
Diabetes
Kidney stones
Osteoporosis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Miscarriage
Dehydration
Hangovers
The End