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: 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 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: 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 cognitive- behavioral 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.

Cardiovascular diseases: Coronary artery disease Peripheral Vascular Disease Stroke Gastrointestinal disease: Gastritis and bacterial contamination Pancreatitis Peptic ulcer disease

Hematologic diseases: Anemia Thrombocytopenia Hepatobiliary disease: Alcoholic liver disease Gallstones Gallbladder disease

Neurologic disease: Brain development Cognition Dementia Alzheimer’s Disease Essential tremor Myopathy Neuropathy

Other diseases: Obesity Diabetes Kidney stones Osteoporosis Rheumatoid arthritis Miscarriage Dehydration Hangovers

The End