Effects of Alcohol On Nutrition

There are many affects alcohol has on nutrition, in people of all ages. Each year more than 100,000 people die from alcohol related causes. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug dependence more than 13 million Americans abuse alcohol. There are different types of alcohol dependency psychologically dependent and physically dependent. If you crave alcohol, or feel distresses without it you are said to be psychologically dependent, if your body changes when alcohol is stopped such as hot/cold flashes, tremor, or seizures you are physically dependent.

One effect that alcohol has is on pregnant women, this causes fetal alcohol syndrome, this cause low IQ, fine motor skills dysfunction, which causes weak grasp, poor hand-eye coordination, and hyperactivity in later childhood. Heart murmurs, cervical vertebral malformations. and joint malformations are common also. Also two drinks per week have been linked to higher rates of still birth and miscarriage. Just because the mother did not want to go without a drink.

Prolonged misuse of alcohol can have serious effects on health affecting certain organs of the body:

Liver and digestion-

~ Inflamed pancreas

~ Cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver (result of long term drinking, main killer of older drinkers)

~ Ulcers in stomach and intestines

Heart and Circulation:

~ High blood pressure

~ High fat levels in blood

~ Disease of the coronary arteries

~ Damage to the heart muscle

Brain and Nervous System:

~ Nerve damage

~ Dementia

~ Depression

~ Sleeplessness

Most alcoholics get 50% of calorie intake from alcohol

Nutrition:

~ Anemia (due to iron and folic acid deficiency_

~ Skin Damage

~ Diarrhea Due to Vitamin B Deficiencies

~ Depression

~Loss of vitamin B1causes memory loss and abnormal co-ordination

~Thiamin and folate deficiencies can cause neurologic disorders

Even moderate levels of alcohol are said to be a poison!!

~Alcohol is a complex drug it is both water and fat soluble which means it affects all the organs and tissues in the body.

~ High rate of tumors in the breast, liver, and mouth.

Liver- Cirrhosis long term affect and main killer of older drinkers.

Stomach- Irritates lining, vomiting is particularly visible result, ulcers

Central Nervous system- depresses almost every brain function from balance to breathing, liver damage will reverse process and speed up damage to body particularly the brain.

~ Alcohol interferes with essential nutrients, it drains vitamins in body and slows absorption of new ones.

ATTENTION WOMEN: 1 drink a day increases breast cancer by 30% 2-5 drinks a day increases breast cancer risks by 41%

~Even when food intake is adequate alcohol can impair mechanisms which control bodies glucose, either increasing or decreasing blood glucose.

~ Mineral deficiency can cause bone diese, night blindness, and skin lesions

On the other hand, those who drank 1 drink a day had a 20% lower death rate from all causes compared to non-drinkers, and for cardiovascular dieses themselves death rates were 30% -40% lower in those who drank 1 drink a day. Moderate drinkers also have lower levels of heart disease that heavy drinkers and those who don’t drink at all. In another study, wine (moderate consumption) not hard liquors or beer is associated with a decreased risk of an eye disease known as (and) age-related macular degeneration

Fatty liver and enlargement of the liver can be reversed if alcohol is withdrawn and proper nutrition is given. However, continous damage (liver) can result in alcoholic hepatitis with cell death and inflammation, which can be fatal.

Word Count: 583