Vitamins for Alcoholics: Liver Recovery and Withdrawal

vitamins for alcoholics

Vitamins and trace elements should be taken at least in the recommended daily amounts. Alcohol dependence among adults in the United States is estimated at 14% [1]. Among heavy drinkers, alcoholic liver disease is estimated to develop in 15–30% [2].

vitamins for alcoholics

Nutritional Support for Alcoholic Liver Disease

Remember to consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice on nutritional supplementation. Another crucial aspect of addiction medicine is ensuring proper nutrition. Alcoholism frequently leads to vitamin deficiencies, with thiamine or vitamin B1 being particularly important (as deficiency can cause severe neurological problems). Other key nutrients for those in recovery include a vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and magnesium, which can help improve overall health and better support the treatment process. Vitamin E is essential for antioxidant protection, which helps the body neutralize harmful free radicals produced during alcohol metabolism.

Vitamins That Help With Alcohol Withdrawals

The Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 and Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool are recommended tools to assess nutritional status. They are valid tools for screening hospitalized patients for the risk of malnutrition and are recommended by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism [22,23]. The Royal Free Hospital-Nutritional Prioritizing Tool is also considered excellent for predicting malnutrition risk in cirrhosis patients [24]. In this article, we review the nutritional therapies that health care providers should be aware of when treating patients with ALD.

  • Anyone who is struggling with a serious drinking problem should seek professional care.
  • However, these supplements may not provide enough vitamin B1, which is essential for preventing a condition called Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE), a medical emergency.
  • Alcohol diminishes the bioavailability of riboflavin and impairs the transport of flavin adenine dinucleotide across the epithelial layer within the small intestine [23].
  • If the alcoholic liver disease is not treated, it can progress to later stages which include alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis, a scarring of the liver.

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vitamins for alcoholics

Approximately half of ALD patients have hepatic iron overload, with elevated serum ferritin levels and early transferrin saturation. Low hepcidin levels, along with iron deposition in macrophages, are usually present in these patients [147]. This results in accelerated pathological progression to cirrhosis and increased predisposition to hepatocellular carcinoma [148]. In addition to phlebotomy and iron chelation, vitamins for alcoholics attempts are being made to improve fibrosis by regulating iron-related proteins; however, this is still in the research stage [112]. Due to decreased hepatic storage, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12 deficiencies can develop quickly in chronic liver illness. However, alcohol consumption affects the metabolism of homocysteine (tHcy) because the enzyme cofactor for the conversion of tHcy to methionine is vitamin B12.

  • Because niacin is involved in so many bodily processes, the symptoms of a niacin deficiency can vary greatly.
  • It is the third most common cause of preventable diseases worldwide after smoking and hypertension [2].

vitamins for alcoholics

Thus, phosphorus deficits play a large role in the etiology of alcohol myopathy and acute rhabdomyolysis [57,58]. You may be at a higher risk for niacin deficiency if you live in an area with food scarcity or if you have certain health conditions. Signs and symptoms of niacin deficiency vary but may include the «three D’s,» diarrhea, dermatitis, and/or dementia. Niacin deficiency may also result from alcohol use disorder because alcohol dependence may lead to malnutrition or issues with the digestion and absorption of nutrients. Vitamins help regulate many physiological processes in the body essential to maintaining growth and normal metabolism.

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  • All-cause mortality increased with increasing alcohol consumption, and only zero drinks minimized harm to overall health outcomes [20].
  • Intravenous nutrition is considered the last choice because of the possibility of an infection.
  • Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte disorder seen in people consuming excessive amounts of alcohol.
  • Aromatic amino acids and methionine are metabolized in the liver, and their blood levels are increased with worsening severity of cirrhosis.

Understanding and Preventing Related Health Issues

vitamins for alcoholics

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