Vitamin B Deficiency From Alcohol Use

Glutamine can also modulate cognitive processes affected by alcohol use. If individuals believe they have a problem with alcohol or if they drink more than the recommended amounts, they should speak with their doctor for support and advice. A good first step is to speak with a primary care physician who can provide treatment referrals and medications. They can also evaluate the person’s drinking patterns and overall health and work together to craft a treatment plan.

People with alcohol use disorder are more likely to have a less nutritious diet, which exacerbates vitamin deficiencies. Alcohol tends to affect the absorption of all vitamins, but particularly vitamin B12, which depletes even with moderate best vitamins for recovering alcoholics alcohol use. Certain vitamins are vital to repairing and building cells required for bodily functions. One option is high doses of oral vitamin B supplementation, which can help correct deficiencies without causing adverse effects.

The Best Vitamins for a Person With Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcoholism may affect the absorption, storage, metabolism, and activation of these vitamins [87]. Given the frequency of deficiencies in B vitamins, zinc, and vitamin D, supplementation may be beneficial. Vitamins and trace elements should be taken at least in the recommended daily amounts. Another contributing factor to the risk of ALD is high hepatic iron levels, which has been identified as a predictor of mortality in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis [112]. Iron overload is an independent factor in hepatocellular carcinoma progression [110]. High dietary iron intake may also increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, suggesting that high iron intake may promote tumorigenesis [111].

• Alcohol use disorder is a risk factor for many problems, including liver disease and vitamin B deficiency.
• Chronic alcohol exposure sensitizes Kupffer cells to lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine production [5,11].
• On the other hand, ALD patients were often found to be undernourished in the past; however, now they are often over nourished, consequently requiring their nutritional therapies to be modified.
• Niacin, or vitamin B3, can also be found in pork, as well as in fortified cereals, salmon, and swordfish.
• Fatigue can be an issue that you experience in the short as well as the long term.

Given that intravenous nutrition is likely to have a short duration, the risk of adverse events from long-term vitamin and micronutrient supplementation is low, even without measuring serum concentrations. Certain vitamins, including vitamins A, D, and K, should be administered with thiamine, folic acid, and pyridoxine to correct deficiencies [64,89]. However, advanced ALD is often irreversible and does not improve with alcohol abstinence alone. In the management of patients with ALD, it is important to assess and provide guidance on lifestyle habits such as diet, along with reducing alcohol consumption. As shown in Table 1, the recommended energy and protein levels vary by ALD stage (Table 1). Patients with ALD should receive appropriate nutritional assessment and nutritional support [21].

Nutrient deficiencies in people with alcoholism

To get more magnesium, eat dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, avocados, bananas, wild salmon, and tuna. Amino acids are in lean meats, eggs, seafood, dairy, tofu, quinoa, seeds, and beans. It’s not produced in the body, but must be ingested through one’s diet. Thiamine deficiency, although rare in most developed countries, is common in people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol. Too much alcohol can cause inflammation in your stomach lining and pancreas.

Many treatment protocols for AWS involve supportive care as the person withdraws to ease the discomfort of the symptoms. The body requires good nutrition to increase energy levels and maintain bodily processes. “Unlike some of the other vitamins,” advises Mason, https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-signs-that-your-wine-habit-is-becoming-a-real-addiction/ “vitamin B12 is felt to be exceedingly safe since there are no known toxic effects when administered in supplemental quantities.” For those seeking addiction treatment for themselves or a loved one, our calls are confidential and are available for 24/7 help.

Vitamins to take for alcohol withdrawal

Some vitamins can provide significant benefits to counter some of the adverse effects of drinking. This deficiency can lead to problems, such as slow wound healing, softening of the bones, skin problems, decreased blood clotting, and neurological damage. Therefore, doctors may recommend nutrient supplementation as part of an individual’s detoxification and recovery process. There are various mechanisms of alcohol-induced hepatocellular damage [5].

• This occurs as both substances use similar pathways in the body to metabolize them.
• In this article, we review the nutritional therapies that health care providers should be aware of when treating patients with ALD.
• Seeking help for addiction may feel daunting or even scary, but several organizations can provide support.
• Patients with ALD should receive appropriate nutritional assessment and nutritional support [21].
• Vitamins, which are molecules found in small amounts in various foods, are essential for normal metabolism, and deficient vitamin levels in the body can lead to serious diseases.
• Thus, there is no basis for recommending small amounts of alcohol consumption to extend life expectancy, and the most important management of ALD is abstinence from alcohol.

In general, B-vitamins are known to have a high level of water solubility. This means that our bodies have to work quickly to absorb the nutrients from these vitamins before they flush out of our system with other fluids. James Lake, M.D., a clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, works to transform mental health care through the evidence-based uses of alternative therapies. The commitment Shiling has made to patient care also has a personal component. He was a patient at CeDAR in 2009 for treatment of a heroin addiction.

How to Balance Alcohol and Supplements

Shiling developed the protocol as a credentialing project for UEXCEL, the professional development ladder for nurses at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. It began when he looked at gaps between the time CeDAR admits patients and the time physicians enter orders that initiate treatment. He wanted to be sure that all patients admitted for alcohol use who could benefit from Vitamin B1 received it as quickly as possible. Nutrient deficiencies can contribute to developing or exacerbating depression and other mood disorders, as the body produces less serotonin7. Since alcohol is a depressant, it can easily worsen depression in an individual who drinks excessively.