Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

Firstly, the use and misuse of alcohol causes a change in the way the body metabolizes certain vitamins and trace minerals, and can even cause an increased requirement for certain minerals, particularly B vitamins.

Secondly, changes in the absorption of vitamins and minerals, partially due to changes in gastro intestinal functioning, can also result in a vitamin and mineral deficiency. Alcohol is notoriously hard on the GI tract, and many of us who drank a lot also suffered a lot of diarrhea and other GI disorders…this is not good for you!

Lastly, although alcohol is very calorie rich, it is completely nutrient empty. Alcohol, when consumed in small quantities can stimulate the appetite, but when consumed in large quantities (such as the quantities regularly consumed by an alcoholic) the opposite occurs, and the result is that chronic drinkers seldom get adequate food intake, and suffer from a lessening in vitamin and mineral intake as a result.

Alcohol causes less vitamin intake, less vitamin and nutrient absorption, and requires greater amounts of vitamins and nutrients for ordinary processing. Taken together these three factors explain the vitamin deficiencies often seen in long term alcoholics.

This vitamin deficiency is pretty serious stuff, and has been conclusively linked to certain cancers, liver and pancreatic diseases, and even irreversible brain damage. Your body needs vitamins, and you pay the price if you rob your body of what it needs.

Some common deficiencies seen in alcoholics are a deficiency of folic acid, vitamin C, B1, B2, B6, B12, folate, niacin, vitamin D and vitamin K. These are all pretty important, and with the deficiencies produced by chronic heavy drinking, you are at great risk for a number of serious disorders. The lack of B1 is particularly scary, and in severe cases can cause Korsakoffs syndrome, which is an irreversible brain damage leading to reduced cognitive performance, confusion, and memory loss.

You can't take back what was, but you can try to correct any deficiencies now by making sure you get the nutrition that you need and by taking vitamin and mineral supplements, as recommended by a doctor or nutritionist.