Alcohol and nutrition

Differential protein expression in the prefrontal white matter of human alcoholics: a proteomics study

“…37 Interestingly, thiamine deficiency, measured by erythrocytic transketolase activity, has been reported in up to 80% of alcoholic patients, however, only a subset of these patients manifest the autopsy findings attributed to WKS. 39,40 It is possible that at some level, all alcoholics are thiamine deficient, as indicated in this study by a reduction in transketolase levels, and diagnostic criteria for WKS are not stringent enough to pick up subclinical thiamine deficiencies or early stages of this syndrome. This very important issue should be considered for future post-mortem studies.…”

Nutritional deficiencies in German middle-class male alcohol consumers: relation to dietary intake and severity of liver disease

“…Nutritional disturbances are assumed to remain among the most relevant medical problems in alcohol consumers (Aaseth et al, 1986;Addolorato, 1998;Suter et al, 1997) but it is still a matter of debate whether chronic alcohol consumption per se results in malnutrition (Italian Multicentre, 1994;Leo et al, 1993; & Lieber,1999;Morgan, 1988;Nicolas et al, 1993;Rissanen et al, 1987, Wheeler, 1990. Both the nutrient intake and the nutritional status of alcohol consumers are markedly influenced by many factors such as severity and duration of alcohol abuse, the presence, type and severity of somatic complications caused by excessive drinking and by economic and social circumstances.…”

“…Both the nutrient intake and the nutritional status of alcohol consumers are markedly influenced by many factors such as severity and duration of alcohol abuse, the presence, type and severity of somatic complications caused by excessive drinking and by economic and social circumstances. Since most earlier studies on the association of alcohol abuse and nutritional deficiencies have focused either on 'skid row' alcoholics or on alcoholics with severe somatic diseases (Leevy et al, 1965;McClain & Su, 1983;Patek et al, 1975), it was assumed that the overall nutritional disturbances in alcohol consumers had been overestimated (Italian Multicentre, 1994;Leo & Lieber, 1999;Mills et al, 1983;Morgan, 1988;Salaspuro, 1993). In fact, the nutritional intake and status of alcohol consumers without major medical complications was not found to be markedly inferior to that of non-alcohol abusers particularly among those with similar economic and social backgrounds (Gruchow et al, 1985;Hillers & Massey, 1985;Hurt et al, 1981;Mezey, 1991;Rissanen et al, 1987).…”

“…Evidence of zinc deficiency in alcohol consumers has been published repeatedly (Aaseth et al, 1986;Bjorneboe et al, 1988;Dworkin et al, 1985). Low serum zinc concentration and reduced zinc contents in leukocytes (Lecomte et al, 1994;McClain & Su, 1983;Morgan, 1988) and reduced hepatic zinc content in patients with different stages of alcoholic liver disease (Bode et al, 1988) have mainly been explained by increased urinary zinc losses and not by malabsorption or reduced dietary intake of this trace element. Zinc deficiency may contribute to many functional disturbances in the alcohol consumers including disturbed immune functions (Fraker et al, 1987).…”

“…The varying results regarding the prevalence of malnutrition in alcohol consumers have, at least partially, been explained to be caused by differences in the severity and duration of alcohol abuse, somatic complications related to chronic heavy drinking and differences in the social classes of the alcoholics which have been studied (for review see Morgan, 1988 andSalaspuro, 1993). The conclusions drawn in earlier studies differ depending on whether the primary aim was to determine nutrient intake or nutritional status.…”