Change in psychiatric symptomatology after benfotiamine treatment in males is related to lifetime alcoholism severity

Abstract

Background Severe alcoholism can be associated with significant nutritional and vitamin deficiency, especially vitamin B1 (thiamine) which is associated with serious illness and neurological deficits that influence mood and cognition. We previously reported reduced alcohol consumption among female but not male alcoholics after supplementation with the high potency thiamine analog benfotiamine (BF). As a follow-up, we have examined the relationship between lifetime alcoholism severity and psychiatric symptoms among the alcohol dependent men from this cohort and their response to BF treatment. Methods Eighty-five adult men (mean age = 48 ± 8 yrs) meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for current alcohol dependence participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 600 mg BF vs placebo (PL) for 6 months. Psychometric testing included a derived Lifetime Alcoholism Severity Score (AS), Symptom Checklist 90R (SCL-90R), and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) at baseline and at 6 months with data analyzed using ANOVA and MANOVA modeling. Results Baseline SCL-90-R scale scores for men with high alcoholism severity (AS ≥ 24; N=46 HAS) were significantly greater than for men with low alcoholism severity (AS < 24; N=39 LAS), but BIS scores did not differ. MANOVA modeling identified a significant treatment effect (F=2.5, df=10, p<0.03) and treatment x alcoholism severity level interaction (F=2.5, dfnum=10, dfden=30, p<0.03) with SCL-90-R scores showing a reduction in symptoms among BF treated, high severity males. Conclustion BF appears to reduce psychiatric distress and may facilitate recovery in severely affected males with lifetime alcohol dependence and should be considered for adjuvant therapy in alcohol rehabilitation.

Multiplex Immunoassay of Plasma Cytokine Levels in Men with Alcoholism and the Relationship to Psychiatric Assessments

“…Forty adult male African-American participants (mean age 51 ± 6 years; range 33–58 years) who met DSM-IV-TR criteria for alcohol use disorder were enrolled for a clinical trial on alcoholism with oversight of Kansas University Medical Center (KUMC) Human Subjects Research Committee [ 40 , 41 ]. The majority of participants (92%) reported a family history of alcoholism and 70% reported previous history of substance use/abuse.…”

“…A comprehensive interview was completed on each participant by a trained research nurse to determine final eligibility based upon DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for an alcohol use disorder as previously reported [ 40 , 41 ]. The interview included the lifetime Alcohol Severity Scale (ASS) that was designed to reliably review all major social, clinical and physical sequelae associated with alcohol abuse and dependence [ 40 , 42 , 43 , 44 ].…”

Antioxidant sulfur compounds: potential therapies for autism?

“…Benfotiamine, another thiamine derivative, is a sulfur containing antioxidant, and it has been found to relieve inflammation in diabetic neuropathy, which is a condition where oxidative stress is a major factor [49]. Benfotiamine has also been found to improve mood in recovering alcoholic men [50]. As autism often features oxidative stress and debilitating irritability [2,16], logic suggests that benfotiamine should be evaluated for efficacy in autism.…”

High-dose thiamine strategy in Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome and related thiamine deficiency conditions associated with alcohol use disorder

“…Benfotiamine 600 mg/day as compared to placebo for 6 months was well tolerated and found to decrease psychiatric distress in males and reduce alcohol consumption in females with severe alcohol dependence. [ 45 46 ]…”