Alcohol users often have poor diets and are at a high risk for vitamin and mineral deficiency. The U.S. National Library of Medicine notes that alcoholism is a major cause of nutritional deficiency because it prevents proper absorption, digestion and excretion of nutrients. Vitamins are essential for maintaining growth and metabolism. Treatment including vitamins is suggested to prevent extensive nutritional deficiency and neurological damage.
B Vitamins
The B vitamins include thiamin, pyridoxine and folic acid. They are needed to withstand physical and emotional stress, as well to maintain healthy function of the central nervous system. They need to be replenished on a daily basis. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends a multi-vitamin containing B vitamins. Thiamin helps prevent cognitive deficits, such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which is often a consequence of thiamine deficiency from alcoholism.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is responsible for growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body, and it is a powerful anti-oxidant useful in wound healing and repair. Vitamin C is also an important immunity booster. Vitamin C is not manufactured by the body, making daily supplementation necessary. Chronic alcohol use depletes the body of vitamin C, according to a 1986 study published in the Oxford Journals. Although many foods contain vitamin C, a heavy drinker may not eat properly to obtain the vitamin. The U.S. National Library of Medicine says that vitamin C dosage should not exceed 2,000 mg a day.
Vitamins A, D and K
Alcoholism prevents the absorption of vitamins A, D, and K. Each vitamin protects the cells from toxic substances. Vitamin A specifically aids in immune-system functioning, as well as vision. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium for healthy bones. Vitamin K makes proteins for blood clotting, which is especially important for alcoholics because of thinning of the blood that chronic drinking may cause. These three vitamins often lack in alcoholics, and long-term deficiency may lead to severe neurological damage, according to the NIAAA. A daily multivitamin containing vitamins A, D, and K can supplement these nutrients and aid in improving overall health.
References
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Diet and Substance Abuse Recovery
- Orthomolecular Medicine News Service: Treatment Protocol for Alcoholism
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Alcohol Alert Nutritional Treatment
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Alcohol and Nutrition
- Oxford Journals: Alcohol Enhances Vitamin C Excretion in the Urine: Faizallah, et al; 1986
