Fifty-two percent of adults age 18 and older are regular drinkers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the United States, more than 23,000 people die each year due to alcohol related illnesses. One of the more severe outcomes of alcoholism is neuropathy. A nutritional deficiency of thiamine is one of the suspected reasons for neuropathy in alcoholics.
Alcohol
The abuse of alcohol is responsible for many deaths. Fires, motor vehicle accidents and violent deaths are often associated with alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is an intoxicating ingredient created by the fermentation of yeast, sugars and starches. This is the ingredient in beer, wine and hard liquors that creates the euphoria associated with alcohol. Alcohol is quickly absorbed by the stomach and intestines into the bloodstream and its affects can come on rapidly.
Thiamine
Thiamine is a B vitamin that helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy. It is essential for the normal functioning of heart, muscles and nervous system. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, alcoholism is the primary reason for thiamine deficiency in industrialized countries. The Institute recommends 1.2 mg of thiamin per day for men and 1.1 mg per day for women. A varied diet should provide enough thiamin for most people. Deficiency in thiamine is noted as weakness, fatigue, psychosis and nerve damage or neuropathy.
Neuropathy
Damage to nerve endings by alcohol is thought to occur due to nerve exposure to alcohol and due to central nervous system or brain damage. Early in the course of nerve damage, the symptoms of burning feet or numbness in the hands and fingers may be noted. Encephalopathy or brain damage caused by alcohol is a late symptom, and is diagnosed by a triad of symptoms that include abnormal eye movements, stance and gait abnormalities, and abnormalities in mental function. Profound amnesic states can occur in neuropathy due to thiamine deficiency; this is referred to as Korsakoff's syndrome. When encephalopathy and memory loss occur together, it is referred to as Wernicki-Korsakoff syndrome.
Replacement Therapy
The Linus Pauling Institute also notes that people with severe immune deficiency such as AIDS or people with stomach cancer also suffer with thiamine deficiency. While replenishment with intravenous thiamine can help restore the normal motor activity of the eyes, it is less effective in the restoration of other motor function and memory. The duration of the deficiency determines the effectiveness of the treatment.
