You lose nutrients while drinking alcohol by drinking instead of eating, or drinking so heavily that over time, you become deficient in certain nutrients. Drinking alcohol also dehydrates you and causes electrolyte imbalance. Heavy drinking is not good for your health and can lead to alcoholism, a potentially deadly disease. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned that you are lacking nutrients due to your alcohol consumption.
Alcohol and Nutrition
Drinking heavily impedes with the absorption of vitamin B-1, thiamine, even in people who adhere to a well-balanced diet. Thiamine deficiency can lead to the brain disease Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This disease is marked by confusion and disorderly behavior and affects memory. Low levels of magnesium can be an indication of alcoholism. Magnesium helps muscles and nerves function normally, supports the immune system, regulates blood sugar, heartbeat and blood pressure, and strengthens bones. Intoxication can lead to making poor nutritional choices. Nutrient deficiency can occur if you drink alcohol instead of eating healthy food. Nutrient deficiency can also exacerbate alcoholic liver disease. Additionally, alcohol is absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream on an empty stomach, causing you to experience its effects more intensely.
Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance
Alcohol dehydrates you. Your body needs water to function normally. Dehydration can cause headache, diarrhea, stomachache, sweating, fever, vomiting and lead to hospitalization. Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals in your blood and body fluids that affect how much water is in your body, your blood acidity and muscular processes. Drinking too much alcohol causes electrolyte imbalance. Drinking plenty of hydrating fluids replaces electrolytes.
Hangover
A hangover consists of physical and mental symptoms that result from drinking an excessive amount of alcohol. Ethanol is the chemical component of alcohol associated with hangovers. While the origins of hangovers are not well understood, ethanol is responsible for dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, enlarging blood vessels, disrupting serotonin and histamine levels, lowering blood sugar, disturbing sleep cycles, and provoking stomach and intestinal problems. Biology and your personal characteristics determine how hangovers affect you. Most people feel sick and tired. While this is not necessarily due to nutrient deficiency, nutrients are important to regaining health and balance.
Replenishing Nutrients
Drink plenty of water to rehydrate both while drinking alcohol and after overindulging. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine recommends eating foods rich in vitamins B and C to accelerate the removal of alcohol from the body. Oranges, strawberries and grapefruit contain vitamin C; fish, whole grains and beans are rich in vitamin B. You can stabilize blood sugar levels without disturbing an irritated stomach by munching on bland carbohydrates such as crackers and toast. Drinking coffee or caffeinated tea might fight grogginess associated with hangover, unless these beverages bother your stomach. Folklore remedies for hangover include eggs, cayenne and other hot chili peppers, tripe, and soup. However, there is no scientific evidence that those treatments replenish specific nutrients lost while drinking alcohol.
References
- "The New York Times"; Times Health Guide: Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse; David Zieve M.D., M.H.A.; March 2011
- Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine; Hangover; Belinda Rowland; 2005
- MedlinePlus; Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse; David Zieve, MD, MHA, David C. Dugdale, III, MD; March 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Dehydration; January 2011
- MedlinePlus; Electrolytes; David C. Dugdale, III, MD; August 2009
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