Nutritional profile of asymptomatic alcoholic patients

Abstract

-Context -Alcoholism may interfere with nutritional status, but reports are often troubled by uncertainties about ingested diet and organ function, as well as by ongoing abuse and associated conditions. Objective -To identify nutritional and body compartment changes in stable alcoholics without confounding clinical and dietetic variables, a prospective observational pilot study was designed. Three well-matched populations were considered: subjects with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, alcoholics without visceral disease, and healthy never-drinking adults (controls). Methods -Subjects (n = 60) were asymptomatic males with adequate diet, no superimposed disease or complication, and alcohol-free for at least 6 months. After exclusions, 48 patients were compared. Variables encompassed dietary recall, bioimpedance analysis, biochemical profile and inflammatory markers. Main outcome measures were body fat, lean body mass, serum lipids, C-reactive protein, and selected minerals and vitamins. Results -Both alcoholic populations suffered from reduced lean body mass (P = 0.001), with well-maintained body fat. Magnesium was depleted, and values of vitamin D and B12 correlated with alcohol abuse. LDL and total cholesterol was increased in alcoholics without pancreatitis (P = 0.04), but not in those with visceral damage. C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A correlated with duration of excessive drinking (P = 0.01).Conclusions -Undernutrition (diminished lean body mass, risk of magnesium and vitamin deficiencies) contrasted with dyslipidemia and increased cardiovascular risk. This second danger was masked during chronic pancreatitis but not in alcoholics without visceral disease. Further studies should focus special requirements of this population.

Determinants of vitamin D status in healthy men and women aged 40–80 years

“…Evidence on alcohol and vitamin D is conflicting. A negative association between alcoholism and vitamin D status, even in subjects with adequate diet, has been reported [20,21]. However, moderate alcohol intake, with an average of about 8 g/day, was positively associated with 25OHD and bone mineral density [22].…”

Lipid patterns, alcohol intake and BMI of adult Nigerians in a sub-urban slum in Enugu, Nigeria

“…The differences in the setting, nutrition and possibly alcohol intake between this and those other communities may account for the differing values, as diet is known to influence TC and other lipids [9]. Several studies have documented higher TC values in heavy eaters and heavier alcohol drinkers [5, 10]. Compared to some other studies in Nigeria and elsewhere, this study found higher mean LDLC and Tg with lower HDLC values probably because those studies involved more educated Nigerians who possibly had better knowledge of healthier diet/ lifestyle that affected lipids favourably.…”

“…Non-alcohol drinkers had lower BMI (24.75Kg/M2) than those who drank alcohol (25.64Kg/M2) and this may not be surprising since drinkers at bar shops in a country like Nigeria often indulge in excessive eating of especially different types of meat prepared in different forms at such places. Alcohol drinkers comparatively had higher BMI values across all the BMI categories, thus, buttressing this eating habit in mild to moderate “social” drinkers unlike in heavy alcoholics who have been shown to have reduced lean body mass due to poor nutrition [10]. Previous studies in Nigerians [5] equally found that “social” alcohol drinkers had higher BMI than non drinkers.…”

Does alcohol have any effect on male reproductive function? A review of literature

“…These include Zn (which plays an important role for the activation of alkaline phosphatase, carbonic anhydrase and alcohol dehydrogenase), Mg (important in some metabolic processes and for stabilizing DNA, RNA and ribosomes) and possible states of folate deficiency and hypovitaminosis (A, D, E) in many organs (liver, muscle, heart, testis, and male accessory glands). In this regard, recently, Sobral-Oliveira and colleagues, 44 evaluating the nutritional profile of 48 men, found a significant reduction of Mg in alcohol consumers, and a correlation between vitamin D and vitamin B12 levels with alcohol abuse, as well as between C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A with duration of excessive drinking and this condition was associated with a reduced lean body mass. In a study performed on a group of alcohol abusers and control group, the patients had significantly low plasma testosterone with low LH and FSH concentrations, associated with oligo-asthenozoospermia and increased oxidative stress.…”