Alcoholism
...ent of strong and healthy bones. More vitamin A is needed when drinking alcohol because faulty liver enzymes are dissipated more quickly with vitamin A. The bodies of tested rats when given alcohol could not deal with vitamins because of the toxic by-product produced when combining vitamins with alcohol. Alcohol reduces the absorption of food through the lining of the small intestines and interferes with the absorption of amino acids, glucose, zinc, and vitamins. Recent research has found that the presence of alcohol increases the amount of vitamin A in some tissues, depletes it in others (such as the liver), and speeds up or alters the process by which the vitamin is converted into metabolic by-products. Alcohol can cause extra insulin to be released from the pancreas in response to elevated levels of glucose, causing glycogen, and impairing its capacity to form new glucose. Alcohol interferes with zinc and vitamin A, which metabolises in the liver. Continued alcohol use can create changes in the digestive system as well, which negatively affects night blindness. Alcohol competes and influences the process of nutrient absorption in the stomach causing the food to compete with the ethanol for the purpose of absorption into the blood stream. Alcohol inhibits the body’s absorption and depletes it of all its nutrients and vitamins causing deficiencies and diseases such as beri beri, pellagra, scurvy and protein energy malnutrition. Long-term abuse of alcohol can cause several health problems such as liver disease, heart disease, forms of cancer and pancreatitis. Women may develop alcohol-related health problems faster than men and from drinking less alcohol than men. Long-term drinking of alcohol increases serious health problems that can affect nearly every organ. Some drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis or inflammation of the liver. Its symptoms include fever, jaundice (abnormal yellowing of the skin, eyes, and urine), and abnormal pain. If drinking continues, alcohol hepatitis may cause death but if drinking stops, the condition may be reversed. About 10 to 20 percent of drinkers develop alcoholic cirrhosis or scarring of the liver. People with cirrhosis should not drink alcohol. Although treatment for the complications of cirrhosis is available, a liver transplant may be needed for someone with life-threatening cirrhosis. This condition is not reversible if a person continues drinking but if the drinking stops, the chances of survival improves considerably. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Some heavy drinkers may also have HCV infection and as a result, their livers may be damaged not only by alcohol but also by HCV related problems. People with HCV infection are more susceptible to alcohol related liver damage and should stop and think before taking that next drink. Moderate drinking of red wine can have beneficial effects on the heart especially among those at greater risk for heart attacks such as men over the age of 45 and women after menopause. However, heavy drinking over an extended period of time increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain types of strokes. Long-term drinking also increases the risk of certain forms of cancer, especially cancer of the oesophagus, mouth, throat, and larynx (voice box). Research suggests that in some women, as little as one drink per day can slightly raise the risk of breast cancer. Drinking also increased the risk of developing cancer of the colon and rectum. The pancreas helps regulate the body’s blood sugar levels by producing insulin and it also plays a role in digesting the food we eat. Long-term heavy drinking can lead to pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas and acute pancreatitis can cause severe abdominal pain and can be fatal. A range of medication is used to treat alcoholism. Benzodiazepine (Valium Librium) is sometimes used during the first few days after a person stops drinking to help him or her safely withdraw from alcohol. These medications are not used beyond the first few days because they may be highly addictive. Other medications help people remain sober. One medication used for this purpose is naltrexone (ReVia). When combined with counselling, naltrexone can reduce the craving for alcohol and help prevent a returning to or a relapse to heavy drinking. Another medication is disulfiram (Antabuse), which discourages drinking by making the person feel sick if he or she drinks alcohol. Though several medications help treat alcoholism there is no “magic bullet”. There is no single medication available that works in every case or with every person. Researchers are constantly looking for ways to develop new and more effective medications to treat alcoholism. Excessive use of alcohol has many harmful effects on one’s health including that of dental health. Some of the negative effects on dental health are: bleeding disorders resulting from damage to the liver and to bone marrow, liver damage and liver disease which compromises general healt...