Alcohol Abuse Home Rehab Treatment Articles Alcoholism Links Add Your URL to Site
|
Meditation for Alcohol Abuse
|
Detoxification Supplements for Reducing Alcohol ToxicityReducing alcohol toxicity and promoting healing can be done through the supervision of a trained doctor at a alcohol rehab center and the judicious use of various nutritional supplements. Much of the damage caused by alcoholism is due to acetaldehyde -- a by-product of ethanol detoxification -- which can produce liver disease, cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis. Studies by Cleary (1986), have found that niacin (vitamin B-3) can be helpful in reducing acetaldehyde levels, or niacinamide which is equally effective.
The supplements pantethine (Watanabe, 1985) or taurine increase the activity of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase that metabolizes acetaldehyde, and can therefore help reduce the effects of acetaldehyde as well. A variety of antioxidants have also been shown capable of helping reduce alcohol toxicity, including vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, glutathione, and SAMe. A good multi-vitamin and multi-mineral combination, such as Super Nutrition's Perfect Blend, can help supply many of these substances. All heavy drinkers who quit alcohol should probably be taking a high-potency multi-vitamin. Other nutrients have also been shown to play a protective role against the damage normally caused by alcohol abuse. L-carnitine inhibits the development of alcoholism related fatty liver. Choline also is liver protective and can help rejuvenate a fatty liver (see the PhosChol brand). Evening primrose oil, rich in omega-6 fatty acids, helps prevent liver damage in those who continue to drink. Magnesium supplementation can reverse many cases of tissue damage caused by the magnesium deficiency that normally develops due to alcoholism. Thiamine, vitamin A and zinc are other nutrients usually found at deficient levels in cases of alcohol abuse, and their supplementation is also recommended. Milk thistle extract (silymarin) is commonly used to counteract the harmful effects of alcohol on the liver and helps regenerate injured liver cells. Dandelion, available in tea form, can also help individuals recover from alcohol induced liver damage.
There are four nutritional substances that show promise in helping to relieve the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal: gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, omega-6 fatty acids, phosphorus and taurine. In a controlled study by Ikeda, the amino acid taurine, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and proven to help relieve muscle cramps for patients suffering from liver cirrhosis, has significantly reduced the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Blood phosphorus levels are usually below normal in patients hospitalized for alcohol abuse, and phosphorus deficiency commonly causes hallucinations and neurological symptoms that can be mistaken for the delirium tremens of alcoholism. Evening primrose oil, which is packed full of omega-6 fatty acids, has been shown in double blind human (and animal) studies to reduce alcohol cravings and the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Glen reports that when patients received the oil for 3 weeks, there was a significant reduction in the amount of diazepam necessary to ease the symptoms of alcoholism withdrawal and there was also a consistent reduction in the scores measuring the severity of withdrawal symptoms. Lastly, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid has been shown to be dramatically effective in minimizing withdrawal symptoms in humans (Buiggio, Gessa). However, a doctor should regulate the use of the substance as it acts on the brain and can cause seizures and coma or physical dependence with continued use. Most of the substances administered in alcohol detox centers are give intravenously because the intestines and GI tract have often been destroyed through alcoholism, which often renders oral supplements ineffective. Only a doctor can really help you decide if someone should switch from IV to oral supplementation of necessary nutrients, though the oral administering of glutamine will help rebuild the GI tract quickly.
|