Certain foods may thwart the detox process by unnecessarily upsetting your stomach or dehydrating individuals who are experiencing moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms. Poor diet and dehydration during alcohol detox can contribute to existing nutritional deficiencies and potentially increase the risk for severe, withdrawal-related complications. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of Sober Recovery’s “Terms of Use”,
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- Eat beans, peas, lentils, pork, brown rice, and fortified foods like breakfast cereal.
- Alcoholic dementia is gradually progressive, and it worsens over time.
- According to published studies, the activities and functions of important vitamins and minerals including vitamin B9 and vitamins D, C and E are impaired by chronic ethanol consumption [51,79].
- Unfortunately, regular consumption means addicts require drinking in order to feel good, although the feeling isn’t sustainable.
- Taking certain supplements during detox may help prevent medical complications and support physical recovery.
During detox and the early stages of recovery from alcohol abuse or addiction, taking in enough nutrients through a balanced diet can help promote physical, cognitive, and mental health. Aperson with alcohol use disorder may be deficient in vitamins A, C, E, K and the B vitamins, as well as the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a doctor may prescribe vitamin B1 supplements to prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, which is a serious illness induced by vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency. A person with alcohol use disorder may also be prescribed a B-vitamin complex or a vitamin B12 supplement.
Top 20 Supplements for Natural Alcohol Detox
Highly processed foods may not be able to offer the same nutrients as those that are less processed. Feeling nauseous, anxious, and generally experiencing a loss of appetite during the first few days of detoxing from alcohol is normal. The vitamin B complex in general, and particularly vitamins B1 (thiamin), B3 (niacin) and B5 (Pantothenic Acid), play a role in turning sugars into energy. Niacin, or vitamin B3, can also be found in pork, as well as in fortified cereals, salmon, and swordfish. Whole grains, milk, eggs, and liver are perhaps the best food sources for B5, or Pantothenic Acid. There hasn’t been a lot of research on the role of nutritional therapy in recovery from substance use yet.
- In a 2011 study, 20 participants recovering from AUD took a dietary supplement with D-phenylalanine, L-glutamine, and 5-HTP during detox.
- Alcohol use disorder can mean an individual experiences vitamin deficiencies, as alcohol can affect how the body absorbs and uses vitamins and nutrients.
- James Lake, M.D., a clinical assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, works to transform mental health care through the evidence-based uses of alternative therapies.
- The studies show that taurine will reduce these effects in most people.
Hyperhomocysteinemia induced by ethanol and linked to oxidative endoplasmic reticulum stress triggers apoptosis and increases lipid production [112]. Recommended dietary allowances (RDA) are population statistics, and they represent rough estimates of the average requirement of individuals within a population. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ However, for most micronutrients, part of the information that is required to accurately calculate the daily intake is either unknown or incomplete. Thus, the recommendations are made based on several assumptions and considerations that could lead to large variations in the eventual RDA [39,40].
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We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. One option is high doses of oral vitamin B supplementation, which can help correct deficiencies without causing adverse effects.
NAC has a plethora of benefits for the alcoholic, both immediately and long-term. If you research the ingredients contained in any of the leading anti-hangover pills, you’ll likely find this gem. NAC vitamins for recovering alcoholics isn’t a well-known supplement, relatively speaking, but it’s incredibly well researched. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content.
What to Know More About Vitamin Supplements for Alcohol Treatment?
However, further studies with reference to the changes in vitamin status and the nutritional management of chronic liver disease are in demand. One of the many risk factors for vitamin C (including the three forms of vitamin C) and E insufficiency is excessive alcohol intake [58,59]. When compared to those who do not consume alcohol, urine ascorbic acid excretion increased by 47% after acute alcohol consumption of up to 0.58 g ethanol/kg body weight [61]. Furthermore, short-term intravenous vitamin C therapy (500 mg/day for five days) significantly improved serum vitamin C levels in chronic alcoholics with hypovitaminosis C [64]. Despite these findings, a previous study indicated that chronic drinkers’ blood levels can take up to three months to restore to normal after taking oral vitamin C supplements [65,66]. Due to decreased hepatic storage, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12 deficiencies can develop quickly in chronic liver illness.
- Loss of appetite is one of the signs of liver diseases like cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis.
- Suboxone is another supplement that’s useful for alcohol withdrawal symptoms and it’s a powerful ally in combating those symptoms.
- Conversely, Gibson et al. [54] has shown that two weeks of moderate consumption of alcohol (i.e., red wine, or vodka) increased tHcy and reduced the statuses of both vitamin B9 and B12.
- The recommended dosage of Milk Thistle is 150 mg 1 to 3 times per day.