Alcohol Dementia

[SJW]

ALCOHOL-RELATED DEMENTIA (INCLUDING KORSAKOFF'S SYNDROME)

People who drink too much alcohol do seem to be at risk of developing problems with their memory. Some have a specific problem of loss of short-term memory known as Korsakoff's syndrome which develops because of vitamin B1 deficiency. Others develop a wider range of problems that resemble Alzheimer's disease.

Doing some research on this subject of late and was wondering if the nature of Home Brewed beer is that its higher in Vit. B1 and Thiamine would this cancel out some risk factors for Dementia or Korsakoff's syndrome?
I would have thought the biggest problem with excessive beer drinking, whatever excessive is, would not be malnutrition but liver damage associated with excessive amounts of alcohol being consumed.
Would be interested to hear some comments on this.

Steve

 

[Sammus]

You should use 'would have' instead of "would of", and excessive is spelt with a double 's'.

Sorry.. no serious comments, just being a douche because I'm bored

 

[SJW]

Sorry Sammus, I just had a flashback to year 10 English,

 

[tcraig20]

Drink in moderation and have vegemite for brekky and I think that you'd be OK.

 

[staggalee]

SJW, I`m interested in your reason for doing research on dementia?
Have you noticed some little telltale signs within that prompted this flurry of activity?

stagga.

 

[Tiny_Tim]

Apparently alcohol absorbs the B vitamins out of your brain and bloodstream, I doubt that drinking alcoholic drinks with high vitamin & thiamine content would do much to prevent this. It's like saying smoking menthol cigarettes will help soothe your sore throat.
My short term memory is terrible.

 

[Bizier]

My short term memory is atrocious on a big one.
But you have scared me into getting back into a suppliment regime SJW.

 

[sijani]

Nah, it's all bollocks and scaremongering. Beer is good for you. The more you drink, the more you reap it's beery goodness. Same with smoking. Modern science doesn't know what it's talking about. Bunch of green tree hugging hippies!

Man needs a complex diet of smoked bacon, potato, 6-8 pints of stout and a pack of ciggies.

Yesterday I went to the bread shop.

Who are you people...Nurse!!! Wait a minute what's this big square glowing thing!!! Fark it's aliens!!!


Moral of my meanderings is 'everything in moderation' Don't abuse your body, you've only got one.

Back to drinking. Hmmm... where did I put my beer :blink:

 

[.DJ.]

I cant remember what I was going to say about this subject...

 

[devo]

Apparently life is the largest contributing factor in 100% of all cases of death.

 

[jonocarroll]

Apparently life is the largest contributing factor in 100% of all cases of death.

Swallowing small amounts of saliva over extended periods, usually 60 - 70 years. Many reported cases. Drink beer instead.

 

[geoffi]

Swallowing small amounts of saliva over extended periods, usually 60 - 70 years. Many reported cases. Drink beer instead.

I once heard a news item reporting that '50% of smokers will die'.

It didn't lead me to take up the habit, but it made me think...

 

[WilBier]

I once heard a news item reporting that '50% of smokers will die'.

It didn't lead me to take up the habit, but it made me think...

Methinks that eventually 100% of smokers will die

 

[warra48]

Life is a Terminal Disease.

 

[.DJ.]

Life is a Terminal Disease.

Life is a sexually transmitted disease

 

[marlow_coates]

Korsakoffs pcychosis is technically the worse, and permanent issue, resulting from Wernickes encaphalopathy.

Basically, a lack of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) leads to issues with the TCA Cycle (energy producing cycle used by cells).

There are several main signs and symptoms.
The issue it quickly resolved (if it hasn't progressed to Korsakoff's yet!!) with IV thiamine and glucose (thiamine first though).

It is linked with alcohol through two proposed mechanisms.
The first is that chronic alcohol consumption inflames the gut lining leading to a decrease in thiamine absorption.
The second it that chronic alcoholics are just plain malnourished.
It is likely a mix of both.

It is pretty rare these days, but prior to thiamine being supplemented in bread products it was thought to affect up to 5% of the Australian poplulation.

On an interesting note - once it was discovered to be affecting so many people, a Sydney doctor working in an aboriginal community who noted that the majority of the population there had signs of this condition due to poorly nutritious diets (rations), decided to do a little experiment.
He convinced to local baker to put thiamine supplement in his flour!!
The outcome was that within days, all those eating his bread (most of the community) had no more signs on the condition.
To get his method of mass cure out, he invited a journalist to come do a story on it.
The resulting headline in the paper he worked for read something to the effect of
"Doctors perform secret tests on Aborigines!"
Subsequently the baker refused to put anymore in due to the bad publicity and the community returned to normal.....

Years later the government made it compulsory that all flour be supplemented with thiamine.
Also, almost every cereal, bread, pastry, drink etc is supplemented these days.

The only group who has refused to answer the call are alcohol company.
Their studies into it showed that whilst adding thiamine had no effect on the taste or quality of the drinks, it was perceived poorly by those who did the study, and the cost was not worth it.
A shame really, but thats life.

Another interesting note is that it also causes Beri-Beri, wet and dry types.
Many of you may recognise this name as the condition many WWII soldiers had on return to australia after being POW. It was not due to alcohol, of course, but due to the absence of thiamine in white polished rice (their only real source of sustenance).

Anyway thats all from me, hope it helps.

 

[staggalee]

yes, it looks like there`s something in that alcohol/dementia theory,all right.
Now if we can just get a couple more posts like the last half a dozen, it will be case proved beyond doubt. :lol:

stagga.

 

[WitWonder]

Hey reading this prompted me to swallow a "Mega B 150" tablet sitting in my draw. I'm saved!! (for today at least - might not remember to do it tomorrow)

 

[Mantis]

 

[Katherine]

Bring on the madness I reckon