Alcoholism is a very serious disease that often requires a lifetime of treatment and support to overcome, but every step is important and vitamins play a crucial role as the very building blocks of recovery.
So, what are the most important vitamin building blocks? Believe it or not, it basically begins and ends with the letter B. (Yes, this alliterative paragraph using B-words is designed to help you remember Vitamin B, in the event your bedazzled brain has already been bombarded by booze.)
Alcoholics are likely to deplete an entire alphabet of vitamins including A, C, D, E and K, but it is the need for Vitamin B that reigns supreme. And, in case you were unaware, Vitamin B comes in eight different flavors, all of which are very important:
• Vitamin B1 (aka thiamine): found in breads, grains and nuts
• Vitamin B2 (aka riboflavin): found in grains, rice, milk, yogurt, eggs and spinach
• Vitamin B3 (aka niacin): found in beets, beef organs, fish and peanuts
• Vitamin B5 (aka pantothenic acid): found in milk, nuts, organ meat, poultry, cereal and chocolate
• Vitamin B6 (aka pyridoxine): found in meats, nuts, poultry, avocados and bananas
• Vitamin B7 (aka biotin): found in organ meats, soybeans and egg yolks
• Vitamin B9 (aka folic acid): found in dark leafy greens
• Vitamin B12: found in fish, meat, poultry, eggs and milk
The good news, as you can see, is that pretty much anything you stick in your mouth is going to have some kind of B vitamin in it, so at least one firm precaution you can take in dire straits is to just keep eating.
Of course, if you really feel you’re in trouble, after you smash that 4 a.m. burrito you may also want to augment your Vitamin B intake with some additional help.
For more information on alcohol and nutrient depletion, be sure to read our our articles on alcohol and nutrient depletion:
1. Booze Beats Up Nutrients: A List of Losers
2. Booze: An Awesomely No-Good Nutrient Zapper
3. Cheers To Your Health?
Legal Stuff: We should remind everyone that our blog entries are for your information only and are not intended as medical advice. Our multivitamin, drinkwel, is not intended to be a cure for alcoholics, but is a useful vitamin for those who choose to drink alcohol. If you’re going to drink, do it legally and responsibly; don’t be stupid =).
