Alcohol’s Role in Gastrointestinal Tract Disorders

Mong the many organ systems that mediate alcohol s effects on the human body and its health,the Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract plays aparticularly important part. Severalprocesses underlie this role. First, theGI Tract is the site of alcohol absorptioninto the bloodstream and, to a lesserextent, of alcohol breakdown and pro-duction. (For more information onalcohol absorption, metabolism, andproduction in the GI Tract , see sidebar,pp. 82 83.) Second, the direct contact ofalcoholic beverages with the mucosa1that lines the upper GI Tract can inducenumerous metabolic and functionalchanges. These alterations may lead tomarked mucosal damage, which canresult in a broad spectrum of acute andchronic diseases, such as acute gastro-intestinal bleeding (from lesions in thestomach or small intestine) and diar-rhea.

secretion (Chari et al. 1993). More-over, researchers have shown that after beer consumption, gastric acid secre-tion also is stimulated by by-products of the fermentation process other than alcohol (Chari et al. 1993). Chronic alcohol abuse also affects gastric function. Thus, alcoholics have a significantly higher incidence of

Tags:

  Alcohols, Chair

Information

Related search queries