Alcohol consumption in pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas( pancreas).The disease provokes a violation in the work of the body, which negatively affects its functions. The main task of the pancreas is the production of digestive enzymes necessary for the cleavage of proteins, fats and carbohydrates that come with food. Pancreas cells also produce insulin, which is necessary for the body to process sugars.

When diagnosing the pathology of the gland, the patient is assigned a lifelong adherence to a diet that restricts the consumption of fatty / spicy / smoked foods. Is alcohol permitted in pancreatitis? This is what will be discussed.

Effect of alcohol on the pancreas

The toxic effect of alcoholic beverages on the pancreas is several times stronger than on the liver. Hepatic tissues are capable of qualitatively splitting the ethanol delivered to the body, decomposing it into harmless components. The pancreas can not process the substance, so after its penetration into the bloodstream, its cells assume all the negative.

The toxic effect of alcohol-containing beverages is as follows:

• pancreas cells experience a severe shortage of oxygen;
• occurs spasmodic sphincter of Oddi, located at the outlet of the duct of the gland into the lumen of the duodenum;
• thickens the digestive juice and increases the concentration of enzymes due to redistribution of fluid in the body.

After taking alcohol and its intake into the stomach, the human brain transmits certain information to the pancreas. As a result, iron begins to secrete digestive enzymes that remain virtually unclaimed. Do not forget that the alcoholic almost never has a snack. As a result, the edema of the organ and the development of another attack occur.

The most common forms of pathology are alcohol and biliary. The cause of the latter is blockage of the bile duct. Alcoholic pancreatitis develops in chronic alcoholism and is diagnosed in about 45% of all cases of acute disease.

Medical statistics show that the disease is especially common in developed countries. The reason is simple - excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, as well as protein and animal fats.

An increase in the incidence of chronic pancreatitis in approximately 40-90% of all diagnosed cases is the excessive intake of alcohol

The negative effect of alcohol on the pancreas does not depend on the strength of the consumed beverage. Toxic dose for a doctor's gland is called just 50 ml of pure ethanol. To have an idea of ​​the possible danger, it is necessary to know the content of pure alcohol in the most popular ethyl-containing beverages:

• 0.5 liters of beer with a strength of 5.3% - 25.5 ml;
• bottle of vodka - 200 ml;
• a bottle of champagne or wine with a volume of 0.75 ml with a strength of 12% - 90 ml.

Of course, alcohol intake during the festive feast can not be excluded and significant damage to a few glasses of wine or champagne pancreas will not bring. But if a person takes a little alcohol daily, then avoid alcohol damage to the pancreas will not work.

Beer in case of inflammation of the pancreas

When the remission to the stage of remission, the inflamed gland ceases to cause suffering to the person and the patient has a question: "Is it possible to drink beer with pancreatitis?".Doctors do not cease to remind that even weak alcohol for this pathology of the pancreas is completely contraindicated. This refers to all forms of the disease: acute pancreatitis, and its chronic course.

In addition to the fact that beer contains a certain amount of ethanol in its composition, it also presents a different danger for the affected gland. The drink has a high glycemic index.

This means that the pancreas is forced to work more actively and produce an additional dose of insulin, necessary for the digestion of carbohydrates obtained by the body.

Beer also stimulates the production of pancreatic juice, like any alcohol. No less harm is represented by non-alcoholic beer. Many patients with diagnosed pancreatitis believe that if there is no ethanol in the drink, then it can be consumed without fear.

This opinion is erroneous. First of all, do not forget about the high glycemic index, forcing the patient's pancreas to work in an active mode.

Beer after getting into the blood becomes the cause of dehydration of the gland cells, which leads to thickening of the pancreatic juice

Non-alcoholic beer is a carbonated drink. The carbon dioxide present in it has an irritating effect not only on the surface of the gastric mucosa, but also on the cells of the pancreas. Do not forget that in the industrial beer contains various preservatives, aromatic and flavor additives.

What is the danger of wine in pancreatitis?

Wine in pancreatitis will be completely contraindicated. Its danger for the inflamed pancreas is as follows:

• Presence of ethyl alcohol. This component can cause significant damage to the pancreas: it causes spasmodic ducts, which makes it difficult or completely stops the outflow of pancreatic juice - the iron begins to digest itself. A person has a relapse of the disease.
• Wine is produced by fermenting grape juice. The drink contains a high percentage of sugars and organic acids, which stimulate the increased work of the gland.
• In the process of production of sweet and dessert varieties of wine, the composition of the drink is enriched with additional sugars, which increases the glucose content severalfold. And the pancreas will have to work hard to develop the necessary dose of insulin.
• Many wines are cheap imitations of expensive beverages and contain a large number of preservatives, flavors and colorants.

Consequences of consumption of alcohol

It is the use of alcohol has a particularly negative effect on cells damaged by inflammation of the pancreas. Many patients in the period of remission of the disease, when pathological symptoms are completely absent, violate the prohibition of the doctor and begin to consume alcohol again.

Alcohol intake in the presence of a chronic form of pancreatitis can threaten the following consequences:

• Frequent exacerbations of the disease, accompanied by a significant deterioration in overall well-being. Each subsequent attack is more severe than the previous one and in the case of failure to provide modern medical assistance, the consequences can be very deplorable. Relapses of other chronic pathologies.
• The formation of diabetes mellitus as an insulin-independent and insulin-dependent form.
• Development of pancreatic necrosis, accompanied by the complete death of pancreatic cells and their subsequent replacement with connective tissue.

In severe cases, death is not excluded. What alcohol can you drink with pancreatitis? The answer is unequivocal: no. Beer, wine, sparkling drinks or vodka with pancreatitis are completely contraindicated.

When diagnosing any form of inflammation of the pancreas, the patient must completely abandon the alcohol

. Drug treatment of the disease is carried out either in an acute period or during a relapse. During the remission period, the patient is prescribed diet compliance and full refusal of alcoholic drinks is recommended.

It should be remembered that a type of alcoholic beverage - it does not matter what you drank: beer, wine, vodka or cognac - the rate of formation of pathogens and deterioration of the state of influence is not. The leading role is given to the dose of alcohol consumed: the higher it is, the more significant the change is in the pancreas.

It is proved that even a moderate intake of ethanol in the body - no more than 20 grams per day - can cause the disease. In patients who completely abandoned drinking, the general condition improves: the number of attacks of pancreatitis decreases. A person achieves a long-term remission, because the cure of the disease is no longer complete.