ABSTRACT
Alcoholism and its habituation usually results in the frequent ingestion of an alcoholic beverage from the time of awakening until retirement and usually a portion is ingested each 2 to 3 hr, because it disappears so rapidly. Alcoholism is usually associated with mild protein deficiency and frequent deficiencies of B vitamins, folate, zinc, and magnesium; and nearly always produces mild impairment of the efficiency of absorption by the small intestine and in intermediate metabolism by the liver. Both the brain and the liver repair themselves less readily in the elderly. Since the elderly have impaired glucose metabolism compared to younger patients, it seems clear that the defects in chronic alcoholism and the defects in aging will be additive. The prevalences of vascular disease adversely affecting the heart increases with ageing. Aging associated with severe disease of almost any sort, however, results in increasing malnutrition and the most severe problems in the elderly occur with combinations of poor intake and disease.
