ABSTRACT
Medical problems in alcoholic subjects increase with quantity and duration of alcohol consumption and often increase with age of the user. Health problems do not appear when consumption is less than 50 g/day (four or five drinks) and are commonly seen only when alcohol consumption reaches more than 20% of total calorie consumption (about ten drinks daily). With a few exceptions there is no relationship to the specific beverage selected. Alcoholism-related diseases are caused by malnutrition (neuritis) and/or by alcohol toxicity (fatty liver). However, in most patients this differentiation loses meaning, for as alcohol intake surpasses 30 to 50% of caloric intake, both excess alcohol and malnutrition of protein, vitamins, and minerals are present. 1
