Impairment of Thiamine Absorption in Alcoholism

Abstract

A controlled study of radioactive thiamine absorption in severe alcoholics who had been drinking just prior to the study is reported. A highly significant impairment of thiamine absorption was found in the 20 alcoholics as compared with 10 nonalcoholic controls. It is suggested that malabsorption of thiamine plays a greater role in the production of alcoholic thiamine deficiency than is generally appreciated.