How too much alcohol hurts the pancreas | Blog

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How too much alcohol hurts the pancreas

University Health Network researchers in Toronto have shed new light on how excessive alcohol consumption damages the pancreas. (It’s already clear how the brain, liver and heart are adversely affected.)

Rodent studies revealed that alcohol triggers a protein called VAMP8, which facilitates the leak of enzymes causing inflammation of the pancreas, or pancreatitis. Mice without VAMP8 showed reduced pancreatitis after exposure to alcohol and carbachol.

Long-term abuse of alcohol causes 70 to 90 percent of ongoing pancreatitis cases in Western countries, according to the BC Health Guide. Symptoms of the condition include pain in the upper belly, nausea, vomiting, fever, or sweating.

While many benefits of alcohol consumption have been touted, at this time the weight of evidence suggests that you shouldn’t tip back more than one drink a day. So, make it a good one!

Posted by lisa murphy onMonday, June 9th, 2008 - 12:08pm

2 Comments

Good point, Ann. Acute pancreatitis can result from binge drinking, in as many as 35 percent of cases. (http://www.dwp.gov.uk/medical/med_conditions/pd/acute_pd.asp ). The study, "Hospital admission for acute pancreatitis in the Irish population, 1997 2004: could the increase be due to an increase in alcohol-related pancreatitis?" in the December 2007 Journal of Public Health (Oxford) also noted that for alcohol-related admissions (with acute pancreatitis) the median age was 30 to 49.

Submitted by lisa on Tue, 2008-06-10 2:52pm.

"Long-term abuse of alcohol causes 70 to 90 percent of ongoing pancreatitis cases in Western countries"

Aren't they referring to "chronic" pancreatitis? What's the story on "acute" pancreatitis? I know young people who haven't drank for extended periods of time develop acute cases of pancreatitis. As far as I know acute cases may be due to subclinical chronic conditions, that is, according to some sources, but not according to others. Although some MD-websites talk about the relationship of acute pancreatitis to binge drinking. I can't seem to find recent investigations on that topic. Can you direct me?

Submitted by Ann on Tue, 2008-06-10 2:00pm.

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