Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Charles Lieber, pioneer in alcoholism research

Dr. Charles S. Lieber, who overturned conventional wisdom by demonstrating that alcohol is a toxin that can damage the liver and that alcoholism is a disease that can be treated, died March 1 at his home in Tenafly, N.J. He was 78 and had been battling stomach cancer.

Before his work in the 1970s, researchers had thought that alcohol itself was harmless and that cirrhosis of the liver occurred because most alcoholics suffered from malnutrition. Alcoholism was considered a moral defect.

Lieber showed otherwise and demonstrated that excessive drinking could change the metabolism in the liver to convert a number of normally harmless chemicals, including acetaminophen, into toxins.

“If you look at his contributions, we all owe Dr. Lieber an enormous debt of gratitude for helping to set into place the science that supports all the work around alcohol and alcoholism,” said Robert Lindsey, president and chief executive of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

“Even today, the government standards for how much a normal person can drink are based on his research,” added Dr. Norman Pace, a longtime researcher in alcoholism. “The most important thing you can say about him is ‘The guy should have gotten a Nobel Prize.'”

When Lieber began his work in the 1960s, physicians generally assumed alcohol was a relatively harmless chemical, like sugar, and the liver damage associated with excessive drinking occurred because the drinkers had a poor diet.

In hospital experiments in New York, Lieber fed baboons the equivalent of a fifth of liquor daily for up to four years and reported they developed cirrhosis even though their diet was very healthful.

He subsequently demonstrated the existence of two enzyme systems in the liver affected by persistent drinking and demonstrated that women – unlike men – do not have one of the enzymes in the lining of their stomachs. Lieber also showed alcohol consumption promotes hepatitis and pioneered the therapeutic use of the supplement S-adenosylmethionine or SAMe, to prevent liver toxicity.

Lieber is survived by his second wife, Dr. Maria Leo-Lieber; three daughters, two sons and six grandchildren.

source: Los Angeles Times

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Seasons Recovery Center of Malibu California Stresses the Importance of Aftercare

What comes after drug rehab? Seasons Recovery Center says that any effective drug rehab program will be followed by continuing aftercare sessions to further prevent relapse. At Seasons Recovery Center of Malibu, California patients undergo a range of psychological and physical therapies that are aimed at helping them to return to society drug free and….

5 Ways Parents Can Prevent Teenage Drinking

Teenage drinking is such a health risk that pediatricians are now being told to screen all teenagers—and even sixth graders—for alcohol use. That new policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics can be a powerful tool for parents to help their children avoid trouble with alcohol. But first, parents need to learn to give teenagers….

5 Benefits of Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers

Primarily, the goal of a dual diagnosis treatment center is to effectively treat co-existing physical or mental health conditions of an addict along with their substance abuse. By treating all conditions in continuum and integrating the treatment services, many benefits can be received in dual diagnosis treatment centers that may be limited by other providers…..

Study links violence to take-away alcohol

US scientists have shown what they say is a direct link between the number of shops selling alcohol in an area and the violence occurring there. The study was conducted in Cincinnati and considered all types of outlet, including bars and restaurants. The more shops selling alcohol in an area, the scientists say, the more….

Inpatient Addiction Treatment Offers New Hope to Struggling Addicts

Those suffering from addiction to drugs or alcohol have often failed the recovery process on more than one occasion before they land in an inpatient addiction treatment center. In fact, many have even failed treatment at an inpatient program multiple times before the treatment actually works for them and recovery is found. Inpatient addiction treatment….