Yesterday, I read an article posted in Cystic Fibrosis News Today by Patricia Silva, PhD, that was pretty thought-provoking.
Scientists have discovered there is a commonality shared by people who suffer from alcohol abuse and cystic fibrosis.
Results from a recent clinical study, published in the journal, Gastroenterology, demonstrates that consuming too much alcohol can damage the functionality of the CFTR gene, which is located in the pancreas.
Initially, I didn’t make the connection, but after brushing up on cystic fibrosis (CF), I learned that people with CF are born with a genetically-flawed CFTR gene. As CF progresses, approximately 80-90% of people develop pancreatitis, a chronic condition that has no cure or treatment. Unfortunately, it can lead to death.
In the trial, scientists studied three groups of people: those living with CF, those who’ve received emergency hospital care because they’d consumed too much alcohol, and a control group of relatively healthy individuals. Oh, they also tested innocent animals against their will, but that’s another story I’ll save for another time.
So, here are my takeaways:
- Alcohol abusers have higher concentrations of chloride in their sweat samples, which indicates impaired function of the CFTR gene. Alcoholics frequently develop pancreatitis.
- People who have CF are born with a defective CFTR gene that inhibits proper functioning of the pancreas. The vast majority of people living with CF suffer from pancreatitis.
- Someone needs to develop a targeted therapeutic approach to increase and repair CFTA gene functionality. NOW!
- When it comes to alcohol, less is always more.
And now it’s your turn! What do you think of these findings? Do you think alcohol abusers are getting too much attention in comparison to people who have CF? How do you feel about animals being used in laboratories for clinical trials?
This month, PatientWorthy is teaming up with CysticLife.org to spread awareness of CF and support their collaboration with the Mayo Clinic for a community-driven research project investigating the benefits of exercise for CF patients. If you’re interested in contributing to the fund or want to become a CysticLife member, drop by CysticLife.org or donate here today! Don’t forget to share this post!
