Sydney, Oct 9 (IANS) Wine, developed as a substitute for water not fit for drinking, could have an unhealthy effect on your appetite.

"However, alcohol is a drug that is abused and the repercussion of alcohol abuse over a long time can seriously affect most of the major organs of the body," says Anna Kokavec, psychologist at the La Trobe University.

Kokavec and colleague Simon Crowe, a professor, are finding out exactly how alcohol affects the body by focusing on the links between alcohol consumption and appetite.

Alcoholics often seek treatment in a highly malnourished condition, "an issue that can lead to health problems like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (condition that can lead to forms of amnesia and hallucinations)," says Kokavec.

This malnourishment was often attributed to the 'poor dietary habits' of alcoholics, but now Kokavec has uncovered another reason to explain malnourishment in heavy drinkers and the results speak for themselves, according to a La Trobe release.

"We confirmed that certain biochemical processes associated with appetite regulation do change when alcohol was consumed," says Kokavec.

"The research provides enough evidence to question whether malnutrition and poor dietary behaviour of alcoholics is the fault of the individual or whether it's the consequences of alcohol and the role it plays in suppressing appetite," says Kokavec.