Methanol Poisoning
Methanol poisoning occurs when a person is exposed to methanol, a toxic alcohol found in some industrial products and environmental pollutants. Although these two conditions may seem unrelated, they are connected. Metabolic acidosis is one of the most common complications of methanol poisoning.
Methanol is chemically similar to ethanol, the type of alcohol found in beer, wine, and liquor. When people drink beverages containing ethanol, their bodies can break it down and use it for energy. However, when people drink beverages containing methanol, their bodies cannot break it down and use it for energy. Instead, the methanol is converted into formic acid, which builds up in the blood and tissue. This can lead to metabolic acidosis.
The symptoms of metabolic acidosis include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, confusion, tiredness, irregular heartbeat, and shortness of breath. Methanol poisoning can also cause blindness, kidney failure, and death. Death from methanol poisoning is more common in developing countries where people often drink contaminated alcoholic beverages.
People who develop metabolic acidosis from methanol poisoning often need to be hospitalized to be monitored closely and treated quickly. Most people will fully recover from methanol poisoning with timely diagnosis and treatment.
