Alcohol and the Gut
What do we really need to know?
By now, almost everyone knows that alcohol is not the healthiest thing for our minds and bodies. But what do we know about the effect that alcohol has on our gut microbiome health? Before I answer this, there are a few terms I want to define for you.
Microbiome: Our microbiome is the collection of all the microbes, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and more, that naturally exist in and on our bodies.
Microbiota: This is the collection of bacteria in a particular area of the body, such as the gut.
Microbes: These are the small individual bacteria that reside within the microbiome.
Gut: When we refer to the gut, we are generally talking about the GI system which includes the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine. Most of the gut microbiome resides in the large intestine and colon.
Now that we better understand our gut microbiome, we can lean into how alcohol consumption may affect the microbes that reside within us. Alcohol is mostly metabolized in the liver and is transformed into acetaldehyde which can cause dysbiosis of the gut. What is dysbiosis? Dysbiosis is the imbalance and disruption of the microbial community and often includes gut lining damage. Alcohol consumption has been associated with not only gut dysbiosis but also bacterial overgrowth which can lead to SIBO and other unintentional health issues.
Alcohol consumption leads to an inflammatory response in the gut that can spread into other parts of the body as well. Alcohol consumption can affect our natural body clock, or circadian rhythm, which can aggravate gut permeability. Many chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel diseases, GI cancers, and other acute issues have symptoms or risk factors associated with a disrupted gut microbiome. There is evidence to suggest that alcohol intake also negatively affects our bodies’ ability to effectively absorb macronutrients and micronutrients from the diet.
One of the most interesting aspects of gut health that we have learned about in the last decade is the connection between the gut and the brain. Our gut and brain are directly connected through the vagus nerve. Evidence suggests that in individuals with high alcohol intake, there may be higher levels of anxiety, depression, and possibly lower attention levels. There is promising research showing that the intestinal permeability that results from alcohol consumption may be one of the leading causes of these psychological symptoms.
With all of this information, it is tempting to cut out alcohol completely. While this is certainly an option, and beneficial or necessary for many, it is possible to maintain a healthy and balanced diet and lifestyle while still enjoying the occasional alcoholic drink. Now, if you are not ready to give up your martinis, spicy margs, or red wine, I want you to always have some food before to ensure that you are slowing the absorption of the ethanol. I would also make sure you are drinking plenty of water alongside your beverage of choice to ensure you are replenishing hydration.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5513683/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214799320300783
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1521691803000349
https://karger.com/ddi/article-pdf/23/3-4/214/2551282/000090168.pdf
2025 the year of the Gut