Alcohol and your gut

Alcohol and gut health

How much alcohol?

Drinking any amount of alcohol even occasionally can influence your gut, and regrettably, not for the best.

When it comes to alcohol abuse, this can significantly alter the equilibrium of your gut flora and disrupt your entire digestive system.

What defines alcohol abuse?

In Australia, government guidelines are that

‘Alcohol is never completely safe. The more you drink, the greater the risk to your health’ & ‘Drinking more than 2 standard drinks a day can seriously affect your health over your lifetime.’

The government states that his includes by adversely impacting your mental health, and causing cancers, erectile dysfunction, dementia, stroke and heart disease to name some.

In other countries like the UK, the Chief Medical Officer recommends no alcohol for women due to its direct link to breast cancer.

Of concern, at least 1 in 4 Australians above the age of 14 drinks a risky amount of alcohol at least once a month (binge drinks).

Alcohol and your gut

In terms of your gut, alcohol can have significant and health changing affects.

Alcohol, along with our diet, antibiotic use and stress, is one of the main factors influencing the composition of your gut (and therefore your brain function as the two are intimately connected – see this blog).

Your gut microbiome – numbering more than 100 trillion bacteria and microbes – is an ecosystem that plays a major role not only in your digestion, but in your immunity, mental health and much more.

Alcohol can damage your gut microbiome in the following ways

  • It can impact the types, number and balance of flora that live in your gut, potentially causing unhealthy over- and under-growths of bacteria (dysbiosis), which can lead to disease

  • Research shows that people who regularly drink alcohol have guts that look very different to those of people who drink little to no alcohol

  • It causes leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, where the normally tight junctions in your gut lining become compromised and let undesirables like bacteria, viruses and parasites into your blood stream and across your entire system, leading to ongoing low-grade inflammation in the liver and elsewhere

  • It slows the transit time of food through your small intestine leading to stagnation and the growth of unfriendly bacteria

  • Even one isolated occasion of drinking can damage your gut wall and lead to the poor breakdown and malabsorption of essential vitamins and minerals that your body cannot make itself

  • Alcohol abuse changes the composition of your gut flora, which can impact liver health and metabolism (cells and energy), and in turn your general health

  • Just one binge-drinking event (consuming 5 or more drinks for men or 4 or more for women in 2 hours) can increase endotoxins in your blood. These are serious, associated with disease and can permanently damage your gut

  • Regular alcohol consumption can alter your central nervous system and how your brain works, including through your brain’s microbiome (yes, we have one there too!)

Why is an unhealthy gut bad?

Because it’s linked to reduced immunity and autoimmunity; nervous system issues; chronic blood sugar diseases like diabetes; cancer, thyroid and metabolism problems; liver problems; heart disease; digestion, detoxification and elimination issues; joint pain; stress and more.

Who should not drink alcohol

If you have any of these signs and symptoms, it’s better that you don’t drink alcohol

  • Compromised immunity such as frequent illness or autoimmunity

  • Any chronic health problem including thyroid, blood sugar, arthritis, cardiovascular, cancer

  • Brain issues like dementia, Alzheimer’s, fogginess, forgetfulness

  • Digestive disorders like constipation, diarrhoea, IBS, bloating, SIBO, gas, gut infections

  • Stomach problems such as acid reflux, ulcers, HPylori

  • Liver problems

  • Skin issues such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, rashes

  • You flush easily when drinking alcohol

  • Hormone problems

  • Food allergies or sensitivities, other allergies, histamine sensitivity

What about the benefits you’ve heard of?

Some research reports that the polyphenols in some types of alcohol promote healthy bacteria that support gut health.

One study found that red wine increased Bifidobacterium and Prevotella in some participants. This may have beneficial effects on the gut microbiome by lowering some types of endotoxins, but it may also facilitate imbalances.

How to protect and maintain your gut from alcohol

  1. Abstain from drinking. The less you choose to drink, the lower your risk of alcohol-related harm. This is the particularly the case if you are unwell or wanting to improve your health

  2. If you’re a healthy adult, the Australian government advises that

    1. To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury for healthy men and women, drink no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day

    2. For some people, not drinking at all is the safest option

    3. A standard drink contains 10g of alcohol. Many drinks contain more

  3. Eat well-sourced real food including plenty of vegetables, good fats and complete protein along with fermented foods. Also, stress less and move regularly. Don’t consume alcohol in excess, whatever that level is for YOU

  4. If you suspect you could be sensitive to alcohol, try reducing your intake or cutting it out for a ‘detox’ period such as one month and see how you feel

Of note, the modulation of gut microbiota as a strategy to reduce alcohol-induced liver injury is being investigated. More to come on this.

Summary

Even small amounts of alcohol can have a significant impact on your gut. Diet, your current state of health and other lifestyle factors also play a role. The less you drink, the better it is for your health. If you decide to drink, do so with awareness, in moderation and avoid bingeing.

Gutsy by NutritionComment