ALCOHOL & DIGESTION: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you’ve ever had a heavy night of drinking, you’ve probably experienced some sort of (to say it nicely) digestive distress. You may have experienced the DADS (Day After Drinking “S*$#s”), or ended up completely backed up digestively.
You might even notice that alcohol really impacts your body even long after it leaves your system. If you track your weight, you’ll also likely notice a big spike in the scale the day or few days post-booze fest.
Let’s talk about why those things happen and how alcohol impacts digestion in the short, medium, and long term.
HOW MUCH ALCHOL IMPACTS THE BODY
We’ll start with defining how much alcohol can impact the body. It might be less than you think!
For most people, it takes about an hour for the body to breakdown one standard drink, which is defined as:
12oz of beer
5oz of wine
1.5 ounces of liquor (80% alcohol)
This can vary dramatically depending on body size, gender, age, ethnicity, nutrition status, hydration status, and genetic predisposition to breaking down alcohol. Some people may take multiple hours to breakdown one drink, and some may not be able to process alcohol at all.
A “moderate” amount of alcohol according to the CDC is 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men. However, we now know that even moderate amounts of drinking (3-4 drinks per week) can impact physiology if ingested on a regular basis. For a comprehensive explanation of all of the effects of alcohol on the entire body, brain, and physiology, check out the Huberman Lab podcast on alcohol (episode #86) which can be found on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS SHORT TERM DIGESTION
Diarrhea:
For some people, alcohol can cause diarrhea. It can, for some, increase the speed at which everything moves through your system, entering into the intestines faster than the intestines can pull water from the stool - meaning loose, watery stools and an intense urgency to go to the bathroom. No fun.
Constipation:
On the other hand, for some people alcohol can cause constipation. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it causes us to produce more urine. This means the body can become dehydrated if we aren’t taking in enough fluid alongside the alcohol, as the alcohol removes fluid from the system. This in turn can lead to hard, dry, difficult to pass bowel movements. Another side effect is pulling electrolytes out of the system, which are essential for our cells to function properly.
In the stomach:
It’s common knowledge that excess alcohol can cause vomiting, but there’s much more that can happen in the stomach in the short term. Alcohol can trigger the stomach to overproduce acid, which can damage its mucosal lining and result in heartburn, stomach pain, bloating, and even ulcers. It can even cause a condition called gastritis, which can require
ALCOHOL & GUT HEALTH: SHORT AND LONG TERM
Alcohol affects the intestines in the short and long term because it increases inflammation in the intestines by:
Altering gut bacteria composition and function.
Our intestines house millions of bacteria that help us digest food, support our immune systems, protect us from dangerous pathogens, and even play a role in mental health! Alcohol kills bacteria, and alcohol in the digestive system means bacteria in the gut are vulnerable to damage and alteration which can have short & long term effects on our overall health.
Increasing permeability of the intestinal lining
As an illustration, imagine that the walls of your intestines are like brick & mortar walls - many junctions of bricks and mortar (a crude analogy - but bear with me!). When we drink alcohol, we can degrade the tight junctions between the bricks & the mortar, making the walls not-so-good at keeping things that are supposed to stay in, inside, and keeping things that are supposed to stay out, outside. In the shorter term, this can lead to major problems like systemic inflammation and autoimmune conditions
In the longer term, this can also lead to the intestine’s inability to absorb nutrients from the foods we eat. In chronic drinkers, this can cause major nutrient deficiencies that lead to a vast array of diseases.
Inflammation in the gut can lead to system-wide inflammation, which is often why we experience weight spikes post-drinking. Our bodies retain water and various metabolites that can leave us feeling puffy, swollen, and we may see the scale spike up a few pounds after a heavy night of drinking.
LONG TERM DIGESTIVE HEALTH IMPACTS OF ALCOHOL
Tumors:
Alcohol has been found to promote / initiate tumor growth in the digestive tract.
Cancer:
Chronic drinking increases the risk of many types of cancers, as it is a toxin and damages cells it comes into contact with. Most of us know that drinking can lead to liver cancer and fatty liver disease. But did you know that our digestive systems are also particularly vulnerable to cancer with chronic alcohol use? The digestive system is our first line of defense for anything that comes into our bodies. So mouth, esophagus, throat, stomach, colon, and rectum cancers are far more likely with chronic alcohol use. In fact, more than 4 drinks a day can increase your risk of all of these cancers.
Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, which is the same category as tobacco and asbestos. Unfortunately, in our society it’s looked at as neutral or even positive, and our bodies are paying the price.
RECOMMENDATIONS
First and foremost, the best way to avoid drinking related digestive health impacts is to limit or avoid alcohol. But whether you decide that alcohol is an important part of your life or not, there are things you can do to support your body while drinking.
In the short term:
-Eat hearty meals before and after drinking to protect your stomach lining.
-Stay hydrated when you are drinking. Try switching from alcohol to water or another non alcoholic beverage every other drink.
-Avoid drinking more than 3 drinks in one night. Studies show that drinking 4 or more drinks per night can greatly increase your risk of developing long term health issues.
In the long term, or if you have had excessive alcohol use in the past:
-Include fermented foods in your diet to help promote the growth & health of gut bacteria. Things like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and yogurt can help if eaten regularly.
-If you have had chronic alcohol use in the past, go get screened for cancers of the digestive tract that might not be visible to the naked eye.
As always, take information you’ve read and think how it may impact your life. I hope this has helped you understand the long & short term effects of alcohol on the digestive system so you can make the best decision for yourself and your life!
WITH GOOD VIBES - COACH SARAH