Effects of Alcohol on the Digestive System
Alcohol can be a fun way to socialize with friends and family, but it comes with a price. It isn’t a surprise that alcohol is not the healthiest beverage to consume. The third most preventable cause of death is from alcohol-related causes coming in at 95,000 deaths per year. Drinking more than 4 alcoholic beverages for men and 3 for women per day is considered heavy drinking and can put high levels of harm on your body. Here we will discuss the effects of alcohol on the digestive system
Here are 5 effects of alcohol on the digestive system
1. Gut Microbiota
Imbalanced gut microbiota is one of the effects of alcohol on the digestive system. Our gut microbiota is the system of all the good bacteria that reside in our small and large intestines. Alcohol, depending on the kind, can either create an overgrowth of bacteria, or it can wipe out the bacteria. When the bacteria is not balanced this creates a host of gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, and malabsorption of nutrients.
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2. Leaky Gut
Another one of the effects of alcohol is that it causes a leaky gut. The inner intestinal wall has the job of letting in nutrients but not letting in toxins, bacteria, or pathogens. These intestinal cells are tightly packed next to each other to make sure that the barrier is strong enough to keep all of the bad particles out. Unfortunately, alcohol can loosen up this wall of cells creating gaps in between them and leading to a leaky gut where pathogens and bad bacteria can enter and flow into our blood, resulting in inflammation.
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3. Nausea
Nausea is another one of the effects of alcohol on the digestive system. Alcohol can increase the production of gastric acid which irritates the stomach lining, the barrier that keeps the harmful acid away from the rest of the body. Furthermore, alcohol also slows down food from entering your small intestine, which can lead to nausea when the food continues to hang out in the stomach.
4. Vomiting
Vomiting is the result of lowered activity from the esophageal sphincter, which makes it one of the effects of alcohol on the digestive system. This sphincter is the door between the esophagus and the stomach. When food is consumed, it will open to let the food enter the stomach, and then it will close after the food is in the stomach to prevent the food from coming back up the throat. Alcohol impairs the sensitivity of the sphincter resulting in the food and stomach acid coming back up the esophagus.
5. Poor Absorption
Another one of the effects of alcohol on the digestive system is poor nutrient absorption due to damage to the gastrointestinal tract. This is the tube where our food enters and leaves the body. Alcohol can impair the smooth muscle movement in the stomach that helps churn and break down the food. Therefore, with little breakdown of the food, the small intestine will have a harder time extracting the nutrients from our food. In addition, undigested food in the intestines can promote inflammation because the intestinal cells can not fit the large food particle through them. Folic acid is one of the most common deficiencies among chronic alcohol consumers. Additionally, the macronutrients carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids were also poorly absorbed in alcoholics. As a result, the poor digestion and absorption of these nutrients can lead to diarrhea or constipation after chronic alcohol use.
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