Alcohol and Gut Health
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The gut and brain are closely connected, both physically and chemically. This connection influences our overall health and well-being. Let's break it down
The Gut-Brain Connection
Your gut and brain communicate through the vagus nerve and various chemicals like metabolites, hormones, and neurotransmitters. These chemicals can tell us a lot about our body's status.
How Alcohol Affects the Gut
Alcohol can harm your gastrointestinal (GI) tract in three main ways:
Acid Reflux: Alcohol relaxes a muscle that keeps stomach acid from flowing into the esophagus, causing acid reflux.
Altering Gut Microbiome: Alcohol disrupts the balance of bacteria in your gut and reduces their diversity. The gut microbiome, comprising thousands of bacterial species, plays a crucial role in overall health, including the immune system and brain function.
Inflammation: Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream and causes inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can damage the GI tract, making it more permeable and allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream.
How The Gut Heals in Sobriety
When you stop drinking, your gut can start healing. Beneficial bacteria can thrive again, and the gut lining can repair itself. This allows for better absorption of nutrients from food and supports overall digestive health. The body heals faster than the brain, and you can see big improvements in gut health (like reduced acid reflux) in the first month of sobriety.
Listen to episode 169 to learn more about how alcohol affects your gut health:
FAQs on Alcohol and Gut Health
How long does it take your gut to heal from alcohol?
The gut can heal quickly once you stop drinking. Studies have found significant healing within the first 3 weeks of sobriety. Listen to this episode for more information.
How do you fix your gut from alcohol?
Not drinking is the first step, but you should also be mindful of having a healthy diet. The diversity of gut bacteria and the ability of good gut bacteria to thrive has a lot to do with the food that you eat.
Is alcohol belly reversible?
Yes! Alcohol causes inflammation throughout the whole body. When you quit drinking, the inflammation will begin to go away and you’ll stop being bloated and puffy all the time.
Cite this article:
Tietz, G. Alcohol and Gut Health. Sober Powered. 2023
Sources:
Robertson, R. How does your gut microbiome impact your overall health? Healthline. 2023.
Zeevi D, Korem T, Zmora N, et al. Personalized Nutrition by Prediction of Glycemic Responses. Cell. 2015;163(5):1079-1094. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.11.001
Naidoo, U. Gut feelings: how food affects your mood. Harvard Health. 2019
Bishehsari, F. et al. Alcohol and Gut-Derived Inflammation. Alcohol Res. 2017
Simpson, S., et al. Drugs and Bugs: The Gut-Brain Axis and Substance Use Disorders. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2021.
