This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our teamof licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
Let’s take a few sips and find out.
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And for more tips on how to eat healthy, don’t miss7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
This can cause reflux esophagitis, commonly known as heartburn, where stomach acids back up into the esophagus.
The condition is also called GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
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A 2018 study in the journalGastroenterologynoted that drinking alcohol in early adulthood likely leads to reflux disease.
Mucosal trauma and cancer.
That’s indigestion or dyspepsia, what doctors call gastritis.
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“Since the lining thins with age, this disorder is more common in older people.”
Alcoholic gastritis is most associated with drinking hard liquors, such as whiskey, gin, and vodka.
Symptoms include burning pain or a dull ache, belching, vomiting, and weight loss.
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For more, readThe Biggest Danger Sign You’re Drinking Too Much Alcohol, Say Doctors.
The result is gas, bloating, pain, and diarrhea.
Cocktails made with mixers containing high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and carbonation can also trigger IBS symptoms.
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Studies show that following a low-FODMAP diet and reducing or eliminating alcohol can relieve IBS symptoms.
Constipation or diarrhea.
Yes, both can happen from drinking.
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What happens when you drink a few beers?
You pee more often.
That’s because alcohol prevents your body from releasing a hormone responsible for fluid retention.
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When you pee more, you become dehydrated, which can cause constipation.
Inflammatory diseases.
Unhealthy gut microbiota.
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The gut contains more than 500 bacterial speciesboth good and bad pathogenic bacteria.
A healthy gut maintains a balance of good and bad bacterial homeostasis.
That’s the “leaky gut” syndrome you may have heard about.
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Vitamin and mineral deficiency.
Alcoholics are often deficient in both.
Reduced immune system function.
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After all, the GI system plays a critical role in immune homeostasis.
And, of course, your gut may grow.
Alcohol can also trigger hunger signals in your brain, andstudiesdo connect alcohol consumption to obesity.
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One way drinking can result in weight gain in your gut: Your body prioritizes alcohol as fuel.
