If you’ve ever indulged in a bit too much wine or one too many cocktails, you know alcohol — especially in excess — has some unpleasant gastrointestinal (GI) side effects. Sincegut healthis important forsupporting your immune system, this can lead to weakened immunity and other negative side effects.
Here’s what you need to know about how alcohol plays a role.
ALCOHOL METABOLISM AND YOUR GUT
Most alcohol is metabolized by your stomach and liver, however, a small proportion is cleared by the gut. As alcohol consumption increases, the proportion of alcohol metabolized by your gut also increases. In other words, the more you drink, the more pressure you put on your gut to process alcohol.
Gut metabolism of alcohol produces free radicals that can damage the cells of the GI tract andstudies suggestalcohol can lead to changes in your microbiome and intestinal inflammation. Having ahealthy microbiome has been tied to weight loss和evenbetter sleep. The gut is an important protective layer between the outside world and our bloodstream, and even small changes in permeability and function (caused by free radicals from metabolizing alcohol)appear to negatively impact other systemssuch as the liver, brain and immune defenses.
Moreover, many people with inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) report alcohol triggers their symptoms.
IMMUNITY AND ALCOHOL
Research suggestseven in moderate amounts (usually defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks for men), alcohol impairs immunity through various mechanisms such as promoting inflammation, altering gut function and the microbiome, reducing barrier integrity in the lungs and blocking anti-inflammatory mechanisms. What’s more,alcohol can impair sleep和lead to dehydration, two factors that can further weaken the immune system.
THE BOTTOM LINE
We still have a lot to learn about the relationship between alcohol, the GI tract and immunity. That said, if you choose to drink, limit your consumption toone standard drink a dayfor women or two standard drinks a day for men, or less, to minimize health risks, including GI inflammation. If you have a particularly sensitive gut or a pre-existing condition such as IBD or IBS, you may need to cut your alcohol consumption even further. Make sure toprioritize a well-balanced dietwithgut-friendly食物,move your body regularly和getquality sleepto bestsupport your immune system和overall health.
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