6 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Gut [NYTimes]

By Alice Callahan | NYTimes | February 6, 2025

You can find the full article here, but a quick summary is pasted below:

When The New York Times published an article last year about the various ways alcohol might change your gut microbiome, the reader response was overwhelming.

One person said that after quitting alcohol, digestive issues practically vanished. Others said that curtailing their drinking helped with bloating, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome and more.

That’s not surprising, said Dr. Morgan Sendzischew Shane, a gastroenterologist at the University of Miami Health System. Some people may notice gut discomfort after a single drink, she said, while others may not be aware of a connection at all. But alcohol can have many negative consequences for the digestive system — from short-term symptoms to longer-term health risks.

Here are six effects alcohol can have on your gut.

1. Acid Reflux:
Alcohol can relax the lower esophageal sphincter, allowing stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus, causing heartburn and irritation.

2. Inflammation:
Alcohol can trigger inflammation in the gut lining, potentially leading to gastritis and other digestive discomforts.

3. Gas and Bloating/ Gut Microbiome Imbalance:
Alcohol use can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, potentially leading to dysbiosis (an imbalance of good and bad bacteria).

 4. Abnormal Bowel Habits:
Alcohol can cause both diarrhea and constipation. It can increase water in the intestines, leading to loose stools, and also affect the nerves that control bowel movements.

5. Gut "Leakiness":
Alcohol can damage the lining of the intestines, potentially leading to "leaky gut syndrome," where bacteria and toxins can escape into the bloodstream and potentially affect other organs like the liver.

6. Increased Cancer Risk:
Chronic alcohol consumption is linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, including colorectal cancer, potentially due to its effects on the gut.

Alice Callahan is a Times reporter covering nutrition and health. She has a Ph.D. in nutrition from the University of California, Davis.

You can read the full article here.

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Drinking alcohol with meals is just a normal part of our culture, right? 

🍷 There’s wine with dinner, cocktails at happy hour, or a ::toast:: with champagne… 🥂

But you know what’s another increasingly common part of life? 

…digestive issues. 

🔄 THE CONNECTION?
Among other things, alcohol disrupts our gut. Big time.

Alcohol is a disinfectant. We quite literally use it in cleaning products to kill germs. 🚫

…so, *of course* it’s a major disruption for our gut microbiome.

Alcohol interrupts important gut functions like regulating our immune system and producing important neurotransmitters… not to mention digestion and nutrient absorption.

👉 ON TOP OF ALL THAT?
[According to that recent article in the New York Times] There’s Acid Reflex, Inflammation and Bleeding, Gas and Bloating, Abnormal Bowel Habits, Leaky Gut, and Cancer Risk. 

Oof. 

☀️ READY FOR THE GOOD NEWS?
Taking a break from booze gives your system a chance to clear out and ::reset::

Your body will eventually rebalance—gut function will improve—and your beautifully complex microbiome will shift back to it’s regularly scheduled programming. 

Your body is incredibly resilient! You just need to give it a chance to heal.

👉 If you're ready to drink less the easy way… without willpower, deprivation or any labels… then check out my Revolutionary RESET!

Your gut will thank you.
💌