5 Connections Between Alcohol and Leaky Gut
Alcohol and leaky gut is a common correlation in avid drinkers. Ingestion of alcohol, even in non-intoxicated individuals, can lead to a leaky gut.
The inside of the small intestine is called the lumen, and its job is to absorb nutrients from the inside of the gut and have them enter the bloodstream. The lumen is made up of a barrier of cells, only one cell deep, and it’s important for these cells to remain tightly packed to only led in nutrients and nothing else. During alcohol consumption, the junctions or spaces between these cells in the lumen widen, allowing toxins and undigested food particles to pass through into the bloodstream which is not good. This increases the permeability of the lumen, which is how it gets the name leaky gut because there isn’t much regulation on what gets passed in our bloodstream, creating a ‘leak’. Many different negative outcomes can result from alcohol and leaky gut.
Here are 5 outcomes of alcohol and leaky gut
1. Dysbiosis
Dysbiosis is an outcome of alcohol and leaky gut. The gut is made up of a variety of bacteria that aid in digestion. This bacteria is good, and we want a broad diversity of it in order to digest different foods. Although, there are also bad bacteria that can build up in the gut due to many different lifestyle factors, including alcohol consumption. Gut dysbiosis is when there is an imbalance in the ratio of good to bad bacteria in the intestines. Research in mice studies have found that alcohol consumption can shift this ratio and increase the bad bacteria population in the gut. As mentioned, alcohol also increases leaky gut so many of the bad bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause problems there.
2. Poor Absorption
Another one of the outcomes of alcohol and leaky gut is poor nutrient absorption. 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 of increased permeability caused by alcohol and leaky gut. Folic acid is one of the most common deficiencies among chronic alcohol consumers. Additionally, all macronutrients have a decreased absorption in alcoholics as well. 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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3. Inflammation
Inflammation is another outcome of alcohol and leaky gut. Inflammation occurs when your white blood cells sense an invader or an area of injury in the body, so they release chemicals to surge the area as well as increase blood flow there. In the case of alcohol and leaky gut, the increased permeability can allow larger food particles or toxins to enter the bloodstream which causes inflammation. This is because the body will recognize these as pathogens and will send inflammatory particles to break them down. In addition, the increased bad bacterial overgrowth can cause inflammation due to the fact that these bacteria can metabolize the alcohol themselves creating proinflammatory products called acetaldehyde and acetate. Alcohol can overall decrease immunity resulting in immunosuppression which can limit the body’s natural defense against pathogens.
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4. Decreased Mood Chemicals
Decreased mood chemicals or neurotransmitters can be another outcome of alcohol and leak gut. These mood chemicals aid in emotions and feelings. Serotonin is an example of one that we produce when we are happy. Surprisingly, a large amount of it is actually produced in the gut as well as the brain. Researchers identified this because when they had mice consume a type of good bacteria, they found levels of tryptophan to increase, which is an amino acid that helps produce serotonin. Alcohol can lead to having a leaky gut and cause high amounts of bad bacteria and therefore reduce serotonin production.
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5. Imbalanced Hormone Levels
Another outcome of alcohol and leaky gut is imbalanced hormone levels. Hormones need to be properly balanced in the body, and many of them have a close reliance on gut functioning. One of the main contributors to healthy estrogen levels is an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase. This enzyme is produced by gut bacteria, and its main job is to convert estrogen into this active form that can bind to receptors in the body. Though its success rate is dependent on the microbial diversity in the intestine. During a state of dysbiosis induced by alcohol, the enzyme’s activity can be dysregulated and estrogen levels are negatively affected and can drop to low levels. Low estrogen levels can lead to increased stress, loss of period, decreased fertility, low body weight, and fatigue.
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