Your happy hour habits may not be making your gut very happy.
Reviewed by Dietitian Mandy Enright, M.S., RDN, RYT
Key Points
- Wine and other alcoholic drinks can be disruptive to gut health, especially in high amounts.
- Alcohol can cause damage and irritation to the gut lining, weaken the gut barrier and disrupt the microbiome.
- Drinks that support gut health include water, kefir and bone broth, along with coffee and tea.
Many people associate a healthy gut with good digestion and solid, complete daily bowel movements—something never to take for granted. But gut health isn’t just about having regular, healthy poops. The latest research shows that the state of our gut can also make or break the state of our immune system, focus, memory, mental health, hormonal regulation, skin, heart, inflammation and more.
While there’s a lot of emphasis on the importance of healthy food choices to optimize gut health, what you’re sipping on is also critical. “The choice of what we drink affects our bodies almost as much as what we choose to eat,” says Jason Korenblit, MDnoting that some drinks can disrupt our digestive infrastructure on a cellular level, while other drinks may trigger symptoms such as gas, bloating, reflux and abdominal pain. We spoke with three gut-health experts who agree that wine and other alcoholic drinks could be particularly disruptive to your gut.
Relaxes the Esophageal Sphincter
Drinking alcohol on a regular basis, especially in larger quantities, can be a contributing factor to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is because alcohol relaxes the esophageal sphincter muscle, a flap which separates the bottom of the esophagus from the top of the stomach, which Korenblit explains can trigger or worsen symptoms of acid reflux.
Korenblit warns that drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis can potentially lead to damage at the bottom of your esophagus by allowing stomach acid to migrate upward, which can contribute to acid reflux and even esophageal cancer in some cases, if left unchecked for too long.
Irritates Lining of the Gut
Both Korenblit and Marese Abdul Kaleem, MS, RDN, point out that excessive alcohol consumption may damage and inflame the protective mucus barrier of the gut, making the esophagus and stomach lining more vulnerable to harsh acids. “This can lead to certain types of esophageal cancer, but much more commonly can lead to inflammation in the stomach known as gastritis,” Korenblit cautions, noting that the higher the alcohol proof, the more damage-inducing. Symptoms of gastritis typically show up as bloating, pain and gas after meals, and could make it more difficult to digest spicy or greasy foods.
As a gut irritant, alcohol can also trigger or worsen unwanted symptoms. “Many people with IBS notice their symptoms flare after drinking,” notes Kaleem, pointing out that depending on your body, alcohol may lead to diarrhea or bloating and can often disrupt nutrient absorption.
Weakens Intestinal Barrier
“The lining of the gut acts like a filter, keeping bacteria and toxins inside the intestines and out of the bloodstream,” says Kaleem. “The intestinal barrier is a critical, single-cell layer separating our systemic circulation from the contents of the digestive tract,” adds David Kahana, MD
Wine and other types of alcohol have been shown to compromise our intestinal barrier as a result of the liver producing a toxic byproduct of alcohol digestion, called acetaldehyde, that can degrade the tiny gaps between each cell of the intestinal barrier known as tight junctions. This can result in increased intestinal permeability, or leaky gut, as Kahana explains.
When our intestinal barrier becomes compromised and too permeable, substances are more likely to “leak” into the bloodstream through the gut, instead of getting eliminated as waste. “When that happens, more inflammatory substances can pass through, which may affect the liver and the rest of the body,” warns Kaleem.
Disrupts Gut Microbial Balance
Our microbiome is a unique ecosystem of microbes residing in our gut, mostly in the large intestine. Each individual’s microbiome is as unique as a fingerprint, and these gut bugs play a significant role in almost every aspect of our health. Kahana points out that a healthy gut requires a robust and diverse ecosystem of beneficial flora, or bacteria, to manage cellular metabolism, digest complex fibers and regulate transit time. “A less-diverse microbiome is generally linked to poorer health,” Kaleem shares, with changes linked to heavy and frequent drinking.
Despite the polyphenols present in red wine, Kahana clarifies that all types of alcohol are still considered toxins and can negatively alter the gut’s pH balance. This makes our gut less hospitable to probiotic microbes, while simultaneously creating an environment that favors inflammatory, dysfunction-promoting microbes. Kahana notes that the negative effects alcohol can have on the gut override the benefits of plant compounds found within the wine. This state of overgrowth in unhealthy gut microbes can trigger or exacerbate symptoms such as gas and bloating, Korenblit adds.
Drinks That Support Gut Health
- Water: “Water is always a good choice, both for hydration and for allowing fiber to work properly,” says Korenblit. Because insoluble fiber helps to increase the stool’s bulk, Korenblit notes that proper hydration is important for promoting motility through the gut. He emphasizes that water consumption is especially important to prioritize when increasing fiber intake, to help prevent constipation.
- Kefir: Kefir is a type of fermented dairy drink rich in beneficial probiotic microbes that support gut health. “[Kefir] helps promote a wider variety of bacteria in the GI tract, which has been shown to lower inflammation markers,” Korenblit highlights. He notes that unlike regular dairy milk, kefir is lower in lactose and thus better tolerated among folks with lactose intolerance. Kahana advises to avoid variations high in added sugar, artificial sweeteners or other potentially gut-disrupting ingredients.
- Coffee: Korenblit and Kaleem recommend coffee in moderation. “For many people, a cup or two of coffee a day is fine and may even support regularity,” Kaleem shares, noting that the polyphenols in coffee can have prebiotic properties in the gut microbiome. “The caffeine can help bowel movements, but decaf is still a good option if you are trying to get the benefits without all the gut stimulation,” adds Korenblit.
- Green and herbal teas: Green tea and other varieties of tea contain prebiotic polyphenols, which support the gut microbiome in ways that are similar to coffee, says Kaleem. She adds that herbal teas such as ginger and peppermint could be potentially soothing for symptoms such as nausea or bloating.
- Bone broth: While bone broth isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, this warming, hydrating, electrolyte-rich beverage is naturally abundant in gut-health supporting amino acids like glutamine and arginine and has been shown to soothe, nourish and support a healthy intestinal barrier. Sip it by the cup, or use it instead of water when cooking grains or making soups.
Our Expert Take
Experts are in agreement that drinking wine and other types of alcohol in large quantities may be more detrimental to gut health than we’ve been led to believe. Alcohol doesn’t just trigger unwanted digestive symptoms. It can cause damage to gut health at the cellular level by eroding the esophagus, inflaming the stomach lining, weakening the intestinal barrier and disrupting the gut microbiome. Drinking alcohol regularly may be particularly disruptive for folks navigating a digestive issue such as irritable bowel syndrome or an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis.
If you’re suffering from unwanted gastrointestinal symptoms like acid reflux, diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating or abdominal pain, consider reducing the quantity or frequency of your alcohol consumption (mocktails, anyone?) and consult with your health care team for personalized guidance as needed.