Alcohol’s journey through your body is a wild ride; starting in your mouth, heading down the oesophagus, and landing in the stomach where digestion kicks off.
Studies show that around 20% of alcohol is absorbed directly from the stomach and into your bloodstream, while the remaining percentages get absorbed from the small intestine.
Also see: The best alcohol substitutes for festive cooking and baking
Alcohol is the same as food; you are what you eat, so you are also what you drink. In the stomach, alcohol stimulates the production of gastric acids. These acids aid food digestion.
However, when excessive drinking occurs, this can lead to gastritis, which includes inflammation, bleeding, and even ulcers around your stomach lining. As reported by IOL, this disrupts your gut.
The culture we live in condones excessive drinking with wine tastings, happy hours, and everything celebrated with a toast of alcohol. This is now ingrained in most people’s lifestyles and causes harm without them realising it.
Also see: The benefits and the not-so-sweet effects of sugar alcohols
Here are signs your digestive system is taking a beating due to alcohol consumption:
A damaged immune system
Since much of the alcohol is absorbed in the gut, this disrupts the microbiomes in the gut and can cause you to be vulnerable to illnesses.
Damage to your pancreas
According to Digestive Health, “Heavy alcohol use can cause fat to build up in your liver. This is called alcoholic fatty liver disease, or alcoholic steatohepatitis. As the liver breaks down alcohol, toxins are created that can damage liver cells and promote inflammation. These toxins, which are byproducts of alcohol digestion, cause inflammation in the liver”.
Gastritis
Digestive health was also discussed with Dr Haque, a Gastroenterologist. He states that “Drinking too much alcohol disrupts the production of mucus that lines the stomach, which can cause the stomach lining to become inflamed. This condition is called gastritis. Symptoms of gastritis include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Repeated episodes of gastritis can lead to more serious conditions such as ulcers, anaemia, or stomach cancer.”
Bloating
Chronic alcohol abuse disrupts both the digestion of sugars and the balance of bacteria in your gut. This leads to a shift in your normal gut fungal production, causing an overgrowth of Candida (a type of yeast).
Also see: How alcohol impacts women’s reproductive health
Feature Image: Pexels
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