Does Alcohol Kill Gut Bacteria? What You Need To Know Before Drinking Alcohol

Since alcohol is a well-known disinfectant, there's a belief that alcohol affects gut health by killing gut bacteria. While this is true to some extent, some alcoholic beverages can help promote gut health.

However, overdoing it with alcohol can lead to several health problems. This blog will explore what you need to know about gut bacteria, how alcohol affects gut bacteria, and which alcoholic beverages are safe for gut health.

What is gut bacteria?

Gut bacteria are live microorganisms that reside in the gastrointestinal tract. They play a role in many aspects of health, including digestion, immunity, and metabolism.

There are two main types of gut bacteria:

The first type, commensal bacteria, lives in harmony with the host (in this case, you). In fact, these bacteria are essential for good health.

The second type, pathogenic bacteria, or harmful bacteria, can cause disease. Most of the bacteria in your gut are commensal, meaning they're beneficial. In fact, you need this bacteria for good gut health. Around 1000 known bacteria species are present in a healthy human's gut. However, the same journal states that a significant part of the gut microbiota is yet to be discovered.

Why are gut bacteria important?

Gut bacteria are essential for many reasons. Humans have a symbiotic relationship with gut bacteria. This means that both humans and gut bacteria benefit from each other.

Some of the benefits of gut bacteria include:

• Gut bacteria help digestion by breaking down food particles that the stomach and intestines can't.

Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes bacteria help digestion of dietary fiber and polyphenols by a complex metabolic energy-harvesting mechanism based on cross-feeding and co-metabolism.

• Gut bacteria help the immune system by fighting off harmful bacteria

The gut microbiota that resides in the digestive system benefits its host by maintaining immune homeostasis.

• Gut bacteria produce vitamins, including vitamin K and some B vitamins.

Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, and Enterococcus bacteria synthesize vitamins such as Vitamin K, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Folate, Biotin, and Pantothenic acid. These vitamins are essential for the overall health of our body.

Did You Know? There are a total of 13 vitamins that are important for your body. They improve metabolism, support immunity, and encourage a healthy lifestyle.

What is dysbiosis?

Dysbiosis is an imbalance of gut bacteria. As discussed above, there are two different forms of gut flora (gut bacteria) – commensal (beneficial gut bacteria) and pathogenic (harmful bacteria).

Ideally, the number of good bacteria should be greater than that of harmful bacteria. However, this balance gets disturbed due to particular lifestyle and dietary choices, leading to dysbiosis. Many factors can contribute to dysbiosis, including:

• Antibiotics
• Processed foods
• Sugar
• Chronic stress
• Alcohol
• Smoking
• Certain medications

What happens when gut bacteria are killed?

When good gut bacteria are killed, it can lead to dysbiosis. Dysbiosis can cause many problems, including:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Bloating
• Flatulence
• Bad Breath
• Nausea

Most of the time, the body can effectively fight harmful bacteria and correct the issue. But sometimes, dysbiosis can lead to serious health conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular and central nervous system disorders, as stated in a study about Microbiome and Gut Dysbiosis published at NIH.

Does alcohol kill gut bacteria?

Alcohol, in particular, can kill gut bacteria at higher concentrations of 30 percent or more. According to CDC, ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and Isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) have microbicidal properties that can kill bacteria such as Serratia marcescens, E. coli, and Salmonella, which is, in fact, gut flora.

This is not to say that you should drink alcohol to kill bacteria. Alcohol is, in fact, used only for disinfecting hard surfaces and is not recommended for use on humans as medicine. They are, however, used as sanitizers to decrease the risk of gastroenteric and respiratory infections.

What bacteria in the gut does alcohol kill?

As mentioned above, alcohol can kill both good and bad gut flora. Some of the good bacteria that are killed by alcohol include:

• Bifidobacteria
• Lactobacilli
• Enterococci
• Streptococci

Some harmful bacteria for gut health that are killed by alcohol include:

• E. coli
• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Proteus
• Serratia
• Klebsiella

Effective alcohol concentration that can kill bacteria

Alcohol can work as an antibiotic, and it can kill both beneficial bacteria and harmful bacteria. But, the concentration has to be high for it to work. For alcohol to inhibit the gut microbiome, it needs to be consumed in high concentrations of more than 40%.

Higher concentrations of alcohol damage the stomach, causing mucosal lesions. The same study found that the more alcohol was present, the greater the stomach damage. So, as you see, alcohol consumption doesn't help with bacterial infections but causes more harm to your gut health.

Chronic alcohol consumption causes serious problems

Previously, we explained that drinking alcohol doesn't help with bacterial infections but can cause more harm to your gut health. But what if you are a heavy alcohol drinker?

According to a study published at NIH, "Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with dysbiosis of the gut microbiota." In other words, chronic alcohol consumption can cause a gut-bacterial imbalance.

The study found that chronic alcohol consumption alters the composition of the gut microbiota, leading to an increase in harmful bacteria and a decrease in beneficial bacteria. This can lead to many problems, such as:

• Leaky gut syndrome
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular and central nervous system disorders
• Alcohol dependence

How does alcohol affect your gut health?

Studies about Alcohol and Gut-Derived Inflammation have shown that alcohol consumption promotes dysbiosis or an imbalance in gut flora. This can lead to increased levels of endotoxins, toxins released by certain types of bacteria. These toxins can activate proteins and immune cells that promote inflammation, leading to adverse health effects.

Other harmful effects of alcohol

Aside from the effects on gut health, alcohol consumption can also lead to many other problems, such as:

• Liver damage
• Pancreatitis
• Cardiovascular disease
• Cancer
• Brain damage
• Sexual dysfunction
• Birth defects
• Fetal alcohol syndrome

So, as you see, alcohol consumption can have many adverse effects on your health, both short-term and long-term. It's essential to be aware of these effects and to drink alcohol in moderation.

Safe alcoholic beverages for your gut

If you choose to consume alcohol, some alcoholic beverages are safer for your gut than others. Several studies have proved that red wine can positively affect gut health.

Red wine is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and improve gut health. In fact, one study found that red and white wine can help increase the level of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Red wine and white wine kill food-borne bacteria and promote beneficial bacteria growth.

That beer and carbonated drinks have a negligible effect on killing harmful bacteria. However, the same study found that red wine had a more pronounced effect on gut bacteria. So, if you prefer to drink alcohol, red wine is the best choice for gut health. White wine and beer are also safe choices, but they don't have the same gut-healthy benefits as red wine.

Furthermore, moderate consumption is key. If you drink too much alcohol, even red wine, it can have adverse effects on your gut health. So, it's vital to drink alcohol in moderation and to choose safe alcoholic beverages for your gut health.

What if you are an occasional drinker?

Drinking alcohol on occasion will not kill your gut bacteria. In fact, occasional drinking can actually have some benefits for gut health.

Moderate alcohol consumption can help increase the level of good bacteria in the gut. The same study found moderate drinkers had a higher gut microbial biodiversity than non-drinkers. By this, the study doesn't talk about daily drinkers but people who consume alcohol a few times a week or month.

If you are a daily drinker who consumes about two drinks per day (for women, one drink per day), we have bad news. Drinking this amount daily can increase the odds of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). This is a condition where there is an imbalance of gut bacteria and can lead to many problems, such as:

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Weight loss
• Malabsorption of nutrients
• Fatigue
• Brain fog

So, if you are an occasional drinker, there is no need to worry about the effects of alcohol on your gut health. But, if you are a daily drinker, you may want to consider cutting back on your alcohol consumption.

Even if you are a moderate drinker, it's essential to be aware of the other harmful effects of alcohol and to drink alcohol in moderation.

Tip: If you are a moderate drinker, you can improve your gut health by taking probiotics and eating a healthy diet. To learn more about supplements that improve your gut health, read The Best Supplements For Gut Health.

Bottom line: does alcohol kill gut bacteria?

Yes, alcohol can kill gut bacteria and harm your overall digestive health. However, it depends on how much alcohol you consume. If you are a moderate drinker, there is no need to worry about the effects of alcohol on your gut health. But, if you are a heavy alcoholic, you may want to consider cutting back on your alcohol consumption.

So, moderate drinkers, enjoy your occasional glass of red wine. Just be sure to drink alcohol in moderation and to choose safe alcoholic beverages for your gut health. And, if you are a heavy drinker, it's time to consider reducing your alcohol consumption for your overall health.

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