Bowel problems can have a real impact on a person’s quality of life. It can make life extremely uncomfortable and create a real fear factor when it comes to bowel control, never mind actually losing it.
There are many reasons as to why a person may develop bowel issues, but many people don’t understand the impact alcohol can actually have on our bowel and gut hygiene. Heavy drinkers can cause serious damage to their bowel health, to the point where an alcohol detox is the best option for those struggling.
But why exactly does alcohol affect our bowels so much? Well, it has an impact in several ways, including:
Irritation of the Gastrointestinal Tract
Firstly, and one of the primary ways alcohol contributes to bowel problems is through the irritation of the gastrointestinal tract. Heavy drinking can lead to inflammation and damage of the stomach lining and intestines which can cause pain, bloating and fluctuations in bowel habits such as diarrhoea and constipation.
Disruption of Gut Microbiota
Alongside damaging the gastrointestinal tract, excessive alcohol consumption can also disrupt the micororganisims that make up our gut microbiota, a key part of creating and maintaining a healthy gut environment.
Alcohol consumption leads to an overgrowth of the more harmful bacteria within the system, as well as a decline in the beneficial ones. Known as dysbiosis, it can cause irregular bowel movements, a lot of discomfort and excess gas.
Impact on Liver Function
We all know that alcohol can affect our liver and it’s one of the more serious concerns about excess alcohol intake. The reason for this is that alcohol can overwhelm the liver and lead to both inflammation and damage. This can affect the production of bile which is a key part of our ecosystem in breaking down fats. When this is affected, it can become difficult to digest and break down fats, which causes malabsorption issues and often diarrhoea.
Dehydration and Electrolyte Imbalance
Alcohol by its very nature dehydrates the body. It can lead to fluid loss as a result of increased urine production and that dehydration has a knock-on effect to our bowel habits, most commonly in the form of constipation.
Alcohol also affects the electrolytes in the body, which can have an impact on the functioning of the digestive system, often leading to the likes of cramping and irregular bowel movements.
Altered Nervous System Function
Finally, alcohol can have a big impact on our nervous system and cause so many problems outside of our bowel and gut health. The enteric nervous system (ENS) plays a pivotal role in our digestive system, and given that alcohol affects the normal functioning of it, then it’s going to cause problems with gut health. The impact of the ENS not functioning correctly leads to disruption in peristalsis, which is the rhythmic contractions of the intestines and overall bowel motility.
As a result, bowel movements can range drastically from diarrhoea to constipation, leading to an incredibly uncomfortable lifestyle.
For heavy drinkers that are struggling with their bowel health, it’s well worth reaching out to get the help you need to either drink more responsibly and within government guidelines or to head on a journey of sobriety to take care both of your bowel and overall health.