Author : Dr. P. D.GUPTA
Former Director Grade Scientist, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
www.daylife.page
A big question? Don’t use alcohol to quench your thirst. We all tolerate alcohol in different ways. Do you know why...
The bacteria in our gut help to metabolise alcohol. Everyone has a different milieu of bacteria in the intestine, both number and type wise. This is one of the many reasons why we all tolerate alcohol in different ways. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause inflammation in our gut, which can result in the wall of the gut lining becoming more ‘permeable’ and cause “Alcohol intoxication”. Because the whole food particles and other substances in the gut, like, toxins, may cross the gut lining and enter your blood stream, which we don’t want. Alcohol intoxication can affect a person's judgement. Alcohol intoxication is managed with rest, hydration and stopping alcohol use. Severe cases require hospital admission, intravenous fluids, observation and supportive care.
This can set off a cascade of immune responses and you could find yourself unable to tolerate foods you once could without symptoms.
Alcohol is absorbed in the upper intestinal tract and enters via the portal vein in the liver where it is broken down to acetaldehyde—a toxic substance,'. 'If acetaldehyde levels become too high, the liver, unable to cope, reacts by making vomit to expel the excess alcohol The gut-liver axis is a fairly new concept in the digestive physiology. The gut-liver axis refers to the bidirectional relationship between the gut and its microbiota, and the liver, resulting from the integration of signals generated by dietary, genetic and environmental factors.
Chronic alcohol consumption may result in bacterial overgrowth and dysbiosis and the overall composition of the gut microbiome.
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Red wine contains powerful polyphenols, which our gut bugs love. Recent research established that polyphenols found in red wine had a positive effect on our gut microbes! However, too much alcohol will outweigh the benefits of those gut loving polyphenols. (The author has his own study and views)
