Xmas is often described as ‘the season to be merry’. Though it is well known that alcohol is not without risk and studies show that it can also impact upon the microbiome, leading to potential dysbiosis, especially in excessive amounts.
Let’s explore one of the mechanisms behind this.
· When we drink alcohol, we need to metabolise the ethanol component. This involves both our gut microbes and mitochondrial systems.
· In the process of ethanol metabolism, our microbes produce toxic metabolites. This causes oxidative stress.
· This change of environment has been shown to increase the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Enterobacteriacea and Streptococcus and decrease the abundance of Bacteroides, Akkermansia and Faecalibacterium. (1)
· This is thought to be due to the poor tolerance of the Bacteroides and the reduction of antibacterial signalling molecules such as α-defensins by alcohol. (1)
· Due to these dysbiotic changes, excessive alcohol may be associated with increased GIT inflammation and intestinal hyperpermeability (2) (3)
Research on the link between alcohol and the gut microbiome allows us to acknowledge that caution is important whilst still allowing ourselves to enjoy a calm and balance festive period.
1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31689142/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26695747/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8472839/#B16-nutrients-13-03170