Alcohol consumption negatively impacts the gut by causing dysbiosis, increasing permeability, and promoting intestinal inflammation.

“Alcohol affects the entire body systemically through its potent effect on promoting intestinal permeability (aka “leaky gut”), especially at high doses. This allows inflammatory cytokines, bacteria, and endotoxins to leave the gut and enter the circulation.”

“ethanol intake can cause the overgrowth of certain bacteria in the intestine and these bacteria then compromise the lining of the intestinal barrier leading to something known as intestinal permeability also commonly referred to as leaky gut if the intestinal barrier is permeable enough bacterial products including lipopolysaccharide and peptan can enter the blood they can reach the liver and they could lead to a pro-inflammatory environment this mechanism may have particular relevance for liver cancer”