This leads to a vicious cycle of weight gain and increased belly fat. Research shows that binge drinking is closely linked to overeating.5 The influence of alcohol on food choices was also well demonstrated in an animal study. Keep in mind that alcohol contains calories and may cause weight gain. It may affect the level of the medication in the body or increase side effects. Many alcoholic drinks, such as wine, beer, and liquor, are made by fermenting natural starches and sugars. These are “extra” calories because people don’t drink alcohol to fulfill hunger or meet nutritional needs.
How can you get rid of alcohol bloating?
- But once you go back to eating right and exercising, you should be able to flush out that water weight quickly.
- This can lead to inflammation and irritation of the stomach lining, knowns as acute gastritis.
- If you’re trying to slim your waistline and count your calories, you should be aware that alcohol will contribute more calories than other macronutrients.
However, more research is needed to fully understand the link between alcohol and weight gain. Alcohol can affect many areas of your health, such as digestion and your ability to think clearly. As a result, alcohol may lead to a higher does alcohol make you gain weight risk of gaining weight. There’s a lack of evidence linking reduced alcohol consumption to weight loss. A study published in 2016 found that decreasing light-to-moderate alcohol consumption did not significantly affect weight loss.
How Are Black Women Left Out of Conversations About Diet Culture?
The main stressors are psychological stress and behaviors that increase the risk of negative health events (e.g., highly processed diets, physical inactivity, poor sleep). A diet high in added sugars, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, may increase belly fat. Most often, stick with water, unsweetened coffee/tea, and eating a diet rich in whole, minimally processed foods.
Inadequate intake of micronutrients
- Drinking alcohol can significantly increase your weight depending on how many calories an alcoholic beverage has.
- Excess alcohol consumption can lead to what is known as alcoholic fatty liver.
- However, the results of the various cross-sectional and longitudinal studies examined in this review do not unequivocally support such a hypothesis.
- Generally, you must consume fewer calories than you use to lose weight.
Some studies have also shown that drinking alcohol can increase your appetite in the short term, causing you to eat more than you otherwise would (4). Alcohol bloating can happen when a high alcohol intake causes stomach acid levels to rise. This can lead to inflammation and irritation of the stomach lining, knowns as acute gastritis. In the longer term, alcohol consumption can contribute to chronic gastritis, where persistently high levels of stomach acid cause stomach ulcers to develop. The sizes of alcoholic drinks at a restaurant or bar are often larger than the standard amounts listed above.
- Besides weight gain, alcohol can also lead to irritation of your gastrointestinal tract, which can cause bloating.
- Add all of this together and it’s easy to see how drinking heavily can cause you to gain weight over time.
- Health experts recommend that anyone who drinks should do so in moderation.
Moderate and severe withdrawal syndromes can include hallucinations, seizures, or delirium tremens; the latter two can be life-threatening. It can cause brain and liver damage, and it increases your risk of cancers as well as your risk of death from car crashes, injuries, homicides, and suicide. A diet that’s low in fiber and high in refined grains may increase risk for weight gain and higher levels of belly fat. Diets high in refined carbs and low in fiber appear to have the opposite effect on appetite and weight gain, including increases in belly fat (88).
But even low amounts of daily drinking and prolonged and heavy use of alcohol can lead to significant problems for your digestive system. It’s long been known that alcohol intake can affect levels of hormones in the body, especially testosterone. Calories consumed from alcoholic beverages by U.S. adults, 2007–2010. Alcohol’s interaction with your body’s metabolism can lead to weight gain. I’ve spent the last seven years researching and understanding alcoholism, addiction, and how people get sober. Additionally, I examine the way mental and physical health as well as our relationships with others impact the reasons people drink and their role in maintaining sobriety long-term.
