Heavy alcohol consumption has long been traced to a litany of health conditions, including liver and heart disease, as well as various types of cancers. And evidence has been mounting in recent years suggesting some of that trouble may begin in the gut.
A study published in 2017 found that the gut microbiomes of alcohol-dependent participants with liver cirrhosis contained proinflammatory bacteria and an overall depleted microbiota.
More recently, a review published in 2024 concluded that alcohol-induced gut imbalances may even affect a drinker’s mental health.
“Preclinical studies have indicated the influence of gut microbiota in the gut-brain axis and the bidirectional interactions between the central nervous system, the enteric nervous system, and the gastrointestinal tract, potentially affecting mental health outcomes,” writes lead study author Ilias Koutromanos, MD.
And there’s a link between the microbial imbalance alcohol can create and increased cravings for alcohol, according to a study published in 2023. Researchers recruited 71 volunteers between the ages of 18 and 25 who had not been diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Participants reported their drinking habits at the beginning of the study and again three months later.
After controlling for general dietary patterns, researchers found that those who had engaged in binge drinking displayed gut-microbiome imbalances associated with increased alcohol cravings.
Researchers suggest that new treatment approaches aimed at restoring microbial health may help reduce alcohol cravings.
“The gut microbiome represents a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of AUD,” Koutromanos notes.
This article originally appeared as “Gut Punch: Alcohol and Your Microbiome” in the January/February 2026 issue of Experience Life.
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