Alcohol: How much is too much?

As the holiday season rolls around, boozy Christmas party lunches, long nights and endless celebrations are the norm for almost all Australians. And whilst consuming large amounts of alcohol is common for many people, is it healthy? And if not, how much is too much?

The digestion of alcohol and why it matters

20% of alcohol is absorbed through the stomach and 80% through the small intestine. Some alcohol is also eliminated without any changes from the body in your sweat, breath and urine. 

Once absorbed, the alcohol usually ends up in your liver where it undergoes a chemical process of detoxification. The chemical process to detoxify alcohol is a tricky one for the body, and actually creates some collateral damage in the form of oxidative stress during the clean up process. 

Oxidative stress is a drive for all chronic health conditions and accelerates the aging process.

During the detoxification of alcohol metabolism of other products including, hormones like oestrogen, testosterone and cortisol is also impaired. Meaning you have a build up of other chemicals that should’ve been detoxified before alcohol arrived on the scene. 

Is there a healthy level of alcohol to drink?

Reducing your alcohol consumption even just a little bit will make a world of difference for your health.

However when we look at the research of how much alcohol a person can drink consistently before the long term physical or mental symptoms start to show it’s around the low – moderate drinking consumption range.

Low-Moderate drinking is loosely defined as: 1-2 standard drinks per day. With the results being the same if you drank 7-11 drinks divided across each day of the week or just over the weekend. 

However even this low-moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with:

• Increased levels of stress even when we’ve stopped drinking
• An increased risk of breast cancer – thought to be due to the livers inability to detoxify oestrogen and other hormones when alcohol is present 
• An increased risk of oral and upper gastrointestinal cancers
• Significant disruption to the gut microbiota due to alcohol’s antibacterial action
• Mood disturbances – depression, anxiety, trouble focusing, changing moods, outbursts, impulsivity, low motivation and drive
• Increased risk of developing cognitive diseases

The more you drink the more likely and severe these effects will become.

Does this mean I shouldn’t drink anymore?

I’m a big believer that moderation is truly the key when it comes to alcohol. Having 3-4 alcohol free days each week and allowing yourself 1-2 drinks on the weekend will make a huge difference! 

Some easy tips to help you transition to less alcohol can be things like swapping 1 or 2 drinks on your night out for a soda and lime in a short glass. Most people will assume it’s vodka, lime and soda, and is a great refreshing drink to have in your hand during social drinking events.

Planning your night out, becoming the designated driver or having a glass of water between each drink are some other little ways to create a balance with alcohol. 

Alcohol is a coping mechanism for many, and it doesn’t have to be on the list of things to cut out completely but instead enjoy in moderation with plenty of additional support like supplementation.

During the holiday season you can minimise and counteract the effects of alcohol consumption by promoting- the health and diversity of your gut flora and by activating the ‘rest and digest’ part of your nervous system. 

Supplements like:

• Probiotics
• Antioxidants
• Adaptogenic Herbs
• Calming teas like our stress less tea

Are incredible ways to significantly counteract the unwanted effects of alcohol. Practitioner grade supplements are best because they are scientifically proven to create results and contain ingredients you can trust.

If you’d like to support your body this holiday season with great supplements you can book a FREE 15 Minute phone consultation with one of our Naturopaths by clicking here or calling 02 4961 4075.